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Bhairava

Image of Bhairava Shiva set into

a niche in a gali in Benares
 completely devours within Himself the entire
mass of ideation (which is responsible for
sense of difference) - Shiva Sutras, Jaideva
Singh

Bhairava means "terrifying" and it is an

adjective applied to Shiva in his fearful aspect.
Yet in Kashmir Shaivism, the three letters of
this name are taken in a different manner. Bha
means bharana, maintenance; ra means
ravana, withdrawal and va means vamana,
creation of the universe.

The Rudrayamala Tantra, quoted in a puja

manual Bhairava Upasana, describes the
worship of Vatuka Bhairava, or Bhairava as a
small boy, and gives his mantra as hrim
vatukaya apadudharanaya kuru kuru batukaya
hrim. Although the ascription to Rudrayamala
is commonly found in the colophons of tantrik
texts, these passages do not appear in the
modern work now available.

However, the same work gives dhyanas, or

meditation images of Vatuka Bhairava as
comprising the entire three gunas, and also
separately as Vatuka in his sattvik, rajasik and
tamasik guises. In his form as the three gunas,
he is described as being like pure crystal,
effulgent as the rays from 1,000 suns, shining
like a sapphire thundercloud and wearing
sapphire coloured clothing. He has three eyes,
eight arms, four arms and two arms,
depending on the preponderance of the guna,
has a fanged, fearsome gaping mouth, and a
girdle and anklets of live serpents. He is
digambara (naked as space), He is the prince-
lord (Kumaresha), and is very powerful. In his
right hands he holds a staff with a skull on the
top (khatvanga), a sword, a noose and a
trident. His left hands hold the hourglass-
shaped damaru drum, a skull, he shows the
mudra bestowing boons and holds a snake in
the last.

The sattvik dhyana describes Vatuka Bhairava

as resembling crystal, and as white as the
kunda flower, wearing celestial clothing and
nine gems, of a flaming appearance, adorned
with anklets of bells, having a bright, beautiful
and handsome face, with three eyes. He has
two hands, one of which wields a trident
(shula).

Shri Bhairava Deva The rajasik dhyana says he resembles the

rising sun, with three eyes, with red limbs, in
Bhairava holds within Himself the entire his four hands showing the sign bestowing
universe by reducing all the shaktis to boons, and holding a skull. In one of his left
sameness with Himself and inasmuch as He hands he holds a trident and with the other
shows the mudra (hand gesture) dispelling elephant-hide, with the Moon as a diadem,
fear. He has a blue, bejewelled throat, on his carrying skull-bowl and a skull-staff, bearing a
forehead is a fragment (kala) of the crescent cleaver and a goad, with hands granting boons
moon and he wears clothes red as the and dispelling fears. [3-5]
banduka flower.
A great hero, holding a vajra and a battle-axe.
The last, tamasik dhyana, has Vatuka Bhairava After worshipping Bhairava, one should
as stark naked, blue in colour, with reddened meditate on she who is on his lap. [6]
hair, with terrifying fangs, three eyes, anklets of
jingling bells, and with eight arms. Similar to the fire causing dissolution, effulgent,
like red lac and vermilion, with dishevelled hair
The yantra of Bhairava, in all his different and a mighty body, dreadful and truly terrific.
forms, is similar to that shown below. [7]

With a great belly and with five faces, each of

which is adorned with three eyes, having
horrible talons, the protectress of the fortress,
adorned with a rosary of skulls. [8]

A Devi with arms like Bhairava who carries

Bhairava's weapons, thus is declared Iccha
Shakti, who of her own free will goes lovingly
on Bhairava's lap. [9]

Thus should one meditate on the renowned

Aghoreshi having the above form. Spoken of in
all tantras, but never made plain [10], my
essence is by no means clear and is hard to
attain. In ailments, punishment, evils and so
on, in various setbacks, in protection, for
desires, in pacifying and in nourishing, for
cowns and for brahmins one should worship
From the yogic point of view, if an individual (Bhairava Yamala). Resembling a himakunda
applies the Bhairava Mudra, he or she looks flower, like the pearly effulgence of the Moon
both outwards and inwards at the same time [12], resembling 10,000,000 Moons, like the
and is one with Shiva-Shakti. Bhairava is clearest crystal.
terrible, terrifying, because he represents pure
consciousness, before which the kleshas
(Chit Bhairava) is like the fire at the end of the
(obstacles) and conditioning of an ignorant
aeon, red as the China rose, equivalent to
human being crumble. The following chapter
10,000,000 Suns. One should meditate on him
from the Netra Tantra reveals more of the
as red or blackish in hue. Effulgent as a red
mysteries of Bhairava.
lotus or like yellow orpiment [14], being of the
nature of Will (Iccha), the deva bestowing the
Shri Netra Tantra 10 fruit of Icchasiddha.

