Mahākāla and Kālabhīti

Kālabhīti was born to Māmti, a devotee of Bhagavān Śiva in Vārāṇasī. He feared Kāla (time and death) so much that he stayed in his mother’s womb for four years. This account is from the Kaumārika Khaṇḍa. It tells of his birth, his tapas (austerity) at Mahīsāgara Saṅgama under a bilva tree, and how he was crowned by Brahmā and taken as her son by Devī. It ends with the rise of the great Mahākāla Liṅga at Guptakshetra.

Māmti of Vārāṇasī

In the holy city of Vārāṇasī lived a devoted Śiva-bhakta named Māmti. He was known as the first among those who did Rudra-japa (repeating the mantras of Rudra). He had no son, yet he went on repeating the Rudra mantras with firm devotion. After a hundred years, Parameśvara appeared and said:

“O Māmti, your son will be intelligent. He will have my power and valour. He will be the redeemer of your entire family.”

Māmti’s wife Caṭikā became pregnant. She looked like tapas itself in bodily form. But four years passed and the child did not come out of the womb.

The child in the womb speaks: fear of Kāla

Māmti spoke to the child in the womb with gentle words. He asked why the child would not be born, since human birth is the best state, sought even by the devas. In it all four purushārthas (aims of life) are fulfilled and all sacred rites can be done.

The child answered:

“O dear father, I know that all these things are very rare; but I am all the while extremely afraid of the Kālamārga — the path of Kāla (time and death). Two paths have been mentioned in the Vedas: Kāla and Arci (flame/light). Those who go by the path of Kāla, whether they reach svarga or remain in naraka, do not find happiness — like a deer hit by a hunter. Therefore, if my mind had not been deluded and confounded through various defects, I would have the rare human birth immediately.”

In plain words: the child knows human birth is rare, but he is very afraid of the Kālamārga, the path of Kāla. The Vedas name two paths, Kāla and Arci (flame or light). Those who go by the path of Kāla find no happiness, whether they reach svarga (heaven) or stay in naraka (hell), like a deer struck by a hunter. He says that if his mind had not been deluded and confused by many faults, he would take the rare human birth at once.

The frightened father prayed hard to Parameśvara: “Save me, save me, O Maheśvara! You have given me a son. Make him take birth!”

The eight Vibhūtis comfort the child

Parameśvara was pleased with Māmti’s devotion. He ordered his eight Vibhūtis to enlighten the child and make sure he was born. These are four bright powers, Dharma, Jñāna, Vairāgya and Aiśvarya, and their four opposites, Adharma, Ajñāna, Avairāgya and Anaiśvarya.

The four bright Vibhūtis spoke to the child: “O highly intelligent son of Māmti, you need have no fear. The four of us, beginning with Dharma, will not leave your heart.”

The four opposing Vibhūtis added: “And we will not trouble your mind. You have no fear from us.”

With this double promise the child came out at once, shaking and crying loudly. The Vibhūtis named him Kālabhīti, “one who fears Kāla”, because he kept trembling even after birth.

Kālabhīti’s tapas at Mahīsāgara

Kālabhīti grew like the moon in the bright half of the month. All the rites were done for him in due order. He became a devoted follower of the Pāśupata path. He repeated the five Paśupati mantras, which begin with “tat-purushāya vidmahe mahādevāya dhīmahi | tan no rudraḥ pracodayāt ||” (from the Taittirīya Āraṇyaka). He stayed pure, loved to visit holy places, and bathed at the Rudrakshetras while repeating these mantras.

He heard of the greatness of Guptakshetra and came to the Mahīsāgara Saṅgama. He bathed in the waters of the Mahī and repeated the mantras crores of times. Not far from the holy spot he saw a bilva tree. He sat under it and repeated the mantras a hundred thousand times.

As the young brāhmaṇa did this japa, all his senses became still. In a moment he reached the form of supreme bliss and merged fully into it. When he came back to ordinary awareness, he cried out:

“I did not have such bliss in Vārāṇasī, or Naimisha, or Prabhāsa, or Kedāra, or even in Amarakaṇṭaka. Neither in Śrī-Parvata nor at any other place. Oh, what an influence of this place! He who always runs about in great thirst (seeking elsewhere) will never attain siddhi. Hence I shall stay here itself and perform excellent tapas.”

He stood on the tip of his big toe and went on repeating the Rudra mantras without a break. For a hundred years he lived on only a drop of water. A strange man came, offering water and a blessing. He knew no parents, no jāti and no rule of conduct. He only said, “I have always been thus.” After various exchanges, Kālabhīti finished his hundred years of great tapas.

The birth of Mahākāla

Mahākāla then gave a very long teaching. It covered the marks of the four Yugas, the 18 Purāṇas, the 28 Vyāsas of the Vārāha Kalpa, the givers of Dharmaśāstra, the signs of Kali Yuga, and the masters of Śaiva yoga. He also taught the kinds of pāpa (sin), gross and subtle. These include the twelve kinds of wrong acts of mind, speech and body, the Brahmaghāta offences, the Upapātakas and the lesser faults. He also taught the good conduct needed by a devotee of Bhagavān Śiva.

While Mahākāla was speaking of these good acts, a great sound was heard in the sky. Brahmā, Bhagavān Vishṇu, Bhagavān Rudra, Devī Pārvatī, the Gaṇas of Rudra, all the devas led by Indra, great ṛshis, Gandharvas and apsarās came down together.

Full of devotion, the wise Mahākāla did pūjā to them all. Then Brahmā and the devas seated him on a throne set with gems and crowned him at the Mahīsāgara Saṅgama. Devī Pārvatī embraced him with great love, placed him in her lap and took him as her own son. She said: “O devotee of the holy rites of Śiva, stay in the abode of Śiva like Śiva himself as long as this Cosmic Egg lasts, because of your devotion to Śiva.”

Bhagavān Śiva gave a vara: “He who conquers his senses, stays pure and does pūjā to your Liṅga here will come to my world. A visit, praise, pūjā, bowing, japa and gifts at this Liṅga give me great joy.”

The devas shouted, “Excellent! Excellent!” The suras praised Mahākāla, the Cāraṇas saluted him, and dancing apsarās surrounded him. With Bhagavān Śiva at the head, he went to the abode of Rudra. In this way the great Mahākāla Liṅga came into being at the Mahīsāgara Saṅgama.

The glory of the Mahākāla Liṅga

“He who visits, touches and does pūjā to this Liṅga will go to the abode of Bhava. These seven Liṅgas came into existence (at Guptakshetra). Those who listen to and praise these are excellent men — they are blessed.”

In plain words: whoever visits, touches and does pūjā to this Liṅga goes to the abode of Bhagavān Śiva (Bhava). Seven Liṅgas came into being at Guptakshetra. Those who hear them and praise them are excellent people, and they are blessed.

Sources

• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kaumārika Khaṇḍa, Chapter 40
• Skanda Mahā Purāṇa, Māheśvara Khaṇḍa, Kaumārika Khaṇḍa, Chapter 41