“Traya” means three, “Guhya” refers to secret, and “Tantra Mālā” denotes a set of tantra texts. Bhagavān Swacchanda Bhairava Shiva revealed the supreme knowledge of the cosmos and creation in the form of tantra to Bhagavān Tāmravaktra Jvāl. This divine knowledge was designed to liberate worthy divine beings from the cycle of rebirth, ultimately granting them salvation and union with Shiva.

Bhagavān Tāmravaktra Jvāl preserved this wisdom in the form of infinite tunnels of radiant light dispersed throughout the cosmos. Mahāsiddha Hiranyagarbh Nath Ji and his disciples intense sādhanā (penance) of bhagwan Tāmravaktra Jvāl and, through his divine grace, received this divine knowledge.
According to Kaulantak Peethadheeshwar Mahāsiddha Ishaputra, through the sacred oral tradition of the Himalayan Guru-śiṣya paramparā (master-disciple lineage), this wisdom was safeguarded and passed on only to the worthy ones. It was Mahāsiddha Kośira Nātha who eventually translated this knowledge into textual form, which came to be known as the Traya Guhya Tantra Mālā.

Origin

According to the Himalayan Siddha tradition and the teachings of Mahāsiddha Kośira Nātha, the inception of the universe witnessed the emergence of diverse manifestations of consciousness (Cetanās) across multiple realms of existence. In this primordial unfolding, the divine feminine force, Bhagavatī Yogamāyā, began transmitting the essential wisdom and cosmic mysteries to all sentient beings.

In this sacred context, Bhagavān Svacchanda Bhairava Śiva is said to have authored three profoundly secret and sacred scriptures, collectively titled the Traya Guhya Tantra Grantha Mālā—the “Three Esoteric Tantra systems”. These texts were not meant for ordinary beings but were reserved exclusively for those endowed with the highest levels of spiritual merit and divine intelligence.

To protect these esoteric scriptures and the powerful spiritual systems (sādhana paddhatis) contained within them from unworthy, malevolent, or demonic forces, Bhagavān Svacchanda Bhairava emanated nine luminous beings known as the Jvāla Gaṇas. These were formed from his own spiritual radiance (Tejas). Of these, Tamravaktra Jvāla was appointed as the chief guardian and leader.

It is held that whenever a sādhaka (spiritual practitioner) reaches a particular elevated state of consciousness through the sādhana of Bhagavān Svacchanda Bhairava or Devī Bhagavatī Kurukullā, the hidden granthas of the Traya Guhya Tantra are mystically revealed by Tamravaktra Jvāla, thus granting the practitioner access to the inner core of esoteric wisdom.

Purush Jwal Tantra

Shakti Jwal Tantra

Abhed Jwal Tantra

Ritual and Worship

These sacred granthas are divinely protected by Bhagavān Tāmravaktra Jvāla and remain mystically sealed to safeguard their profound knowledge from malevolent and unworthy beings. Accessing their wisdom requires the practitioner (sādhaka) to follow a precise and sanctified path.

The first essential step is the dedicated sādhana and worship of Bhagavān Tāmravaktra Jvāla, through which the sādhaka seeks the guardian’s permission and spiritual clearance. Each grantha is associated with specific mantras and a distinct yantra, forming a unique key to its inner teachings.

To unlock a grantha, the sādhaka must receive its formal dīkṣā (initiation) from the Kaulantak Nath. Following this, a series of rituals—including the worship of the corresponding yantra—must be meticulously performed. Only then can the sealed wisdom of the grantha begin to reveal itself to the worthy practitioner.

Sadhana system

According to Mahāsiddha Ishaputra, the sādhanā of this Tantra Mālā comprises several distinct methods and stages. The sādhaka must diligently complete each step outlined in the sādhanā of every individual grantha. Only upon fulfilling all the requisite practices and conditions does the sādhaka become eligible to receive the knowledge embedded within that particular grantha-mālā. At that point, the wisdom of the Tantra spontaneously descends from the boundless universe and integrates into the very core of the sādhaka’s being.

The path of the sadhana of each grantha comprises of three main stages. Each stage contains several steps.

Stage 1 contains nine steps

Stage 2 comprises of eight steps

Stage 3 comprises of three steps

Mahāsiddha Ishaputra says that “When a sādḥaka completes the stage of Satya Charit, he attains a divine state of being. At this level, a sense of ego may arise — the illusion that he is all-powerful and that the forces of nature will bend to his will. However, this is far from reality. Even for a Mahāsiddha, the laws of nature remain unchanged. If a sādḥaka desires to journey to the Himalayas, he cannot simply command the river to reverse its flow, sit on a wooden plank, and expect to reach his destination. Instead, he must align himself with the natural order — he must build a boat capable of withstanding the river’s current and designed to move against its flow. The effort to change the world around us is futile; true effort must be directed toward transforming and refining oneself into a radiant form. This is the essential teaching of the Jwāla Tantra Granthas.”

According to Mahāsiddha Ishaputra, the sādhana associated with these sacred Granthas represents one of the highest and most advanced forms of spiritual discipline. These esoteric practices are not meant for the ordinary seeker but are strictly reserved for sādhakas who are exceptionally worthy, disciplined, and spiritually mature. Such sādhanas demand unwavering commitment and profound inner strength, and therefore must be undertaken only under the close supervision and guidance of a competent and spiritually realized Guru.

Without the Guru’s direct oversight, these practices can pose serious physical, mental, and spiritual risks to the practitioner. Certain phases of the sādhana may involve extreme austerities—such as prolonged fasting without food or water—that can be hazardous if attempted without proper preparation and authorization from the Guru. These intense stages are not just tests of endurance but are spiritually calibrated processes that require the Guru’s precise instructions for safe navigation.

Moreover, before a sādhaka becomes eligible to even approach these advanced practices, a period of rigorous preparation is essential. This may include the observance of multiple Mahāchāndrāyana vratas (great lunar fasts), the undertaking of Bhairava Meru sādhana, and other foundational disciplines. These preliminary practices serve to purify and fortify the sādhaka on all levels—body, mind, and soul.

Thus, it is not merely advisable, but absolutely imperative that these high-order sādhanas be performed solely under the direction and presence of a qualified and empowered Guru. Only then can the sādhaka truly harness the transformative power of these Granthas without falling prey to their latent dangers.