{"id":5337,"date":"2026-04-27T10:36:40","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T10:36:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/bhairava\/"},"modified":"2026-06-05T14:32:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T14:32:56","slug":"bhairava","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/bhairava\/","title":{"rendered":"Bhairava"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"5337\" class=\"elementor elementor-5337 elementor-2064 elementor-bc-flex-widget\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-10fdade e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"10fdade\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-herohlft0 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"herohlft0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c3ceb64 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c3ceb64\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-96ae5e1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"96ae5e1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bhairava, god of the Hindu tradition<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e45238a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e45238a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Bhairava is a god of the Hindu <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The passing on of knowledge and narratives across generations.\" tabindex=\"0\">tradition<\/span>.<\/p><p><strong>The terrible form of Shiva, guardian of the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Belonging to the divine and thereby withdrawn from everyday use.\" tabindex=\"0\">sacred<\/span> threshold.<\/strong> Bhairava is Shiva in his fearsome shape, not the gentle ascetic of the cave but the wild destroyer, with the black dog at his side.<\/p><p>With a bloodthirsty tongue, a skull garland and a body covered in ash, Bhairava stands at the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A structure that serves the veneration of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span> gates and protects the faithful from evil forces.<\/p><p>In <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"Religious and ritual tradition in Hinduism and Buddhism with a doctrine of energy polarities.\">Tantra<\/span>, Bhairava is a powerful god of transformation whose intense worship promises enlightenment. A god for those who do not take the gentle path but who wish to behold the abyss and walk through it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-klsbdg01 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"klsbdg01\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-klshtm01 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"klshtm01\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"iwg-pill-row\"><span class=\"iwg-klasse-badge\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"God \/ goddess: personified supreme power within the pantheon of a culture, with clear areas of responsibility such as forces of nature, fate, war, fertility. Venerated through cults, sacrifices and temple institutions.\">God<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/hinduism\/\" class=\"iwg-kultur-badge\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"Hindu worlds of gods, asuras and protective powers, from Vedic to tantric.\">Hinduism<\/a><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f74855 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3f74855\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c30362 elementor-toc--minimized-on-tablet elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"1c30362\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;Es wurden keine \\u00dcberschriften auf dieser Seite gefunden.&quot;,&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h2&quot;,&quot;h3&quot;],&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;bullets&quot;,&quot;minimize_box&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;fas fa-circle&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;fa-solid&quot;,&quot;rendered_tag&quot;:&quot;&lt;svg class=\\&quot;e-font-icon-svg e-fas-circle\\&quot; viewBox=\\&quot;0 0 512 512\\&quot; xmlns=\\&quot;http:\\\/\\\/www.w3.org\\\/2000\\\/svg\\&quot;&gt;&lt;path d=\\&quot;M256 8C119 8 8 119 8 256s111 248 248 248 248-111 248-248S393 8 256 8z\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/path&gt;&lt;\\\/svg&gt;&quot;},&quot;minimized_on&quot;:&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;hierarchical_view&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tTable of contents\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--expand\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__1c30362\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Open table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M207.029 381.476L12.686 187.132c-9.373-9.373-9.373-24.569 0-33.941l22.667-22.667c9.357-9.357 24.522-9.375 33.901-.04L224 284.505l154.745-154.021c9.379-9.335 24.544-9.317 33.901.04l22.667 22.667c9.373 9.373 9.373 24.569 0 33.941L240.971 381.476c-9.373 9.372-24.569 9.372-33.942 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--collapse\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__1c30362\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Close table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M240.971 130.524l194.343 194.343c9.373 9.373 9.373 24.569 0 33.941l-22.667 22.667c-9.357 9.357-24.522 9.375-33.901.04L224 227.495 69.255 381.516c-9.379 9.335-24.544 9.317-33.901-.04l-22.667-22.667c-9.373-9.373-9.373-24.569 0-33.941L207.03 130.525c9.372-9.373 24.568-9.373 33.941-.001z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__1c30362\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M500 975V858C696 858 858 696 858 500S696 142 500 142 142 304 142 500H25C25 237 238 25 500 25S975 237 975 500 763 975 500 975Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-herorght0 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"herorght0\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-heroimg00 iwg-hero-image elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"heroimg00\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_bhairava-683x1024.webp\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-5338\" alt=\"Bhairava, gods from the Hindu tradition, historical and illustrative\" srcset=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_bhairava-683x1024.webp 683w, https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_bhairava-200x300.webp 200w, https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_bhairava-768x1152.webp 