CONFUSION OVER BHAIRON NATH SHRINE AT MAA VAISHNO DEVI :
When fellow spiritual travellers get to know that I worship Shree Batuk Bhairav, their first question is " I have heard/seen/visited Shree Bhairon Nath's shrine at Vaishno Devi . Is he not the same deity who was beheaded by Maa Vaishno Devi for his amorous advances on her ? How can you worship him ? "
Well, the truth could not be further away from this myth..... And, I take this opportunity to present the legend as it stands :
In ancient times, there lived a holy sage by the name of Markandey Rishi .... a much venerated and august person, blessed by both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Legend goes that he is Immortal as Lord Shiva battled Yama Raj for his Life, and blessed him with Eternal Life ! Markandey Rishi is also the writer of the much revered " BhairavAshtak " - the 9 versus written and sung in praise of Lord Kaal Bhairav, which acts as an armour for all Yajnas, sadhnas and devotees.
Markandey Rishi had a very able disciple in Guru Bhairon Nath who was a great " Sadhak " of Shree Kaal Bhairav ( the Fifth Rudra Incarnation of Lord Shiva ), and because of his great devotion for Shree Kaal Bhairav, people started calling him 'Bhairav'.... in the same manner as Krishna Bhagwan's staunch devotees name their children Mohan/Gopal/Krishna/ Murari etc.
Having been blessed with immense strength as well as other "Vidyas " by Shree Kaal Bhairav, the Tantrik Bhairon Nath embarked upon a journey of moral turpitude and societal sacrilege. He always travelled with
his 1260 followers, and left in his wake villages and ashrams seething at his blasphemous ways . Needless to mention, his supernatural powers had poisoned his Conscience !
It is said that Shree Bhairav is the Annihilator of Pride and Arrogance.... in fact, Shree Kaal Bhairav's Avatar was created to punish Lord Brahma for His insufferable pride.... the story of which I reserve for another day!
Tantrik Bhairon Nath learnt that a poor, but religious Brahmin by the name of Shridhar, was a staunch devotee of Maa Vaishno Devi, and it was widely rumoured that Maa graced his small ashram personally. With his wicked ways he thought of a plan to test Shridhar's devotion and Maa's purported Grace on him.
One day, he approached Shridhar's cottage with his 1260 followers, and demanded to be fed. Shridhar, aware of Bhairav Nath's violent temper and evil ways, was perplexed, and invoked Maa to help him out of this situation . Maa appeared and assured him that nothing would go wrong as She, Herself, would make all the arrangements.
Bhairon Nath and his followers were made to sit, and Maa was there to ensure that there was no dearth of all that the wicked Bhairav Nath and his followers desired. On the other hand, Bhairav Nath was devastated that his nefarious designs were nullified, and he could find no reason to create havoc. As a last resort , he demanded wine and meat, which was politely declined. When he became violent, then Maa appeared and sternly told him that the demand for wine and meat was unpardonable in Her presence. Bhairon Nath was so enamoured of Her beauty, that he started making amorous advances.
In order not to violate Shridhar's hospitality, and to avoid unpleasantness at his house, Maa retreated to the hills. Blinded by lust, and beckoned by Death, Bhairon Nath followed her. At the exact place where Maa Vaishno Devi's shrine is today, she beheaded him and said " your head, which is full of Bhairav's Siddhi, will be above my shrine also, but, your body with its lust will lie at my threshold , to be.trodden upon by all my devotees, when they enter my temple !"
And that is the story of Tantric Bhairon Nath at Vaishno Devi shrine..........
Shree Kaal Bhairav, in all His different manifestations as Batuk Bhairav, Kapaal Bhairav, Krodh Bhairav, Anand Bhairav et al , is the son of Mahakaal and Mahakali, and hence the Son of Devi Maa in her different Manifestations. In fact, Shree Bhairav is the Guardian Deity at all the 52 Shakti Peeths...... And at Kamaccha Devi's shrine in Kashi, where She is Digamber, it is Batuk ( child )Bhairav who stands guard for Her !!
