Kalashtami is also called Maha Kala Bhairavashtami and falls on the eighth lunar day of the waxing moon every month. The word Kal denotes time and Bhairava, a manifestation of Lord Shiva. This is the right time to invoke the Bhairavas who are eight in number.
Bhai assures wealth in material life, ra prevents negative vibrations and limited consciousness and va is for creation of things continuously. The manifestation of Bhairava can be traced in the Shiva Purana where the Universal Destroyer takes the form of Kala Bhairava and chops off the fourth head of Brahma in a fit of rage.
This happened when there was an argument between the Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu as to who is supreme and at a point when Lord Brahma’s words infuriated Lord Shiva, He clips a small portion of his nail and creates Kala Bhairava and this form cuts the Creator’s fifth head. Therefore, he personifies the irate side of Lord Shiva.
Eight Powerful Lord Bhairavas Protect Eight Directions
Kala Bhairava manifested in eight forms Ashta Bhairava that are eight avatars of Kalabhairava. They control the eight directions of the universe and each of them has eight more sub bhairavas under them.
The Ashta Bhairava forms are as Asithanga, Unmatha, Bheeshana, Chanda, Krodha, Ruru, Kapaala and Samhaara.
The one who commands all the Ashta Bairavas is Maha Swarna Kala Bhairava.
A visit to the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple, Tiruvannamalai Kaga Ashram and Illupaikkudi Sri Vairavamoorthy Temple can prove the manifestation of the deity. In Shaivite temples, idols of Bhairava are situated in the north-south facing direction. His complexion is dark and appears in a standing position with four hands. His weapons are drum, noose, trident and skull and is seen riding on a dog.
Ashta Bhairavas On Kalashtami Day
The Ashta Bhairavas emerged from Kala Bhairava, a wrathful form of Lord Shiva. Kala means time or even the dark side. Bha stands for bharana or maintenance, ra denotes ravana or withdrawal and va relates to creation.
The God of Time manifested when Vishnu and Brahma were engaged in a superiority contest and lord Shiva beheads one of the heads of an egoistic brahma. Since he incurs a curse of Brahma Hatya dosha he roams the earth with the skull as Bhikshatana until his sins are absolved in Kasi. He is also called as Vairavar or Annadhani.
His consort is Bhairavi, a terrifying aspect of Goddess Parvati. There are 64 forms of Kala Bhairava that are classified into 8 categories led by a main aspect of Bhairava but the chief of them all is Ashtanga Bhairava. The entire group is controlled by Maha Swarna Kala Bhairava who is the supreme leader of them.
The Ashta Bhairavas represent the five elements of nature namely air, water, space, land and fire and three more aspects like the sun, moon and atma (soul). They represent eight directions which they safeguard— east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast. The Ashta Matrikas or the eight mothers are their spouses.
Yet another Bhairava form called the Kshetrapalaka, plays the role of a caretaker of the cosmos. He eradicates the evil impact of negative energies like bhootas, vedalas and devils by destroying them.
