Bhairava Avatara

Nandishvara said

Sanatkumara, omniscient one, hear Bhairava's account: as soon as it is heard, devotion to Shiva becomes firm. Bhairava is a complete form of Shankara, the supreme self, but fools, deluded by Shiva's maya, do not know it. Even four-armed Vishnu and four-faced Brahma do not know Mahesha's greatness, which is no wonder since what Shambhu does cannot be fathomed. Everyone is deluded by this, and some do not even worship the supreme one. Only Parameshvara knows his own self, and no one by their own will can know him. Mahesha is everywhere, but the foolish cannot see him. Though beyond thought and speech, people take him for a mere god.

In this connection, supreme sage, hear a supreme account, the cause of supreme knowledge. Lord Brahma was on the beautiful, wonderful summit of Meru. All the divine sages went there wanting to know the truth, bowed to Brahma and asked with great affection, shoulders lowered and hands joined: lord of the gods and of beings, leader behind the creation of the worlds, what is the truth about the one who does not decay? The lotus-born, deluded by Mahesha's maya and not knowing the supreme feeling, answered with an ordinary one. Brahma told the gods and rishis to listen lovingly to his view: he would tell them the supreme truth, and of the one who truly does not decay. He was the creator, the womb of the universe, Svayambhu, Aja, Ishvara, the primordial being; he alone was brahman, the unsullied self, who made the universe, preserves and destroys it; apart from him there was no one else. While Brahma was saying this, Vishnu was there too. Deluded by Aja, he laughed at these words and retorted angrily that they were not worthy of Brahma, that it was foolishness for one who practises yoga, that Brahma did not know the supreme truth and spoke in vain. He himself was creator of all worlds, the supreme self, the supreme being, the sacrifice, Narayana, the divinity who is lord of maya, the supreme goal. Brahma created only at his command, which he had ordained, and without him there could be no life in the universe. He was Ishvara. In their delusion, they sought to triumph over each other.

Since the nigama texts are accepted as proof, they asked the three Vedas, and, when asked specifically, those stayed there in embodied form; since the learned always speak of the four as proof, they asked all four. Brahma and Vishnu said that the supreme view was that every truth is established in the Vedas, so they should speak the truth without fear: who alone is the undecaying one? Hearing them, Rig and the others remembered the supreme lord and spoke truly. They said that the divinities were lords of creation and destruction, and if they had honoured the Vedas they would give proof to dispel their doubts. Duly hearing the shruti, the two divinities said they would accept what the Vedas cited as proof and asked for the right truth. The Rig Veda said the truth is that within which all beings exist and from which all flow out, and that is Rudra alone. The Yajur Veda said the proof is that Isha is worshipped by all sacrifices and yoga, and the one witness of everything is Shiva. The Sama Veda said there is only one person around whom the universe revolves, whom yogis contemplate and who illuminates the universe, the supreme being Tryambaka alone. The Atharva Veda said that people favoured by devotion see him as lord of the gods, and he alone is called Shankara, he who is beyond misery. Brahma and Hari heard the Vedas but, still deluded by maya, smiled and, still lacking awareness, replied: why did the Vedas speak as if without consciousness, what had happened to them, why had their great learning been destroyed? The lord of the pramathas was always playing with Shivaa, naked, yellow with dust, in ugly garments with matted hair, riding a bull with serpents for ornaments. How could he be the supreme brahman, how detached? Pranava, who goes everywhere, heard them. Though bodiless it took a pervasive, embodied form and told them lovingly that Bhagavan Isha plays with Shakti, but she is not different from his own self. Hara Rudra does sometimes play, but because in play he takes many forms. He is eternal Paramesha, self-luminous, and Shivaa Shakti is not a chance phenomenon but his form as bliss. Even hearing this, Brahma's and Vishnu's ignorance was not destroyed, through the maya of the one with the beautiful throat.

A great radiance appeared between them, filling the space between heaven and earth, and in the centre of that circle of brilliance a being's form could be seen. Brahma and Vishnu saw that great form, and Brahma's fifth head blazed with rage as he asked who had appeared between them. Before he could think it over, in an instant that great being was seen to be the three-eyed Nilalohita, trident in hand, a third eye on his forehead, serpents and the moon as ornaments. Deluded, Hiranyagarbha saw him, laughed and said: Nilalohita, Chandrashekhara, I know you, do not be afraid. Rudra earlier appeared from my forehead, and since you cried I gave you the name Rudra. Son, take refuge in me and I will save you. The lotus-born's words were laced with insolence. Hearing them, Ishvara became extremely angry as if about to bring dissolution, and in his anger created the being known as Bhairava. Then Parameshvara spoke affectionately to that blaze of radiance: Kalabhairava, you must first punish the lotus-born. Since you blazed like Kala you are Kalaraja, able to support the universe, and will be known as terrible Bhairava; since you terrify Kala you will be Kalabhairava. When enraged you will crush the evil-souled, famous everywhere as the crusher, and in an instant devour the sins of devotees, so your name will also be Papabhakshana. My city Kashi, which gives liberation, is the greatest of all cities, and you will always have lordship there; you alone will punish wicked men there. Chitragupta will keep the tally of their good and bad deeds.

Having received these boons, Kalabhairava at once tore off Brahma's head with the nails of his left hand. The limb that caused the offence is the one to be punished, so the fifth head, responsible for the disparagement, was severed. Seeing Brahma's head cut off, Hari grew even more afraid and praised Shankara with the Shatarudriya mantra, and terrified Hiranyagarbha also did japa of the Shatarudriya. Both at once lost their pride. Shiva is directly supreme brahman, characterised by truth, consciousness and bliss, the supreme self beyond the gunas, and the two gained this knowledge. Nandi added to Sanatkumara: while there is insolence, knowledge is specially hidden; when a man gives up haughtiness he knows Parameshvara. The lord of the universe destroys pride and dispels insolence. With their pride gone, Vishnu and Brahma knew Parameshvara. Lord Mahadeva was pleased and freed them from fear, and, kind to those who bow, comforted them. He told Bhairava Kapardin, his own form, that Vishnu would be honoured by him and by Shatadhriti himself, and that Nilalohita must hold this skull as atonement and show the world what must be done to destroy the sin of killing a brahmana, begging alms constantly in the kapala vow. Gazing at the mass of energy that was Shiva, he created the maiden known as brahma-hatya, saying that until Bhairava went to the divine city of Varanasi, for that terrible time, she would follow him in this fierce form, going everywhere except Varanasi, and when she went to Varanasi he would at once be freed. Having thus engaged brahma-hatya and done this great wonder, Lord Shiva at once vanished.