768w, https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/goetter_hinduismus_bhairava.webp 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-32917199 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"32917199\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26e916cb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"26e916cb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-253a40d4 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"253a40d4\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1200c304 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1200c304\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bhairava<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-159dcf9a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"159dcf9a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48cee66f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"48cee66f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Quick overview: Bhairava<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3f50d82c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3f50d82c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Type:<\/strong> Major Hindu <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A being venerated as divine within a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">deity<\/span>, wrathful aspect of Shiva, protective deity<br><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The totality of the gods of a religion or culture.\" tabindex=\"0\">Pantheon<\/span>: Hinduism (Shaivism, <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"Religious and ritual tradition in Hinduism and Buddhism with a doctrine of energy polarities.\">Tantra<\/span>), Buddhism (Mahakala kinship)<br>Function: protection from death and illness, destruction of egocentricity, guardian of sacred sites<br>Main attributes: trishula (trident), khatvanga (skull staff), dog as mount<br>Main <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The totality of religious acts of veneration for a deity or sacred figure.\" tabindex=\"0\">cult<\/span> sites: Varanasi (Kashi Vishwanath <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A building that serves the veneration of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span>), Khajuraho, Kathmandu (Nepal)<br>Tibetan identification: Mahakala (secondary)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-18613602 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"18613602\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-262b8a9f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"262b8a9f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Context<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46dcb7d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"46dcb7d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61d3ab3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"61d3ab3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-117c166 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"117c166\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Period of the texts<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-73997a0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"73997a0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Bhairava is attested since the Pur&acirc;&#7751;as (4th to 10th century CE) as a wrathful manifestation of Shiva. The main cult site, Varanasi, emerged at the latest in the 8th century with the <em>K&acirc;l&acirc;bhairava<\/em> <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A building that serves the veneration of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span>.<\/p><p>He is central to the tantric K&acirc;p&acirc;lika and Aghori traditions from the 8th century onward. In Nepal he is the main aspect of the Newar pantheon. In the 20th century he became popular worldwide through the yogi tradition and tantric schools of practice.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d47b156 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d47b156\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff38c2b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ff38c2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Area of distribution<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4e49fcc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4e49fcc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Main cult sites: <strong>Varanasi<\/strong> (with the K&acirc;l&acirc;bhairava <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A building that serves the veneration of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span> as protector of the city), Khajuraho (Bhairava <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A building that serves the veneration of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span>), Kathmandu (Nepal, Newar tradition with the 64 Bhairavas), Ujjain. He is central in tantric K&acirc;p&acirc;lika <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sacred place dedicated to the veneration of a deity.\" tabindex=\"0\">sanctuaries<\/span> as well as in the Aghori tradition. International dissemination came through tantric and yogic schools.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db03c39 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"db03c39\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-229a87b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"229a87b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f471fc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1f471fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Source situation<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36b1201 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"36b1201\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Central sources: <em>Bhairava T&acirc;ntra<\/em>, <em>Skanda Pur&acirc;&#7751;a<\/em>, <em>Linga Pur&acirc;&#7751;a<\/em>, <em>Vij&ntilde;&acirc;na Bhairava T&acirc;ntra<\/em> (a central tantric text), <em>Bhairav&acirc;&#7779;&#7789;ottara T&acirc;ntra<\/em>. Secondary literature: Sanderson, <em>The &Saacute;aiva Age<\/em>; Lorenzen, <em>The K&acirc;palikas and K&acirc;l&acirc;mukhas<\/em>; Michaels, <em>Der Hinduismus<\/em>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ae0637c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3ae0637c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31d07739 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"31d07739\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Name and spellings<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b7642947 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"b7642947\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a086266 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a086266\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Bhairava is dark, black or deep blue, his body smeared with ash to symbolize the transience of all things. A garland of severed heads or skulls encircles his neck. A long red tongue hangs from his mouth.