Sahasranama positions 280 and 445 of the 1,000 names

Paraya

पराय

Parāya

What Paraya means

Paraya is names 280 and 445 in the Kalabhairava Sahasranama, the 1,000-name devotional text to Kalabhairava. Salutations To The one who is the supreme, the transcendent, and beyond everything.

Also spelled

  • Para
  • Source transliteration: PARAAYA

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.

Name 280: PARAAYA

Meaning: Salutations To The one who is the supreme, the transcendent, and beyond everything.

Elaboration

The name Para (Parā) signifies the absolute transcendence and supremacy of Lord Shiva, particularly in his fierce form as Kalabhairava.

The Supreme and Transcendent "Para" literally means "highest," "supreme," "ultimate," "beyond," or "other." In philosophical and spiritual contexts, it refers to that which is beyond all attributes, descriptions, and dualities. It represents the ultimate reality (Parabrahman) that is unmanifest, formless, and beyond the grasp of the intellect or senses. Kalabhairava, as Para, embodies this ultimate, unconditioned state, existing independently of and transcending the entire cosmos he governs.

Beyond All Limitations This name emphasizes that Kalabhairava is not merely a powerful deity within a pantheon but is the prime mover and consciousness that exists prior to and pervades all creation. He is beyond space, beyond time, beyond cause and effect, and beyond even the concepts of good and evil. He is the substrate upon which all existence rests, yet he remains untouched and unaffected by it.

The Ultimate Goal For spiritual seekers, "Para" also signifies the ultimate goal of liberation (moksha), the state of being united with or realizing this transcendent reality. Recognizing Kalabhairava as Para means acknowledging him as the ultimate source and destination, the one who facilitates the release from the cycles of birth and death by dissolving all relative existence into the absolute.

In essence, Para points to the unconditioned, primordial essence of Kalabhairava that underlies all manifestation, making him the ultimate truth and the supreme consciousness.

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Name 445: PARAAYA

Meaning: Salutations To The one who is the supreme, transcendent, and ultimate reality.

Elaboration

The name Para (Parāya) points to the highest, ultimate, and transcendent nature of Kalabhairava. It encapsulates his position as the supreme reality, beyond all limitations and distinctions.

The Ultimate Reality Para literally means "supreme," "highest," "ultimate," "beyond," or "transcendent." In philosophical terms, Para refers to that which is beyond all manifestation, beyond all dualities, and beyond all comprehension by the ordinary mind. It signifies the Absolute Truth, the foundational essence from which all existence emanates and into which it ultimately dissolves. Kalabhairava, as Para, is the unmanifest (avyakta) Brahman before creation, the primordial source.

Transcendent and Unconditioned This appellation emphasizes that Kalabhairava is not limited by space, time, form, or qualities (nirguna). He is the unconditioned (nirupadhi) reality that exists independently of the phenomenal world. While he manifests in various forms to interact with creation, his true nature as Para remains untouched and untainted by these manifestations. He is the substratum upon which all existence rests, yet he himself is not part of that existence in a restrictive sense.

Beyond All Dualities Para also implies being beyond all pairs of opposites – good and evil, pleasure and pain, birth and death. As the ultimate reality, he encompasses and transcends all these dualities, holding them within his infinite being without being defined by them. This perspective offers a profound sense of unity and liberation from relative truths.

The Goal of Spiritual Aspiration For spiritual seekers, Para represents the ultimate goal – the state of ultimate realization where the individual self (Jivatma) merges with the Supreme Self (Paramatma). Saluting Kalabhairava as Para is an acknowledgment of his being the final destination of all spiritual journeys, the non-dual truth that all traditions strive to apprehend.

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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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