Within the tradition from which the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra emerges, the text is not regarded as the work of a particular historical author. Rather, it is presented as a sacred revelation, a dialogue in which Bhairava (Śiva) addresses Bhairavī (Pārvatī). In this way, the text is understood to arise from divine consciousness itself, not from an identifiable human composer. This anonymity is not a lack, but a deliberate framing: the teachings are meant to be received as timeless wisdom rather than the opinion or system of a single thinker.

From a scholarly perspective, the work is generally treated as an anonymous Shaiva Tantric scripture associated with the milieu of Kashmir Shaivism, especially the Trika tradition. On the basis of language, style, and its relationship to other tantric materials, researchers typically situate its composition between the 7th and 9th centuries CE. Many place it roughly around the 8th century CE as a plausible period of emergence. Thus, both traditional and academic lenses converge on the sense that the text is rooted in a specific historical environment, yet speaks with a voice that transcends individual authorship.

This dual vision—anonymous yet intimate, historically situated yet presented as eternal—shapes how the text is approached by practitioners and scholars alike. The absence of a named human author invites the reader to engage more directly with the contemplative methods themselves, rather than with the authority of a particular sage or school. At the same time, recognizing its likely origin within the Kashmir Shaiva context helps illuminate the philosophical and meditative currents that flow through its verses.