Sahasranama position 514 of the 1,000 names

Mahashayaya

महाशयाय

Mahāśayāya

What Mahashayaya means

Mahashayaya is name 514 in the Kalabhairava Sahasranama, the 1,000-name devotional text to Kalabhairava. Salutations To The one who has a great, noble, and magnanimous mind.

Also spelled

  • Mahashaya
  • Mahasayaya
  • Source transliteration: MAHAASHAAYAAYA

Sanskrit names travel into English in several romanizations. This page keeps the common spelling, the IAST form, and the source transliteration together so the same name is discoverable under each spelling readers use.

Meaning and elaboration

Meaning: Salutations To The one who has a great, noble, and magnanimous mind.

Elaboration

The name Mahāśayāya is derived from the Sanskrit terms Mahā and Āśaya, conveying profound virtues of the Divine mind.

Mahā: This word means "great," "grand," "noble," or "extensive."

Āśaya: This term is rich with multiple meanings, including "mind," "heart," "intention," "disposition," "abode," "receptacle," or "innermost thought."

The Great Mind/Heart When combined, Mahāśaya points to a being of immense intellect, profound compassion, and unwavering resolve. It signifies a mind that is not limited by petty concerns, ego, or ignorance, but is vast, all-encompassing, and benevolent. It implies an unparalleled depth of understanding and a magnanimity that transcends ordinary human comprehension.

Noble Intent and Disposition It refers to a noble and pure intention. Kalabhairava, despite his fierce exterior, acts out of a great purpose—to maintain cosmic order, protect the righteous, and guide souls towards liberation. His actions, even when appearing stern or terrifying, are always underpinned by a supreme, beneficial āśaya. He punishes not out of malice, but out of a noble disposition to correct and purify.

Vast Receptacle of Knowledge and Compassion As the embodiment of Mahāśaya, he is the ultimate repository of all knowledge, wisdom, and compassion. His mind is a vast ocean, holding the secrets of the universe, and his heart is equally expansive, embracing all beings with an unwavering, even if fierce, love. This implies a divine consciousness that is infinitely capable of understanding and responding to the needs of all creation.

The name Mahāśayāya emphasizes the profound inner qualities of Kalabhairava, portraying him as the embodiment of supreme intelligence, noble purpose, and expansive benevolence, whose formidable actions stem from an ultimately good and magnanimous intention.

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Text and sources

The name list follows the Kalabhairava Sahasranama as compiled for this project. The English meaning and elaboration are interpretive notes for devotional study, not a translation of a single critical edition.

Read the editorial method and source notes →

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