In this episode of “5 Minutes,” Dr. Robert Svoboda explores Kala Bhairava and the intense form of Shiva associated with time, death, and transformation.
Bhairava comes from the Sanskrit word bhiru, which means fearsome, fearful, or terrible. Bhairava is sometimes translated as “the one who terrifies.” Bhairava is a very intense form of Shiva. There are different stories about the origin of Bhairava, but all of them involve Shiva taking on a form that is extremely powerful and fierce in order to destroy some kind of obstacle.
In Sanskrit, kala can mean time, and it can also mean death, blackness, or darkness. Time, death, and darkness are all things that Shiva governs and manages. However, the form of Shiva most commonly worshipped in India is the gentle and benevolent Shiva. He has Parvati as his wife, Nandi as his vehicle, and Ganapati and Kartikeya as his children. He lives in a cremation ground, but he is smiling and peaceful, with the Ganga on his head and the moon on his forehead.
Bhairava, however, has a much more intense appearance. He has fangs, a fierce expression, and especially in places like Kathmandu and Ujjain, he is offered alcohol as part of his worship. He is always associated with dogs and is sometimes called Shvapati, meaning the one associated with dogs. In Varanasi, Kala Bhairava is regarded as the Kotwal, the protector and authority of the city.
When you come to Banaras, it is said that Kala Bhairava determines, according to your karmas, what your experience in the city will be. Therefore, it is considered wise when visiting Varanasi, Kashi, or Banaras to first visit Kala Bhairava and pray: “O Kala Bhairava, I have been fortunate enough that my karmas have allowed me to come to Banaras. Please do not destroy me because of whatever karmas I have brought with me before I have been able to receive darshan and blessings from the great beings here, especially your transcendent form of Mahadeva. Please have mercy on me.”
Please do this whenever you go to Banaras, and perhaps Kala Bhairava will show mercy.
The role of Kala Bhairava is to help you experience and work through your karmas in a faster way, an ugra shighra way. This can often be an intense experience, but the purpose is to allow negative karmas to stop influencing you so that you can move forward and create positive karma, bringing your future into a better condition than your present or past.
Bhairava is Shiva, and Shiva is Bhairava. They are not different in essence. They manifest differently according to the work they need to perform.
Bhairava is especially connected with the shmashana and is always present in Yogini temples. The Yoginis are extremely powerful feminine energies that are both transcendent and present within physical reality. There are traditionally sixty-four Yoginis, and Bhairava is always placed at their center. He is managing these intense energies.
Bhairava himself is intense, but in essence he is never different from the same Lord Shiva who appears in the more peaceful form that many people are naturally drawn to worship. May Kala Bhairava guide and protect all.