Bhairava Avatāra

Bhairava is the most fearsome form of Bhagavān Śiva. Chapters 8 and 9 of the Śata Rudra Saṃhitā of the Śiva Purāṇa tell how he was born from Śiva’s anger at Brahmā’s pride. They tell of his Kāpālika-vrata (vow), his journey through all the worlds, his visit to the home of Bhagavān Vishṇu, and how he was at last freed from Brahmahatyā at Kāśī, where he stays as its guardian for all time. Nandīśvara tells the account to Sanatkumāra.

The debate of Brahmā and Vishṇu

All the devas and ṛshis gathered on the peak of Mount Meru and went to Brahmā. They wanted to know the highest tattva (truth), the one truth that never perishes. Brahmā was overcome by ahaṃkāra (ego) through Śiva’s māyā, and he spoke falsely: “I am the self-born creator, the self-shining prabhu. There is nothing greater than me.”

Bhagavān Vishṇu was also under the power of Śiva’s māyā. He laughed and answered: “I am the Purushottama, the Nārāyaṇa, the master of all. You only created at my command.” The two agreed to put the question to the four Vedas as judges.

The four Vedas remembered Śiva and spoke in turn:

• Ṛgveda: The one Rudra, in whom all beings rest and from whom all this world rises, is the highest tattva. This is what the maharshis declare.
• Yajurveda: The Īśvara who is worshipped by all yajñas and by yoga, from whom we receive our authority, that one witness, Śiva, is the advaita-tattva (the truth without a second).
• Sāmaveda: The one by whose light this world shines, whom the yogīs meditate on, who turns the wheel of all worlds, that Mukkhaṇṭī alone is the advaita Paramātman.
• Atharvaveda: The Deva by whose grace his bhaktas see him, who is beyond all sorrow, Śaṅkara is the advaita, nirguṇa (beyond all qualities) tattva.

Brahmā and Vishṇu were deeply veiled by Śiva’s māyā. They laughed at the Vedas’ answer and challenged it. Then Oṃkāra itself took form and appeared and said, “Rudra is Parameśvara, self-shining and sanātana (eternal). His Ānanda-svarūpa (form of bliss) is Pārvatī, and she is not separate from him.” But even this did not get through the delusion that māyā had put on Brahmā and Vishṇu.

The pillar of light and Brahmā’s pride

Between the two who were arguing, a huge jyoti (pillar of light) arose and filled all the space between earth and sky. In the middle of this shining column a male form appeared. Brahmā and Vishṇu stood spellbound.

Brahmā’s fifth head knew the form and spoke proudly: “I know you, Nīlalohita. Long ago you were born from my forehead as Rudra. You wept, so I gave you that name. Come, take shelter with me, and I will protect you.”

These words claimed that Parameśvara belonged to Brahmā, and Śiva’s anger blazed out. From that anger he made a terrible being. He was dark as the void and blazing with a fire beyond understanding. His roar filled the whole world. He wore serpents and skulls, and his nails were like the points of a vajra. Śiva said:

“O Kālabhairava, punish this lotus-born Brahmā first. You shine like Kāla himself, so your name is Kālarāja. You are fearful to look at, so your name is Bhairava. You will be famous as Āmardhaka, the destroyer of the proud. You will eat up the pāpa (sins) of your devotees at once, so your name will be Pāpabhakshaṇa. You will have lordship over my own city Kāśī for all time.”

Brahmā’s fifth head is cut off

Bhairava, given this power, cut off Brahmā’s fifth head, the lying head, with only his fingernail and no weapon. The head stuck to Bhairava’s left hand like iron to a lodestone. This was Brahmahatyā, the pāpa of killing a brāhmaṇa, in person. Brahmā was humbled. Bhagavān Vishṇu recited the Śatarudrīya with devotion. Their delusion at once melted away. Both now understood the truth: Śiva, whose form is sat, cit and ānanda (being, knowing and bliss), is Parabrahma and the Paramātman beyond the guṇas.

