Saxarba
05-10-2010, 12:37 AM
Bhairava is a form of Siva. I'm currently studying his myths. They are very interesting, and I am resonating with them in some level.
Note that Bhairava cut off the fifth head of Brahma for lusting after his [Brahma's] mind-borne daughter.
(Annunaki lusted after human women...)
(apparently during the first flush of creation Brahma created several classes of mind-borne sages, one of which, the Urdhvaretas, refused to worship him...)
For cutting off the fifth head of Brahma, Bhairava takes a body in order to absolve his sin.
This legend, complex as it is, is woven around the crime of brahminicide - the killing of a Brahmin. A study of the vedic law books will show that the prescribed penance for the killing of a Brahmin involves the criminal living alone in the forest, living on alms, confessing his deed as he begs, and carrying always a staff and a skull - occasionally it is specified that such an individual should use as an alms bowl the skull of the brahmin he has killed. Such a penance could last for twelve years. Such penances sound very similar to the vows of ascetic, forest-dwelling sadhus.Within the story cycle of Bhairava, several satanic themes come into play. Bhairava is the carrier of this satanic stream, in more ways than one, since his satanic act creates an incredible amount of karma, which, even though he is a god, he is required to work off.
Also note that, Bhairava, while woking off this karma, comes to some ascetics doing austerities in a forest, and an episode takes place that is more than superficially akin to the Osiris myth:
One of the key elements of the forest myth is the sages' curse against Shiva's phallus, which in some versions, strikes the earth as a blazing pillar, and is then regenerated by the god. The sages curse again, and another flaming pillar strikes the earth whilst Shiva's phallus is 'reborn' - which again, in turn, is cursed. In another popular version, the cursed phallus becomes an immense pillar which pierces and fills all of the Three Worlds. (The 3 worlds - again recalls the importance of triplicities in Tantric magic. The 'piercing' of the 3 worlds or cities is a theme which recurs time and time again in tantric magical texts & practices.)
According to the Shiva Purana, the sages, once they had recognised Shiva, approached him reverently. Shiva replied that:
"The world shall not find peace until a receptacle is found for my sexual organ. No other being except the Lady of the Mountain may seize hold of my sexual organ. If she takes hold of it, it will immediately become calm."
I find this story interesting as well:
R.N. Saltore recounts a legend that Bhairava once took up residence in the mouth of Goraknath (co-founder of the Natha Sect of Tantrikas and credited with laying the foundations of Hatha & Kundalini Yoga) and performed 'religious austerities' there. Goraknath was almost choked, and only managed to expel Bhairava by extolling his glory.And this, once again recapitulating disdain for brahmins. (Note the throat symbolism once again).
In the Prabodha Chandrodaya, the following words are attributed to a wizard of the Kapalikas:
"My necklace and ornaments are of human bones; I dwell among the ashes of the dead and eat my food in human skulls. I look with eyes brightened with the antinomy of Yoga, and believe that the parts of this world are reciprocally different, but that the whole is not different from God. ...After fasting we drink liquor out of the skulls of Brahmans; our sacred fires are fed with the brains and lungs of men mixed up with their flesh, and human beings covered with the fresh blood gushing from the dreadful wound in their throats, are the offerings by which we appease the terrible god (Maha Bhairava)."
Note that Bhairava cut off the fifth head of Brahma for lusting after his [Brahma's] mind-borne daughter.
(Annunaki lusted after human women...)
(apparently during the first flush of creation Brahma created several classes of mind-borne sages, one of which, the Urdhvaretas, refused to worship him...)
For cutting off the fifth head of Brahma, Bhairava takes a body in order to absolve his sin.
This legend, complex as it is, is woven around the crime of brahminicide - the killing of a Brahmin. A study of the vedic law books will show that the prescribed penance for the killing of a Brahmin involves the criminal living alone in the forest, living on alms, confessing his deed as he begs, and carrying always a staff and a skull - occasionally it is specified that such an individual should use as an alms bowl the skull of the brahmin he has killed. Such a penance could last for twelve years. Such penances sound very similar to the vows of ascetic, forest-dwelling sadhus.Within the story cycle of Bhairava, several satanic themes come into play. Bhairava is the carrier of this satanic stream, in more ways than one, since his satanic act creates an incredible amount of karma, which, even though he is a god, he is required to work off.
Also note that, Bhairava, while woking off this karma, comes to some ascetics doing austerities in a forest, and an episode takes place that is more than superficially akin to the Osiris myth:
One of the key elements of the forest myth is the sages' curse against Shiva's phallus, which in some versions, strikes the earth as a blazing pillar, and is then regenerated by the god. The sages curse again, and another flaming pillar strikes the earth whilst Shiva's phallus is 'reborn' - which again, in turn, is cursed. In another popular version, the cursed phallus becomes an immense pillar which pierces and fills all of the Three Worlds. (The 3 worlds - again recalls the importance of triplicities in Tantric magic. The 'piercing' of the 3 worlds or cities is a theme which recurs time and time again in tantric magical texts & practices.)
According to the Shiva Purana, the sages, once they had recognised Shiva, approached him reverently. Shiva replied that:
"The world shall not find peace until a receptacle is found for my sexual organ. No other being except the Lady of the Mountain may seize hold of my sexual organ. If she takes hold of it, it will immediately become calm."
I find this story interesting as well:
R.N. Saltore recounts a legend that Bhairava once took up residence in the mouth of Goraknath (co-founder of the Natha Sect of Tantrikas and credited with laying the foundations of Hatha & Kundalini Yoga) and performed 'religious austerities' there. Goraknath was almost choked, and only managed to expel Bhairava by extolling his glory.And this, once again recapitulating disdain for brahmins. (Note the throat symbolism once again).
In the Prabodha Chandrodaya, the following words are attributed to a wizard of the Kapalikas:
"My necklace and ornaments are of human bones; I dwell among the ashes of the dead and eat my food in human skulls. I look with eyes brightened with the antinomy of Yoga, and believe that the parts of this world are reciprocally different, but that the whole is not different from God. ...After fasting we drink liquor out of the skulls of Brahmans; our sacred fires are fed with the brains and lungs of men mixed up with their flesh, and human beings covered with the fresh blood gushing from the dreadful wound in their throats, are the offerings by which we appease the terrible god (Maha Bhairava)."