<\/p><p>A black dog (<em>Khanda<\/em> or <em>Vrishabha<\/em>) is his constant companion, sometimes the dog itself, sometimes a demonic being. He carries a trident and often a sword. His third eye is open and fiery.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-709a44a8 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"709a44a8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f585873 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2f585873\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Characteristics<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-70621c12 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"70621c12\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4296eb49 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4296eb49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Bhairava is the protective god of sacred boundaries, especially of the entrances to <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A structure that serves the veneration of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temples<\/span>. His name means &#8220;the terrible one&#8221; (<em>Bhaya<\/em> = fear), yet this fear is not evil but purifying. In tantric practices Bhairava is <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The petitioning or invoking address to a deity or power.\" tabindex=\"0\">invoked<\/span> as the supreme master, especially in nocturnal meditation (<em><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Spiritual practice of exercise in Hinduism and Buddhism with mantra, visualization and rite.\" tabindex=\"0\">sadhana<\/span><\/em>).<\/p><p>Bhairava worship is intense and not suited to beginners; it leads to the direct experience of emptiness (<em>Sunyata<\/em>) and to liberation. The black dog is the disciple, and every practitioner becomes a dog who serves Bhairava.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44e71476 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"44e71476\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3c1fc3f0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3c1fc3f0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Profile: Bhairava<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-84f33b8e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"84f33b8e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-hqkdc67p elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"hqkdc67p\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The most important aspects of Bhairava at a glance. The following fields summarize origin, function, appearance, worship, symbols and parallels.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-pemmx7c5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"pemmx7c5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-pemmx7c1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"pemmx7c1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-qh9oavvu iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"qh9oavvu\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-awzx8k2k elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"awzx8k2k\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Origin<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-x6rowhv0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"x6rowhv0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A handed-down narrative about gods, origins and the order of the world.\" tabindex=\"0\">myth<\/span>, Bhairava arises from an encounter between Shiva and Brahma: when Brahma boasts of being the supreme god, Shiva strikes off one of his five heads, and from this act Bhairava emerges, who must carry the severed head of Brahma on one hand until he is released in Varanasi.<\/p><p>Bhairava is thus the embodied wrathful aspect of Shiva. In the tantric scheme there are eight principal Bhairavas, and in Nepal 64 Bhairavas.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e3o4kxs iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"8e3o4kxs\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-08rkdgov elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"08rkdgov\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Addressees<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-uwjelx8s elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"uwjelx8s\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Protection from sudden death, illness and all external threats. Destroyer of ego identification in tantric practice. Guardian of sacred sites; in Varanasi the K&acirc;l&acirc;bhairava is regarded as protector of the city.<\/p><p>For every <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A person who undertakes a religiously motivated journey to a sacred place.\" tabindex=\"0\">pilgrim<\/span> in Varanasi it holds: without a visit to Bhairava the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A religiously motivated journey to a sacred site.\" tabindex=\"0\">pilgrimage<\/span> is incomplete. In tantric practice he is a tool of self transformation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-jm2n74ec iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"jm2n74ec\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8vufse4c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8vufse4c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bhairava's appearance<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-mwb9u015 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"mwb9u015\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A wrathful, dark-skinned male figure with three or four eyes, long black hair (often as a crown of locks) and a fiery face. Four or more arms. <em>Trishula<\/em> (trident), <em>Khatvanga<\/em> (skull staff), <em>Damaru<\/em> (drum), sword.<\/p><p>In one hand a severed skull or a skull bowl (kapala). A skull necklace (<em>mund&acirc;-m&acirc;la<\/em>). Mount: <em>dog<\/em> (<em>shvana-vahana<\/em>). A tiger-skin loincloth. An upright posture or in dance.