Bhairava

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For the raga in Hindustani classical music, see Bhairav (raga). For the 2001 film, see Bhairav (film).
Bhairava
Bhairava Kathmandu 1972.jpg
Bhairava's murti in the Durbar Square, Kathmandu
Destruction (guard god)
Devanagari भैरव ( in )
Nepal Bhasa भैराद्य:
Affiliation Aspect of Shiva
Weapon Trishula
Consort Bhairavi
Mount Dog

Bhairava (Sanskrit: भैरव, ("Terrible" or "Frightful",[1]), sometimes known as Kaala Bhairava, Kal Bhairab, Annadhaani Bhairava (In Karnataka)( ಭೈರವ) Bhairo or Bhairon or Bhairadya or Bheruji (In Rajasthan), Kaal Bhairava, Kaala Bhairavar (கால பைரவர்) or Vairavar (In Tamil), is the fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva associated with annihilation.[2] He is one of the most important deities of Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Nepal who originated in Hindu mythology and is sacred to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains alike.

Contents

Legends [edit]

Head of Bhairava, dated 11th-century CE
Bhairava with his consort, Bhairavi

The origin of Bhairava can be traced to the conversation between Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu recounted in "Shiv Maha-Puran" where Lord Vishnu asks Lord Brahma who is the supreme creator of the Universe. Arrogantly, Brahma tells Vishnu to worship him because he (Brahma) is the supreme creator. This angered Shiva who then incarnated in the form of Bhairava to punish Brahma. Bhairava beheaded one of Brahma's five heads and since then Brahma has only four heads. When depicted as Kala Bhairava, Bhairava is shown carrying the decapitated head of Brahma. Cutting off Brahma's fifth head made him guilty of the crime of killing a Brahmin(Brahmahatyapap), and as a result, he had to carry around the decapitated skull for twelve years and roam as Bhikshatana, a mendicant, until he had been absolved of the sin.

In the form of the frightful Bhairava, Shiva is said to be guarding each of these Shaktipeeths. Each Shaktipeeth temple is accompanied by a temple dedicated to Bhairava.

Dekshe [edit]

In Aadichunchanagiri Mata, Kala Bhairava family people take Diksha. One person from a family should take the Diksha to market and spread about the Mata. After the person take Diksha he is not allowed to drink alcohol or do any other wrong things. He also should promise to God that he will go to do pooja if anyone asks him.

Worship [edit]

See also: Bhairava Ashtami
Shri Swarna Kala Bhairava consecrated at Kaga Ashram, Thiruvannamalai, India

His temples or shrines are present within or near most Jyotirlinga temples, the sacred twelve shrines dedicated to Shiva across India, including Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi and the Mahakaleshwar Temple at Ujjain, where at the Kal Bhairav Temple, he is worshipped by the Kapalika and Aghori sects of Shaivism, here one can also find the Patal Bhairav and Vikrant Bahirav shrines.[3][4]

Kaal Bhairava temples can also be found around Shakti Peethas, as it is said Shiva allocated the job of guarding each of 52 Shakti Peethas to one Bhairava. As such it is said there are 52 forms of Bhairava, which are in fact considered as manifestation of Shiva himself.

Traditionally Kal Bhairav is the Grama devata in the rural villages of [Karnataka], Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, where he is referred to as "Bhaivara/Annadhani" Vairavar. In Karnataka, Lord Bhairava is the supreme God for the Vokkaliga community commonly referred as "Gowdas", especially for the Gangadikara Gowda caste he is considered as the care taker and punisher.

Also another set of people in Kashmir that have their origin from Gorat, or the minister of Mata Sharika worship Bhairava during Shivratri [5]

The Hindu reformer Adi Sankara has written a beautiful hymn on Kala Bhairava of Kashi which is called as Kalabhairavashtakam.[6]

Observances [edit]

Bhairava Ashtami commemorating the day Kal Bhairav appeared on earth, is celebrated on Krishna paksha Ashtami of the Margashirsha month of Hindu calendar with a day special prayers and rituals.[7]

Iconography [edit]

Bhairava with vahana, shvan (dog) at Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

He is depicted ornamented with a range of twisted serpents, which serve as earrings, bracelets, anklets, and sacred thread (yajnopavita). He wears a tiger skin and a ritual apron composed of human bones.[8] Bhairava has a dog (Shvan) as his divine vahana (vehicle). Bhairavi is a fierce and terrifying aspect of the Devi who is virtually indistinguishable from Kali, with the exception of her particular identification as the consort of Bhairava.