Bhagavan said: Now I speak of the One should meditate on (these forms) placed
characteristics of the Bhairava Agama, in the centre of a lotus and should worship,
resembling a mass of fragments of collyrium, according to the ritual injunction [16] with food,
like the fire at the end of an aeon. [1] flower, incense and distilled liquor abundantly.
The Devi resembling cow's milk, effulgent as a
Five faced, seated on a corpse, with ten arms, necklace of pearls [17] like beautiful pure
the dispeller of anxiety, resembling a host of crystal, white as snow, pure as camphor, with
night flowers, the final peal of thunder, making four arms and one face adorned with three
a terrifying roar. [2] eyes. [18] The Devi wearing white garments,
ornamented with white pearls, seated on a
Having a gaping fanged mouth, and fearsome deer with a vajra in her hand, very powerful,
brows and eyes, enthroned on a lion-seat, the (Siddha Devi). [19]
adorned with vicious fangs, wearing a rosary of
skulls, large in body, wearing a garment of
The Devi carrying a noose and a goad, ringing and a severed head. The attendants of the
a bell, is placed in the east of the god of gods. door are Krodhana, Vrintaka, Karshana and
[20] A man who meditates on her as one with Gajanana [37], with two arms, of deformed
himself is successful quickly. (Rakta Devi) appearance and holding a cleaver and a
resembles 10,000,000 Suns, is as effulgent as shield. In the matter of pacifying acts, they are
flaming fire, like a heap of vermilion, the form all-white, or in other acts according to their
of lightning, inspiring fear, with three eyes and forms. [38]
a terrifying face, with a large belly and a great
body, pot-bellied, with pendulous breasts. [22] Now I declare the characteristics of the
Rajaraksha. By the yoga of enveloping in a
Seated on a corpse, very powerful, wearing a mantra, one should write the name in the
rosary of skulls with a tiger skin around her centre. [39]
hips, wearing the hide of an elephant. Naked,
adorned with a garland of skulls, like great Above this, one should worship the lord of
firebrands they shine and they glow. [24] nectar, who is Bhairava, dear one. Similarly,
the Devis should be worshipped in the petals
With four arms and one face, holding a of the lotus. [40]
cleaver, a shield a skull and a skull-staff,
placed in the south. One should meditate thus. Afterwards, one should worship the Dutis and
[26] the servants using the root mantra. On the
outside of the lotus one should draw a very
Dark red, the great light, skeletal with a white Moon mandala. On the outside of this is
deformed face, is Shushka, the protectress of a bhupura, marked with the vajra symbol.
the fortress. With one face and four arms, Having drawn it using rochana, kumkum or
three eyes and a terrifying mouth, adorned with white milk, one should worship, in pacifying
a necklace of teeth, a mighty-bodied one with acts, using all-white ritual accessories, giving
dishevelled hair, adorned with a garland of suitable food, and animal sacrifice of vicious
skulls. [27] beasts of prey. [43]

With limbs the tendons of which are like The wise man should do homa using white
knotted cords, carrying a cleaver and a shield, sandal, mixed with camphor and ash,
her mouth full of meat and entrails, holding a unhusked rice, sesame oil together with white
pot in her hand. One should meditate in this sugar, ghee and milk. Great peace comes
way in the west of the god of gods, seated on a swiftly by worshipping the Mrityunjaya. [45]
crocodile, with the throat of a buffalo, the
shoulders of an elephant, horse's ears and the
face of a ram, with diamond-hard talons like
weapons, legs like a beast of prey and a
crocodile, with the back of a tortoise and the
tail of a fish - this is the renowned Kumbha.
[31]

Dusky like a blue lotus, resembling the

autumnal moon and with three eyes and one
face, dressed in dark clothes the colour of
sapphire, adorned with sapphires, seated on
the back of a lion, holding a bow and an arrow
in preparedness, and carrying a dart in her
hand, a great Devi. Meditated thus, she
(Utpalahasta) is the giver of the desired fruit.
[33]

So in the four directions are situated the Devis

of Bhairava, O Mother of Hosts! [34] In the
intermediate points are placed the Dutis, the
south east being first and the north east last.
Kali, Karali, Mahakali and Bhadrakali are the
renowed Devis placed there. The Devis have
two arms and sit on a lotus, carrying a knife