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-pemmx7c2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"pemmx7c2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37ss2yr6 iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"37ss2yr6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3v0wp3wx elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3v0wp3wx\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Activity<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-w3247g2m elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"w3247g2m\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Sphere of effect:<\/strong> Bhairava is invoked before journeys and in acute emergencies. In Varanasi, before visiting the Vishwanath <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A building that serves the veneration of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span>, one first pays a visit to K&acirc;l&acirc;bhairava, without whose permission one cannot meet the king of the city.<\/p><p>In tantric practice he is the focus of central meditation: the Vij&ntilde;&acirc;na Bhairava T&acirc;ntra contains 112 meditation methods for the direct realization of Bhairava. In Newar Nepal the Indra Jatra festival features the 64 Bhairavas.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0qpjal9w iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"0qpjal9w\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6ndoih0o elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6ndoih0o\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bhairava's defenses<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6684tyh9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6684tyh9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Trishula (trident), khatvanga (skull staff), damaru (drum), sword, skull bowl (kapala), skull necklace, tiger-skin loincloth, snake as belt. Mount: black dog. Sacred plants: the bilva tree, datura. Sacred colors: black and fiery red. In Varanasi black dogs are regarded as his manifestation and are fed.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3lfi7x32 iwg-steckbrief-card e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3lfi7x32\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0kg99ga1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0kg99ga1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Related beings<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-n0fum6kp elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"n0fum6kp\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Mahakala<\/em> (Buddhism, tantric adoption), <em>Yamantaka<\/em> (Tibetan <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" tabindex=\"0\" data-tooltip=\"'Diamond vehicle'; tantric form of Mahayana Buddhism, primarily in Tibet, centered on yidam practice and mantra technique.\">Vajrayana<\/span>), <em>Heruka<\/em> (tantric), <em>Rudra<\/em> (Vedic, early precursor of Shiva and Bhairava). Global wrathful-deity parallels: <em>Sekhmet<\/em> (Egypt, wrathful goddess), the <em>Erinyes<\/em> (Greece), <em>Seth<\/em> (Egypt, chaos aspect). Functionally: every guardian of the threshold to the deeper <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"An incorporeal being to which effects in the world are attributed.\" tabindex=\"0\">spirit<\/span> world shares Bhairava&#8217;s functions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7533bc7a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7533bc7a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2447d18d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2447d18d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Protective practice<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d5d0260c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"d5d0260c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-341be2ac elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"341be2ac\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Worship rituals<\/strong><\/p><p>Bhairava is the wrathful aspect of Shiva, the angry protective form for the eight city districts (<em>ashta-bhairava<\/em>). His main pilgrimage destination is Kashi (Varanasi), where Kala Bhairava is regarded as the &#8220;city guardian&#8221;; <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A person who undertakes a religiously motivated journey to a sacred place.\" tabindex=\"0\">pilgrims<\/span> must first register with Kala Bhairava before they are permitted to visit Vishvanath (Shiva himself).<\/p><p>Bhairava pujas take place on Wednesdays and on the 8th lunar day (<em>ashtami<\/em>). Tantric worship once included nocturnal rituals in cemeteries (<em>shmashana-sadhana<\/em>), today largely <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sign that stands representatively for a concept or meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">symbolic<\/span> (cf. White, <em>The <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Pre-modern union of natural philosophy and symbolic science; works with the transformation of matter as inner transformation.\" tabindex=\"0\">Alchemical<\/span> Body<\/em>).<\/p><p><strong>Mantras and invocations<\/strong><\/p><p>The Bhairava bija <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sacred syllable or formula spoken repeatedly in Hinduism and Buddhism.\" tabindex=\"0\">mantra<\/span> &#8220;Hraum&#8221; and the mula <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A sacred syllable or formula spoken repeatedly in Hinduism and Buddhism.\" tabindex=\"0\">mantra<\/span> &#8220;Om Hraum Kalabhairav\u0101ya Nama\u1e25&#8221;. The <em>Vijnana Bhairava Tantra<\/em> (a Kashmiri Shaiva text, 8th century) is his central <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The academic study of God and the doctrines of a religion.\" tabindex=\"0\">theological<\/span> text, with 112 dharanas. The Kalabhairava Ashtakam (attributed to Adi Shankara) is the liturgical standard.<\/p><p><strong><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A worn object to which a protective, misfortune-averting effect is attributed.\" tabindex=\"0\">Amulets<\/span> and protective symbols<\/strong><\/p><p>His mount is the black dog (dogs are sometimes fed at Bhairava temples). Symbols: trishula (trident), damaru (drum), skull (kapala), the severed skull of Brahma. Black-gray stone pendants engraved with Bhairava images. Eight <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Warding off evil: of signs and objects intended to keep harmful influences away.\" tabindex=\"0\">apotropaic<\/span> Bhairava images at the city quadrants of Varanasi form a protective arrangement thousands of years old.