Kaal Bhairav

Once upon a time, Brahma severely infuriated Shiva. Brahma had five heads at the time, with the fifth one uttering profane words. The anger manifested in the form of a terrifying person, Kaal Bhairav. He emerged from Shiva's third eye and had a horrifying appearance. His frightening face had two large, blazing eyes and two sets of long, pointed fangs. He rushed towards the creator god and plucked out his fifth head brutally. The other four heads of Brahma screamed terribly in unbearable agony. The entire creation paused for a brief while. 

As everything calmed down gradually, Brahma regained his senses. However, Brahma's fifth head got stuck to Bhairav's palm, and he could not remove that. Thus, Bhairav was named "Brahmashirachedaka" (one who has beheaded Brahma). The sin of Brahmahatya (the slaying of Brahma) manifested as an elderly hag with a scary appearance. She possessed sharp teeth and long nails dipped in poison. Bhairav was the only one who could see her. 

Image by Nico Franz from Pixabay

Bhairav, despite his enormous might, was insignificant in front of her. His strength and weapons were ineffective against her. On the other hand, she continued to bite him with her sharp teeth and scratch him with her razor-sharp nails. Bhairav, unable to retaliate, began to flee, and the hag chased him. Bhairav fled frantically across the entire universe. However, wherever he went, the sin of Brahmahatya followed him there. There was no place to hide. Perceiving all his attempts to be in vain, Bhairav turned to Shiva and begged for his protection.

Shiva then told him that, as he had committed a serious offense, he needed to redeem himself from his sin. Shiva asked Bhairav to roam about three worlds as a kapali. He instructed Bhairav to become a wanderer and beg for alms from people, using the kapal, or skull, of Brahma as a bowl to receive food till it got filled. To atone for his sin, he had to serve the people. Thus, Bhairav started to wonder in three worlds as a beggar and came to be known as Bhikshatana.

But he was Shiva's fearsome and chaotic incarnation. Instead of being polite and merciful, he began to cause conflicts wherever he went due to his violent temperament. Ages had gone by. He resembled a nude ascetic, wearing only a skull garland and wielding an enormous trident. He was accompanied by his dog, Svana. His hunger was insatiable, and his bowl could never be filled with alms. He began slaughtering everyone who made him angry. As a result, the old hag continued to chase him.

He once went to the deodar woodland and observed heretic sages and their wives. When the women saw Bhikshatana, they became enchanted and followed him. The sages there became enraged and assaulted him with their weapons. But as they got closer to him, he started to radiate a bright light from his body. The sages realized he was none other than the Kaal himself, and they began to worship him as a lingam (phallus). 

After visiting several sites, he arrived at Vaikuntha Loka, Lord Vishnu's abode. He was stopped at the gate by Viswasena, the gatekeeper. Viswasena was a loyal devotee of Vishnu and a fearsome warrior wielding a conch, chakra, mace, and lotus, just like Lord Vishnu himself. Looking at Bhairav's terrifying appearance and hostile gestures, he commanded him to return from whence he came. This enraged Bhairav, who entered into a battle with him. After a long battle, Viswasena ended up being killed by Bhairav, who impaled him with his trident and took his corpse along. Consequently, he became known as Kankala-murti, or the skeleton-bearer. 

Seeing Bhairav, Vishnu began to chuckle because, by slaughtering the people, Bhairav's sins had multiplied many times instead of decreasing. Bhairav went straight to Vishnu and asked for alms. Vishnu inquired as to what he desired in terms of alms. Bhairav shouted for blood and flesh until his bowl was full of food. Vishnu then used his chakra to make a small, unique gash on Bhairav's forehead. Blood flowed from the wound and began to pour onto Brahma's skull. Bhairav was unable to contain himself after seeing blood. He began ecstatically drinking his own blood. However, neither the skull could ever be filled nor Bhairav's hunger could ever be satisfied. Thus, Lord Vishnu instructed Bhairav to travel to Varanasi, a sacred site on earth, where he would be cleansed of his sins. 

By this point, the old hag appeared before Bhairav and began scratching him again. Bhairav fled to protect himself from the menace. He ran until he reached Varanasi. Brahma's skull immediately peeled off from his palm, and Viswasena's body disappeared as well. The sin of Brahmahatya released him at last. Bhairav's hunger was slaked, and his injuries recovered. Shiva appeared before him and ordered him to live in Varanasi forever after years of suffering as the protector deity. Lord Vishnu raised Viswasena from the dead, affirming his responsibility as the doorkeeper again.

Image by Anandkumar Pathak from Pixabay

Eight Matrikas appeared from Devi Kaushiki, an incarnation of Adiparashakti, during the fight with the powerful asura brothers Shumbha and Nishumbha. The Matrikas were let loose following the demise of Shumbha. Eight Bhairavs (Asta Bhairavs) emerged from Kaal Bhairav's body. Eight Bhairava accompanied the eight Matrikas: Ashitanga Bhairav with Brahmani Matrika, Ruru Bhairav with Maheshvari Matrika, Chanda Bhairav with Kaumari Matrika, Krodha Bhairav with Vaishnavi Matrika, Unmatta Bhairav with Varahi Matrika, Kapal Bhairav with Indrani Matrika, Bhishana Bhairav with Chamunda Matrika, and Samhara Bhairav with chandi Matrika. 

The eight Matrikas and Bhairavs are the guardians of eight directions. Kaal Bhairav became Varanasi's guardian deity and protector of all shakti-pithas, taking the name Ksetrapala. Later, eight subservient Bhairavs emerged from each of the Asta Bhairavs and eight Yoginis from each Matrika. These sixty-four Bhairavs and sixty-four Yoginis are the presiding deities of cremation grounds.