Cite
MLA
“Bhagwan Bhairava.” Hindu History, 2026, https://www.hinduhistory.in/devata/bhairava/. Accessed .
APA
Hindu History. (2026). Bhagwan Bhairava. Retrieved , from https://www.hinduhistory.in/devata/bhairava/
देवराजसेव्यमानपावनांघ्रिपङ्कजं
व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम्।
नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगंबरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥
devarājasevyamānapāvanāṅghripaṅkajaṃ
vyālayajñasūtram induśekharaṃ kṛpākaram |
nāradādiyogivṛndavanditaṃ digambaraṃ
kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje ||
Naked or in a tiger skin, with snakes for ornaments, a garland or apron of bones, wild hair and fangs, holding the trishula, damaru, a sword and a skull-cup, or the danda with which he judges. His vahana, the dog, stands at his side. In Kashi his silver face rides a dog and holds a staff of peacock feathers. Odisha’s Eastern Ganga sculptors gave him three heads, for past, present and future.
01The fifth head
The Shiva Purana tells the katha. When Brahma and Vishnu disputed who was supreme, and the pillar of fire rose between them, Brahma claimed falsely that he had found its top, and his fifth head spoke in pride. From Mahadev’s wrath, from the place between his brows, came Bhairava, who cut that head off with his nail. The skull stuck to his hand. Carrying the sin of brahmahatya he wandered the three worlds as a beggar, until he entered Kashi and the skull fell away at the place still called Kapal Mochan. Shiva made him Kotwal of the city, keeper of its gates and judge of its people, so that even Yama has no authority in Kashi.
02Many Bhairavas
The Agamas count eight Bhairavas, the Ashta Bhairava: Asitanga, Ruru, Chanda, Krodha, Unmatta, Kapala, Bhishana and Samhara, each guarding a direction. Every Shakti Peetha has its Bhairava beside the Devi: Nakuleshwar at Kalighat, Bhishana at Devi Talab in Jalandhar, Bhimalochana at Hinglaj. Shrines to Bhairava stand within or near most of the Jyotirlinga temples. Kala Bhairava is held to be the guru of Shani, so those troubled by Shani pray to him. In Kashmir Shaivism, Bhairava is the name of the Supreme itself. In Tamil villages he is Vairavar, the guardian at the edge of the fields, and in Kumaon, Golu Devta of Chitai, the god of justice, is worshipped as a form of Gaur Bhairav.
03Kashi, Ujjain and Kathmandu
Kashi’s custom is that a pilgrim first visits Kaal Bhairav before darshan of Vishwanath, or at least before leaving the city. Adi Shankaracharya composed the Kalabhairavashtakam in Kashi, eight verses that each end kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje, I worship Kala Bhairava, lord of the city of Kashi. In Ujjain the Kal Bhairav temple, with the Patal and Vikrant Bhairava shrines nearby, guards Mahakal’s city as its kotwal. In Kathmandu’s Durbar Square stands a great carved Kala Bhairava, and Newar towns across the valley each keep at least one Bhairava temple. Bhairava Ashtami, Margashirsha Krishna Ashtami, marks the day he appeared, and every Krishna Ashtami is a Kalashtami.
In the texts
- Shiva Purana, Shatarudra Samhita (the Bhairava avatara)
- Skanda Purana, Kashi Khanda
- Kalabhairavashtakam of Adi Shankaracharya
- Vijnana Bhairava Tantra