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a584676 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5a584676\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d0757bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6d0757bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bhairava, parallels in other cultures<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60563f68 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"60563f68\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a93fdd6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5a93fdd6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<footer class=\"iwg-literatur\"><p>Bhairava resembles the furious female goddesses such as Kali; both are wild, merciless and tantric. The black dog form recalls Cerberus, the hound of the Greek underworld.<\/p><p>In European <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Collective term for teachings that claim a hidden knowledge accessible only to initiates.\" tabindex=\"0\">esoteric<\/span> traditions Bhairava is sometimes compared with Moloch or with demonic protective <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A bodiless being to which agency in the world is attributed.\" tabindex=\"0\">spirits<\/span>. Yet Bhairava is not evil but rather the necessary, destructive force without which spiritual transformation is not possible.<\/p><div data-nosnippet=\"true\" class=\"iwg-litliste\"><\/div><\/footer>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpacd91c9 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cpacd91c9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp17bef98 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cp17bef98\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bhairava and the severed head of Brahma<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp191f687 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cp191f687\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp742d22f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cp742d22f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The central <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A handed-down narrative about gods, origins and the order of the world.\" tabindex=\"0\">myth<\/span> that explains Bhairava&#8217;s nature is the story of how he deprived the creator god Brahma of his fifth head. The account is preserved in several Puranic texts, with variations in detail. In the best-known version, Brahma laid claim to supreme authority or spoke arrogantly toward Shiva.<\/p><p>From Shiva&#8217;s wrath Bhairava arose, who struck off one of Brahma&#8217;s five heads with his fingernail or with a sword. By doing so, however, Bhairava committed the gravest conceivable transgression: the murder of a Brahmin, indeed of the creator god himself.<\/p><p>As punishment and penance the severed skull remained stuck to his hand, and Bhairava had to wander about as a beggar until the guilt was wiped away.<\/p><p>This wandering finally led him to Varanasi, the sacred city on the Ganges. There, at the site of <em>Kapalamochana<\/em>, the place of the release of the skull, the skull at last fell from his hand.<\/p><p>The <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A handed-down narrative about gods, origins and the order of the world.\" tabindex=\"0\">myth<\/span> thus explains several things at once: Bhairava&#8217;s <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A fixed epithet that characterizes a deity or figure.\" tabindex=\"0\">epithet<\/span> Kapalin, the skull-bearer, his connection to Varanasi, where he is venerated as protective god of the city, and the religious model for the <em>Kapalika<\/em>, an ascetic movement whose followers carried a skull as a begging bowl and <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Belonging to a fixed sequence of religious action.\" tabindex=\"0\">ritually<\/span> re-enacted Bhairava&#8217;s penitential wandering.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpb882122 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cpb882122\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpa18d7d4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cpa18d7d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Kala Bhairava as protective god of Varanasi<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cpcde47e2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cpcde47e2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp28389a3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cp28389a3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In the sacred city of Varanasi, Bhairava holds a special position. As Kala Bhairava he is regarded there as the protector and, in a sense, as the city&#8217;s commander, who watches over the <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Belonging to the divine and thereby withdrawn from everyday use.\" tabindex=\"0\">holy<\/span> city.<\/p><p>A widespread belief holds that no one can die in Varanasi without Kala Bhairava taking note of it, and that the deceased must, in a manner of speaking, answer to him.<\/p><p>The Kala Bhairava <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A building that serves the veneration of one or more deities.\" tabindex=\"0\">temple<\/span> in Varanasi is an important place of pilgrimage. <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"A person who undertakes a religiously motivated journey to a sacred place.\" tabindex=\"0\">Pilgrims<\/span> who come to the city traditionally seek him out to ask for Bhairava&#8217;s permission and protection.<\/p><p>A characteristic element of the local cult is the connection with the dog, Bhairava&#8217;s mount. Dogs are considered <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"Belonging to the divine and thereby withdrawn from everyday use.\" tabindex=\"0\">sacred<\/span> in his sphere, and the image of the god accompanied by the black dog is firmly associated with the city.<\/p><p>Bhairava&#8217;s function as <em>kshetrapala<\/em>, as guardian of a sacred district or a city, is found not only in Varanasi. Throughout India, and especially in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, Bhairava shrines stand at city gates, crossroads and boundary points.<\/p><p>In the Nepalese context, for example at the great Indra Jatra festival in Kathmandu, a monumental Bhairava mask plays a central <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"An ordered sequence of symbolic actions with religious or cultural meaning.\" tabindex=\"0\">ritual<\/span> role.<\/p><p><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The discipline that studies religions comparatively and without confessional commitment.