In the nondualist yogic spiritual perspective, any god is nothing more than a different facet of the same one supreme Being, designated by the name of brahman – the supreme Being without attributes.
Moreover, the Abheda paradigm in this regard is that the Supreme Being, whom people designate with the name of God, is – above all – the manifestation of infinity or omnipotence in our ultimate essence, the essential and immortal Supreme Self. ……………………………
SHIVA BHAIRAVA – A Facet of the One Supreme Being – God
Bhairava is a facet of the one Supreme Being – God who predominantly manifests the aspect of transcendence and for this reason is perceived as terrible. In fact, he is a protector of the well-intentioned and open to spiritual evolution over the evil ones who have ill will and consciously choose the path of falling.
Bhairava or Kala Bhairava is a Shaivit ishwara and Vajrayana god, worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists. In Shaivism, he is an avatar of Shiva associated with the resorption of manifestation and supreme transcendence.In the Trika system, Bhairava represents the Supreme Reality, synonymous with Para Brahman. In general, in Hinduism, Bhairava is also called Dandapani (the one who “holds” the cane – danda – in his hand to punish sinners, and Swaswa, meaning “He whose vehicle is a dog”.
In Vajrayana Buddhism he is considered a terrible emanation of the boddhisattva Manjusri and also called Heruka, Vajrabhairava and Yamantaka.
A hypostasis of Shiva that strongly manifests the quality of savior of the world
Bhairava is a terrifying and powerful form of Shiva, known for destroying evil and protecting his devotees.
The name “Bhairava” means “scary” or “terrible.”
This hypostasis emphasizes Shiva’s nature as the destroyer of evil forces and the supreme protector of the cosmic order.
Bhairava’s Story
According to legend, Bhairava was created out of Shiva’s wrath to destroy Brahma’s arrogance.
Brahma, one of the members of the Hindu trinity, became too proud of his creative power and began to consider himself equal to or superior to Shiva.
To teach him a lesson and restore balance, Shiva manifested his anger in the form of Bhairava.
Bhairava, with his fearsome appearance and immense power, cut off Brahma’s head, thus destroying his arrogance.
The meaning of the Bhairava hypostasis
Protection from evil Bhairava is seen as a terrible protector who destroys evil forces and protects his devotees from danger.
This hypostasis emphasizes Shiva’s role as defender of good and destroyer of evil.
Restoring order
By destroying Brahma’s arrogance, Bhairava restores cosmic order and balance.
This form of Shiva symbolizes the need to control and eliminate the forces that disrupt the harmony of the universe.
The Transformative Aspect of Divine Wrath
Bhairava shows that divine wrath, although terrifying, has a positive and constructive purpose.
It is used to cleanse the world of negativity and restore justice and balance.
Other Saving Poses of Shiva
In addition to Bhairava, there are other forms of Shiva that reflect his quality as a savior: Shiva Mahadev “the Great God” who is revered as the protector and benefactor of the world, bringing prosperity and peace.
Shiva Tripurantaka The destroyer of the demonic cities of Tripura, where Shiva saves the gods and humanity from evil demons that threatened the cosmic order.
Shiva Neelakantha The name “Neelakantha” translates to “Blue Neck”.
This hypostasis is closely related to the myth of the milk ocean churning (Samudra Manthan), a significant episode in Hindu mythology. Shiva Bhairava is a powerful and protective hypostasis of Shiva, who manifests his quality as the savior of the world by destroying evil forces and restoring cosmic balance.
This form emphasizes Shiva’s essential role in maintaining order and protecting his devotees from all dangers.
Symbolic attributes of Bhairava
they are the trident Trishula, Khaṭvaṅga, the Kapala sword, the Kabalam sickle, the Vajra noose, the Pinaka bow, the Pashupatastra arrow, Pestle and Damaru. He is worshipped throughout India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, as well as in Tibetan Buddhism. Bhairava means “terribly scary shape.” He is also known as “The One Who Destroys Fear.” He protects his followers from terrible enemies, greed, lust and anger. These enemies are dangerous because they can block spiritual evolution. There is also another interpretation: Bha means creation, ra means sustenance, and va means destruction or resorption. Therefore, it is Bhairava who creates, sustains and dissolves the world.
IN TRADITION
In the form of Kala Bhairava Shiva is said to guard each of the Shaktipeeth.
These are temples of God the Woman or Goddess – Shaktibuilt in the spaces on Earth wherepieces of the body of the Great Goddess are believed to have fallen to the earth.Each Shaktipeeth is accompanied by a temple dedicated to Bhairava. Kala Bhairava temples can also be found around Shaktipeeths. It is said that Shiva assigned the task of guarding each of the 52 Shaktipeeth to a single Bhairava. There are 52 forms of Bhairava, which are considered a manifestation of Shiva himself. Since Bhairava was thus created by Shiva, it is said that he is one of the sons of Shiva.
The eight manifestations of the Bhairava – Ashta Bhairava are :
- Asithanga Bhairava – enhances creative energy and provides prosperity
- Ruru Bhairava – support the defeat of hearts
- Chanda Bhairava – increases self-confidence
- Krodha Bhairava – provides the ability to make correct, essential and vital decisions
- Unmatha Bhairava – helps us improve control over speech
- Kapala Bhairava – helps us eliminate unproductive or ballast actions
- Bheeshana Bhairava – fight negativity and defeat evil spirits
- Samhaara Bhairava – “burns” karma and sometimes “erases” the undesirable results of wrong decisions from the past.
- Kala Bhairava is conceptualized as the Guru-Nath (Teacher and Master) of the planetary deity Shani (Saturn).”