Guhyakas
Guhyaka, “the hidden ones”
The Guhyakas are a host of beings whose dwelling is Kailāsa and whose master is Bhagavān Kubera. The Bhavishya Purāṇa names them among those who ever praise Bhagavān Sūrya, among the dwellers of Bhūloka, among those who honour Bhagavān Śiva, and as guards whom Bhagavān Śiva stationed at the place of a yajña.
Their home and master
The Pratisarga Parva calls Kailāsa the dwelling of the Guhyakas. It says so when Śivadṛshṭi comes from Kailāsa to the earth, and again when a great cry of grief arises there at the loss of the head of the boy Gaṇeśa. It tells that Kubera, master of three crore yakshas, was himself master of the Guhyakas.
Sumantu Muni tells King Śatānīka that the gandharvas, apsarās, guhyakas, siddhas and rākshasas are dwellers of Bhūloka.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 125; Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 1, Chapter 7; Khaṇḍa 4, Chapters 12, 15
Praise and service
In the stotra of the devas to Bhagavān Sūrya, he is praised unceasingly by the Vālakhilyas, apsarās, kinnaras, pannagas, siddhas, gandharvas, piśācas, humans, yakshas, the rākshasa hosts and guhyakas. In the stotra that Sāmba recited in tapas at Mitravana, he says that Bhagavān Sūrya is ever praised by Brahmā, Vishṇu, Śiva and the other devas, and that Mahendra, the Siddhas, Gandharvas, Apsarās, Guhyakas and others ever extol him.
Bhagavān Vishṇu tells Bopadeva that Bhagavān Śaṅkara once settled with Devī Pārvatī in Kāśī to perform the Bhāgavata-saptāha yajña. To protect the place of the yajña he stationed Caṇḍīśa, Gaṇeśa, Nandī and the Guhyakas. Himself settled in dhyāna, he told the Bhāgavatī Kathā to Devī Pārvatī for seven days.
In the Uttara Parva, when Bhagavān Śaṅkara gave up the form of a tiger and gave darśana in his own form, mounted on the vṛshabha with Bhagavatī Umā at his left, the guhyakas, with the Mātṛkās, bhūtas, yakshas, rākshasas, devas, dānavas, gandharvas, munis, vidyādharas and nāgas, and their wives, offered him pūjā.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 123, 127; Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 2, Chapter 32; Uttara Parva, Chapter 69
Their time of eating
The Uttara Parva gives who eats when: the devatās in the forenoon, the munis at midday, the pitṛs in the afternoon, and the guhyakas and others in the evening. Therefore the nakta meal should be taken after all of them.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 96–97
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 123, 125, 127; Pratisarga Parva, Khaṇḍa 1, Chapter 7; Khaṇḍa 2, Chapter 32; Khaṇḍa 4, Chapters 12, 15; Uttara Parva, Chapters 69, 96–97