Bhairava Ashtami,

also known as Bhairavashtami, Bhairava Jayanti, Kala-Bhairava Ashtami and Kala-Bhairava Jayanti

it is a Hindu holy day that celebrates Bhairava, a terrible manifestation of the god Shiva.

So what? In what way should it impact us, here in Romania or wherever we are?

It is true that in India this holiday has a religious devotional character.
and auntent yoga is not a religion.

That is why the deep traditional yogic perspective considers this day a privileged opportunity

• to meditate,
• to awaken in us more strongly the divine transcendence, the holiness, the sacred, that which is incorruptible,
• to make the difference between that which is fleeting and that which is eternal.

So - meditations, devotion, contemplation, reflection,

Bhairava being, in reality, a facet of our essentialized consciousness.

Bhairava Ashtami takes place on the eighth lunar day (ashtami)
in the two weeks of the waning month (Krishna paksha)
of the Hindu month kartik (according to the South Indian calendar Amavasyant , each month ends with a new moon)
or Margashirsha (according to the Purnimant calendar of North India , each moon ends with a full moon).

By both schemes, Bhairava Ashtami falls on the same day in November-December-January.

The name Kalashtami is sometimes used to refer to this day,
but it could also refer to any ashtami in Krishna paksha,
all this being
sacred days of Bhairava, who is also called Dandapani (as he keeps a rod or Danda to punish sinners and rides a dog). It is also known as Swaswa, that is, "whose horse is a dog."

WHAT TO DO ON THIS OCCASION IN INDIA

An all-night vigil is observed on the Bhairava Ashtami, with prayers, worship and stories about Bhairava, Shiva and Parvati.

At midnight, the Devotional Arati is made to the Bhairava with bells and drums.

After taking a purifying bath in the morning, worshippers (especially Shaiva - those who adore Shiva) offer libations and offerings to their dead ancestors.

Then Bhairava, Shiva, consort of Shiva, Parvati and the vahana (animal vehicle) of Bhairava, the dog, is adored with flowers and sweets.

Dogs are also offered milk, sweets, curd and other foods as offerings.

The day is considered holier if Bhairava Ashtami falls on a Sunday or a Tuesday, sacred days of the week dedicated to Bhairava.

Bhairava is especially adored for protection, success, wealth, health and the removal of obstacles.

It is said that a devotee is freed from karma and the fear of death by participating in Bhairava Ashtami.

Bhairava Ashtami is also practiced in the Bhairav Prasad Temple in the Vaishno Devi hills of Kashmir.

On this day, an image of the Kala-Bhairava is made in gold or silver and immersed in a brass pot filled with water and offered with all scriptural prayers, as it is done to Shiva. Then the priests who make the puja are given gifts.

In Varanasi, an eight-day pilgrimage is made to the eight temples dedicated to Ashta Bhairava, eight subsidiary aspects of Bhairava is undertaken during the first eight days of the two weeks, culminating in Bhairava Ashtami.

By Bhairava Ashtami, Kala Bhairava - the guardian deity of the city - is revered in his temple.

For the rest of a year, a canvas covers the central icon, except for its face, however, on this day, the canvas is removed to reveal the entire image.

The picture is adorned with a garland of silver skulls on this day. Several followers flood the temple to capture the unique opportunity to see the entire image.

Source: by Wikipedia