Bhairava himself has eight manifestations i.e. Ashta Bhairava:

  • Asithaanga Bhairava
  • Ruru Bhairava
  • Chanda Bhairava
  • Krodha Bhairava
  • Unmattha Bhairava
  • Kapaala Bhairava
  • Bheeshana Bhairava
  • Samhaara Bhairava

Kala Bhairava is conceptualized as the Guru of the planetary deity Shani (Saturn). Bhairava is known as Bhairavar or Vairavar in Tamil where he is often presented as a Grama devata or village guardian who safeguards the devotee on all eight directions (ettu tikku). Known in Sinhalese as Bahirawa, he protects treasures. Lord Bhairava is the main deity worshipped by the Aghora sect.

Temples [edit]

Kala Bhairava Kuladevata of Vaidya manetana Soratoor
Kalabhairava Temple, Ujjain
Uttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand
Jammu and Kashmir
Himachal Pradesh
Delhi and NCR
Assam
West Bengal
Orissa
Jharkhand
  • Bhomia ji Temple at Jain Swetambar Kothi, Madhuban, Jharkhand
Rajasthan
Madhya Pradesh
Gujarat
Maharashtra
Goa
  • Kalabhairav Temple at Dhargal, Goa
Andhra Pradesh
Karnataka
Tamil Nadu

In the Kathmandu valley [edit]

Aakash bhairav during Indra Jatra festival

Bhairava is an important deity of the Newars. All the traditional settlements of Newars have at least a temple of Bhairava. Most of the temples of Bhairava in Nepal are maintained by Newar priests. There are several Bhairava temples in the Kathmandu valley. Some of them are:

  • The Kala Bhairava temple in Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu Durbar Square) has a 12-foot (3.7 m) high stone image of Kala Bhairava sculpted in the 5th or 6th century and later rediscovered in paddy field in the 17th century CE by King Pratap Malla. It was believed that people die if they speak false in front of this sculpture. So, this temple served as the supreme court of Nepal for a long time.[citation needed]
  • Akash Bhairava (Sava Bhakku Deva or Wanga Dya)
  • Swet Bhairava
  • Shanta Bhairava (Majipa Lakhey Dya)
  • Kirtimukha Bhairava
  • Unmukta Bhairava (inside the Pashupatinath Temple)
  • Bagh Bhairava temple of Kirtipur
  • Batuk Bhairava temple, Lagankhel
  • "Kaal Bhairicha Navane Changbhale"

Bhairava temple in Brazil [edit]

  • Kalabhairav temple in Brazil

Images of Bhairava [edit]

  • Kali and Bhairava in Union, 18th century, Nepal

  • 14th century Bhairava, Indonesia.

See also [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bhairava

[9]

References [edit]

  1. ^ For भैरव as one of the eight forms of Shiva, and translation of the adjectival form as "terrible" or "frightful" see: Apte, p. 727, left column.
  2. ^ For Bhairava form as associated with terror see: Kramrisch, p. 471.
  3. ^ Sunita Pant Bansal (2008). Hindu Pilgrimage: A Journey Through the Holy Places of Hindus All Over India. Pustak Mahal. ISBN 8122309976. 
  4. ^ Diana L. Eck (1982). Banaras: City of Light. Taylor & Francis. pp. 192–3. ISBN 0710202369. 
  5. ^ Syed Siraj Ul Hassan (1920). The Castes and Tribes of H.E.H. the Nizam's Dominions, Vol. 1. Asian Educational Services. p. 482. ISBN 8120604881. 
  6. ^ hindubhakti.blogspot.com/2011/08/kala-bhairava-ashtakam.html‎Cached
  7. ^ Dr. Bhojraj Dwivedi (2006). Religious Basis Of Hindu Beliefs. Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd. p. 172. ISBN 8128812394. 
  8. ^ Bhairava statuette in copper from 15th-16th century Nepal, in collection of Smithsonian Institution. Accessed August 11, 2007.
  9. ^ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kaal-Bhairab/184596188245504?ref=hl.

External links [edit]
History
India statue of nataraja.jpg
Deities
Texts
Mantra/ Stotra
Philosophies
Jyotirlingas
Temples
Traditions
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bhairava&oldid=556258785"