Mahādeva was pleased by their surrender and was kind to them both. Then he said to Bhairava: “Be kind to Vishṇu. Forgive Brahmā. Carry Brahmā’s kapāla (skull) and take up the Kāpālika-vrata to remove Brahmahatyā.” He then made Brahmahatyā into a fearsome young woman and told her: “Follow this Kālabhairava everywhere, except inside the walls of Vārāṇasī. When he goes in there, you must go down into Pātāla.”

The Kāpālika-vrata and the journey

Bhairava wandered through all the worlds and all the sacred tīrthas. He carried Brahmā’s skull as his begging bowl and begged alms at the doors of great devotees. This is where the Kāpālika tradition begins. He went from tīrtha to tīrtha through the three worlds, but Brahmahatyā did not let him go. She held on without letting go. The account says that killing a brāhmaṇa is the gravest of all pāpas, and that all the tīrthas of the world together cannot destroy it.

At Vishṇu’s home, the stotra

On his wandering Bhairava came to the home of Bhagavān Vishṇu. As soon as they saw him, Vishṇu, Lakshmī and all the devas and ṛshis bowed down in full reverence. Vishṇu was moved to deep joy. He spoke to Lakshmī and recited a long stotra praising Bhairava as:

• the complete manifestation of Śiva (pūrṇa-aṃśa)
• the lord of the tattvas: ten indriyas, five tanmātras, five mahābhūtas, manas, buddhi, ahaṃkāra, the jīva-purusha and adṛshṭa
• the ātman that lives within all beings
• the one who can be known only by those who have mastered the Vedic path and their own minds
• the one whose darśana destroys all duḥkha (sorrow) and gives moksha, where even birth as a deva has no power

Vishṇu ended: “Today we have received the darśana of Jagannātha. My lotus eyes are blessed today.” He asked Bhairava to grant a vara. Bhairava offered freely. Vishṇu asked for one thing only: never to be parted from Bhairava’s lotus feet. Bhairava gave it and added: “You will be the giver of varas among all the devas.”

Vishṇu also urged Brahmahatyā to let Bhairava go, but she refused: “Through this excuse I can serve Vṛshabhadhvaja with complete devotion. Through this I will make myself pure and reach moksha.” Then Bhairava moved on.

Freedom at Kāśī and Bhairava as guardian

At last Bhairava reached Kāśī, Śiva’s own eternal city, the home that remains even when the world is dissolved. The moment Bhairava entered Kāśī, Brahmahatyā went down into Pātāla with a cry. The skull, Brahmā’s head, fell from Bhairava’s hand at one spot. That spot became the sacred Kapālamochana tīrtha, “the place where the skull was set free”.

Bhairava danced with great joy as the skull fell, free at last after wandering through all the worlds. No other tīrtha had been able to do in a moment what Kāśī did. The pāpa of killing a brāhmaṇa, which no other tīrtha in all creation can destroy, melts away at once when a devotee enters Kāśī.

After his freedom, Śiva made Bhairava the permanent koṭvāla (chief guardian) of Kāśī. Every being who dies within the Kāśī-kshetra comes before Bhairava at the moment of death, and Bhairava watches over their moksha. He stands always at Kapālamochana tīrtha, destroying the pāpas of all who come to him.

The Śata Rudra Saṃhitā says that Bhairava appeared on Mārgaśīrsha Kṛshṇa Ashṭamī, the day kept as Kālabhairava Jayantī. A person who fasts and keeps vigil on this day, at Kāśī or anywhere, is freed from all great pāpas.

Sources

• Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 8 (the debate, the pillar of light, the birth of Bhairava, Brahmā’s fifth head)
• Śiva Purāṇa, Śata Rudra Saṃhitā, Chapter 9 (the Kāpālika-vrata, Vishṇu’s stotra, Kāśī, Kapālamochana tīrtha)