\" tabindex=\"0\">Religious studies<\/span> sees in this protective function an important side of Bhairava: the fearsome, transgressive god is at the same time the reliable guardian who wards off evil from outside, because he is himself a match for it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp38b4a72 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cp38b4a72\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp5b4d079 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cp5b4d079\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bhairava in Tantra and in ascetic practice<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp0ae9358 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"cp0ae9358\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cp0801b25 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cp0801b25\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Bhairava is a key figure of the tantric currents of Hinduism, especially of the Shaiva Tantra traditions. In these schools he is regarded not only as the wrathful manifestation of Shiva but, in some texts, as the supreme reality itself.<\/p><p>The influential Kashmiri text <em>Vijnana Bhairava Tantra<\/em> presents the teaching as a dialogue between Bhairava and the goddess and describes numerous meditative exercises for realizing absolute consciousness.<\/p><p>Characteristic of tantric Bhairava worship is the deliberate transgression of ordinary religious boundaries. The ascetic movements associated with Bhairava, historically the <em>Kapalika<\/em> and later the <em>Aghori<\/em>, seek out the places of death, the cremation grounds, and use substances and practices that contradict the orthodox order of purity.<\/p><p>The religious meaning of this practice lies in overcoming the duality of pure and impure, of attraction and revulsion.<\/p><p><span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"The discipline that studies religions comparatively and without confessional commitment.\" tabindex=\"0\">Religious studies<\/span> has examined the Bhairava traditions intensively, among other things the question of how transgressive tantric practice relates to socially integrated temple worship.<\/p><p>Bhairava exists in both spheres: as the object of a radical, skull-bearing asceticism and at the same time as a venerated village and city god to whom the broad population makes <span class=\"iwg-fachbegriff\" data-tooltip=\"An offering to a deity to express gratitude, petition, or veneration.\" tabindex=\"0\">offerings<\/span>.<\/p><p>The eight or sixty-four Bhairavas that some texts enumerate, as well as the close connection with the mother goddesses, the <em>matrikas<\/em>, show how highly differentiated this field is. Bhairava thus remains one of the theologically most demanding figures of Shaivism.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36dd7469 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"36dd7469\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-13760ab4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"13760ab4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Further links<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-28c87796 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"28c87796\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d6538df elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5d6538df\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/shiva\/\">Shiva, Bhairava&#8217;s original aspect<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/mahakala\/\">Mahakala, tantric Buddhist form<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/kali\/\">Kali, female wrathful parallel (where available as a page)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/hinduism\/\">Hinduism, pantheon overview<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/iwell-guard.com\/en\/gods\/\">Gods, class overview<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-grl4kl40 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"grl4kl40\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bzsbfrmh elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bzsbfrmh\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sources and literature<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c13224a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2c13224a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0eymh9ub elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0eymh9ub\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<footer class=\"iwg-literatur\" data-nosnippet=\"true\"><ul><li><span data-nosnippet>Sanderson, Alexis: <em>The &Saacute;aiva Age<\/em>. In: <em>Genesis and Development of Tantrism<\/em>. Tokyo 2009.<\/span><\/li><li><span data-nosnippet>Lorenzen, David N.: <em>The K&acirc;palikas and K&acirc;l&acirc;mukhas. Two Lost &Saacute;aiva Sects<\/em>. Berkeley 1972.<\/span><\/li><li><span data-nosnippet>Singh, Jaideva (trans.): <em>Vij&ntilde;&acirc;na Bhairava. The Practice of Centring Awareness<\/em>. Delhi 1979.<\/span><\/li><li>Walde, Christine (ed.): <em>Der Neue Pauly<\/em> (entry &#8220;Bhairava&#8221;).<\/li><\/ul><\/footer>\n<p class=\"iwg-bib-more\"><span data-nosnippet>Further standard works in the <a href=\"\/en\/literature\/\">literature index<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bhairava, god of the Hindu tradition Bhairava is a god of the Hindu tradition. The terrible form of Shiva, guardian of the sacred threshold. Bhairava is Shiva in his fearsome shape, not the gentle ascetic of the cave but the wild destroyer, with the black dog at his side. With a bloodthirsty tongue, a skull [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5338,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"Bhairava","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Bhairava: Shiva's Terrible Form and Protective God","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Bhairava, the terrible form of Shiva and protective god. Black dog, skull garland, tantric worship and temple protection in Hindu Shaivism.","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_angie_page":false,"gefaehrdungsstufe":"","wesen_kultur":"","wesen_klasse":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[79,86,90],"class_list":["post-5337","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cultures","category-gods","category-hinduism"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Bhairava: Shiva&#039;s Terrible Form and Protective God<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bhairava, the terrible form of Shiva and protective god. 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