Best known locally as Bhairo Baba by our sadhus and pundits, this amazing deity is respected for his fierceness and protection. Folks in the know tell that if you visit holy Kashi city and you want to ensure success of your trip ,go first to the temple of the gatekeeper and seek HIS permission otherwise your pilgrimage may not be as you desired. Bhairo Baba Ki !!!!! JAI!
Margashirsha Krishna Paksha, Ashtami 2079 Rakshasa, Vikrama Samvata
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Kalabhairav Jayanti on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 for POS Trinidad, Drik Panchang
Ashtami Tithi Begins - 08:19 PM on Nov 15, 2022 Ashtami Tithi Ends - 10:27 PM on Nov 16, 2022
KALA BHAIRAVA
In the early days
One of the fascinating temples at Sri Appaji’s Mysore Ashram is that of Kala Bhairava, consecrated in 2016. I had heard that It was a very small underground Temple, and was built where a cave with a tunnel leading to Chamundi Hill, had existed. This was so from even before the land was purchased for the present Ashram. The land had been very bushy and was reputed by locals to have a lot of wild snakes living there. It is believed also that ages ago a saint had done penance there.
Indeed, Sri Appaji had the area blocked off so none could go there, except Him. Some devotees feel that saint was our Sadguru in a previous birth. Sri Appaji also revealed that Mahishasura, the demon, had done Tapas there, worshipping a Shiva sphatika Lingam there, before being killed by the Devi who had assumed the name Chamundi since then!
It must be remembered that this Main Ashram/Peetham, is situated at the foot of Chamundi Hill, home to Chamundi Temple, one of the famous Shakti Peethas. Sri Appaji had also revealed that one of the Saptarishis had meditated there and had worshipped that same sphatika Lingam, hence the powerful, special vibrations! The main Kala Bhairava deity was consecrated there at the exact spot where the Sphatika Lingam had been!
Shri Kala Bhairava located in what was a cave at Datta Peetham ,Mysuru.
At the consecration of this Shrine, our Sadguru said that wherever Lord Shiva and Devi temples are together, Kala Bhairava should also be worshipped, similar to Kashi. In December 2016, He had the tunnel blocked for the safety of devotees, and the Kala Bhairava Temple was constructed. This deity safeguards this Ashram and its city also. You have to go down steep, very narrow steps that twist, leading you to have Darshan of the Pradhana Kala in the Sanctum on the right at one end.
At the other end exactly in front of the spot where the entrance to the tunnel had been, is the homa kund.
This year
Before the Navaratri began, at the end of Pitri Paksh, devotees scampered to this Shrine to witness Sri Swamiji perform puja to the deity while Kala Bhairava homa was performed by the priests. Everyone tried to secure a position around it from above, peeping through the wired windows, in the desperate effort to have Darshan of our Sadguru performing puja in the temple below.
At niches on a height in the walls around, there are 7 forms of Kala Bhairava were installed at the Consecration and their names are also posted for devotees to see and chant. The priest was warm and welcoming when I returned another day , with no crowd, to have Darshan of Sri Kala Bhairava.
My return to this special place
As I sat quietly in front of the small deity I saw his vahana, a dog also there with him. The murthi is no taller than three feet approximately. His eyes to me are extremely striking, —eyes which seemed to see right through me, so piercing and powerful they felt! I could not help closing my eyes in awe and remained with them so for awhile. The energy there seemed somehow mysterious and very conducive to meditation!
Kala Bhairava Ashtakam is regularly sung here also. All the murthis are made of traditional black stone.
Kala Bhairava a Rudra
Kala Bhairava is the form that Shiva took when he was performing Pralaya Tandava and pulled out one lock of his hair that turned into Kala Bhairava, for the purpose of destroying Daksha’s yagna, as well as Daksha himself. One of Kala Bhairava’s names is ‘Dakshayagnavinashaka’.
Parvati’s self-immolation
Many devotees are familiar with the story of Daksha’s Yagna to which Lord Shiva was not invited. Parvati who saw her absent husband, Lord Shiva being so disrespected, as no offerings were made to him even in the Yagna fire, became furious and sad at the same time. She invoked her YogaAgni, and burnt herself. Lord Shiva became furious at this, missing his dear wife, so, furious, he pulled out one lock from his hair, dashing it angrily to the ground. Kala Bhairava manifested at once from that lock of hair! Kala Bhairava is also a Rudraksha, a Kala Rudraksha, because he went at once and destroyed everything at Daksha’s Yagna, injuring some sages and gods also, the fire kunds, materials—everything. Thus he made everyone cry as they became very sad and afraid at his fury.
One esoteric meaning is when God is disrespected or ignored and our ego rises, like Daksha’s, we destroy our good karma and have to go through a lot of pain and suffering. In effect, when filled with pride like Daksha’s, we destroy ourselves, along with our previous ‘punya’ or merit earned by good thoughts, words or deeds. In addition, when we die, and our Prana leaves the body, then all our friends and relatives also cry. Therefore, Prana is also one form of Rudra.
The eight forms of Kala Bhairava* here are also unique to Mysore Ashram, adding to the power in this tiny Shrine, as normally there is only one main Murthi of Kala Bhairava. Since he is the Guardian of this place, he was installed only after the main Temples.
Adding to the sanctity of this Temple site is the sacred tree nearby, with two trees’ roots combined, the holy neem and the peepal Devotees make sure they do Pradakshina when they visit this Kala Bhairava Temple. All in all, a very mysterious Temple shrine contributing greatly to the uplifting vibrations of Mysore Ashram!
Just like in Trinidad, and other Ashrams of our Sadguru, holy vibrations abound forever on the land, owing to the former Presence of a Rishi or saint from olden days!
Jaya Guru Datta, Sri Guru Datta!
* THE 8 FORMS ARE CALLED
Asithanga Bhairava.
Ruru Bhairava.
Chanda Bhairava.
Krodha Bhairava.
Unmatta Bhairava.
Kapala Bhairava.
Bheeshana Bhairava.
Samhara Bhairava.
Ganga Rani
Photo Credit; Avadootha Datta Peetham