Niraj Srivastav,
Allahabad, India
+91-9935290003
When fellow spiritual travellers get to know that I worship Shree Batuk Bhairav, their first question is " I have heard/seen/visited Shree Bhairon Nath's shrine at Vaishno Devi . Is he not the same deity who was beheaded by Maa Vaishno Devi for his amorous advances on her ? How can you worship him ? "
Well, the truth could not be further away from this myth..... And, I take this opportunity to present the legend as it stands :
In ancient times, there lived a holy sage by the name of Markandey Rishi .... a much venerated and august person, blessed by both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Legend goes that he is Immortal as Lord Shiva battled Yama Raj for his Life, and blessed him with Eternal Life ! Markandey Rishi is also the writer of the much revered " BhairavAshtak " - the 9 versus written and sung in praise of Lord Kaal Bhairav, which acts as an armour for all Yajnas, sadhnas and devotees.
Markandey Rishi had a very able disciple in Guru Bhairon Nath who was a great " Sadhak " of Shree Kaal Bhairav ( the Fifth Rudra Incarnation of Lord Shiva ), and because of his great devotion for Shree Kaal Bhairav, people started calling him 'Bhairav'.... in the same manner as Krishna Bhagwan's staunch devotees name their children Mohan/Gopal/Krishna/ Murari etc.
Having been blessed with immense strength as well as other "Vidyas " by Shree Kaal Bhairav, the Tantrik Bhairon Nath embarked upon a journey of moral turpitude and societal sacrilege. He always travelled with
his 1260 followers, and left in his wake villages and ashrams seething at his blasphemous ways . Needless to mention, his supernatural powers had poisoned his Conscience !
It is said that Shree Bhairav is the Annihilator of Pride and Arrogance.... in fact, Shree Kaal Bhairav's Avatar was created to punish Lord Brahma for His insufferable pride.... the story of which I reserve for another day!
Tantrik Bhairon Nath learnt that a poor, but religious Brahmin by the name of Shridhar, was a staunch devotee of Maa Vaishno Devi, and it was widely rumoured that Maa graced his small ashram personally. With his wicked ways he thought of a plan to test Shridhar's devotion and Maa's purported Grace on him.
One day, he approached Shridhar's cottage with his 1260 followers, and demanded to be fed. Shridhar, aware of Bhairav Nath's violent temper and evil ways, was perplexed, and invoked Maa to help him out of this situation . Maa appeared and assured him that nothing would go wrong as She, Herself, would make all the arrangements.
Bhairon Nath and his followers were made to sit, and Maa was there to ensure that there was no dearth of all that the wicked Bhairav Nath and his followers desired. On the other hand, Bhairav Nath was devastated that his nefarious designs were nullified, and he could find no reason to create havoc. As a last resort , he demanded wine and meat, which was politely declined. When he became violent, then Maa appeared and sternly told him that the demand for wine and meat was unpardonable in Her presence. Bhairon Nath was so enamoured of Her beauty, that he started making amorous advances.
In order not to violate Shridhar's hospitality, and to avoid unpleasantness at his house, Maa retreated to the hills. Blinded by lust, and beckoned by Death, Bhairon Nath followed her. At the exact place where Maa Vaishno Devi's shrine is today, she beheaded him and said " your head, which is full of Bhairav's Siddhi, will be above my shrine also, but, your body with its lust will lie at my threshold , to be.trodden upon by all my devotees, when they enter my temple !"
And that is the story of Tantric Bhairon Nath at Vaishno Devi shrine..........
Shree Kaal Bhairav, in all His different manifestations as Batuk Bhairav, Kapaal Bhairav, Krodh Bhairav, Anand Bhairav et al , is the son of Mahakaal and Mahakali, and hence the Son of Devi Maa in her different Manifestations. In fact, Shree Bhairav is the Guardian Deity at all the 52 Shakti Peeths...... And at Kamaccha Devi's shrine in Kashi, where She is Digamber, it is Batuk ( child )Bhairav who stands guard for Her !!
Niraj Srivastav,
Allahabad, India
