Kalashtami Jayanti

Every month, on the eighth day of the waning phase of the moon, Kalashtami Jayanti is celebrated, also known as Bhairav Jayanti. This date marks the birth of Lord Bhairav. On this day, people observe fasting, offer arghya (water offering), and perform worship of Lord Bhairav. The divine vehicle of Lord Bhairav is a black dog, so dogs are also revered on this occasion. Overnight vigils are held, and the stories of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are narrated.

The primary weapon of Lord Bhairav is a club, which is why he is also known as "Dandapani," meaning the one who holds a club. Lord Shiva takes on various forms, and Bhairav and Vishwanath are also his manifestations. The day of Bhairav is considered auspicious on Sundays and Tuesdays. Worshiping him on these two days is believed to ward off malevolent spirits and entities. Bhairav's name signifies someone who frees from fear, and he is considered the provider and sustainer of the world.

To perform the worship and rituals of Kaal Bhairav, the following steps should be followed:

Prepare the idol of Kaal Bhairav, along with clothing, flowers, red sandalwood paste, incense sticks, a lamp, candles, fruits, and cash, at your worship area. Read or listen to the story of Kaal Bhairav Jayanti. This story provides information about the significance of Kaal Bhairav and his incarnations. Sit at the worship area and place a kalash (water-filled pot) in front of the idol. Now, using the worship items, perform the worship of Kaal Bhairav. Offer sesame and urad dal (black gram) seeds to them and present their favorite offerings, like imarti, jalebi, paan, and coconut.

After the worship, perform the Aarti (ritual of waving a lamp) for Bhairavnath. During the Aarti, sing the praises of Bhairavnath's qualities and extol them. In the evening, go to the temple of Kaal Bhairav and light a lamp of mustard oil. Sit in front of the lamp and chant the "Om Kaalbhairavaya Namah" mantra 108 times.

By following these simple steps of performing the worship of Kaal Bhairav, you can receive his blessings and grace.

Story

According to the Vamana Purana, there was a demon named Andhaka who originated from the sweat of Lord Shiva. He was extremely wicked and sinful, and he had a massive army of powerful demons. However, when all of his army was completely defeated by the deities, Shukra (the guru of the demons) advised Andhaka to retreat, saying that the right time for battle with Lord Shiva would come when they could confront him on the mountain.

Andhaka replied, "Brahmin! You haven't spoken wisely. Those who flee from the battlefield bring disgrace to their lineage, but I won't do that. I won't flee from the battlefield. Witness my immense strength and power. I will conquer all the deities, including Indra. I won't let them escape from the rain of my arrows." After saying this, Andhaka, the son of Hiranyaksha, instructed his charioteer to take his chariot before Lord Shiva. He declared that he would defeat all the deities with a shower of arrows.

The horses of his chariot were faster than the wind, yet it took Andhaka a whole year to reach the presence of Lord Shiva and the entire assembly of deities. Upon arrival, Andhaka bent his bow and covered Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, and all the other deities with a shower of arrows. Seeing the army covered with arrows, Lord Vishnu, the protector of all three worlds, said, "O greatest of the deities! Why are you all sitting here in vain? Victory will be ours when Andhaka is defeated. Therefore, with the desire for victory, follow my advice."

First, along with the charioteer, slay the horses of Andhaka's chariot, break the chariot, and leave the enemy without his chariot. Once the enemy is without a chariot, Lord Shiva will surely turn him to ashes.

Lord Vishnu used his Kaumodaki mace to strike down thousands of horses attached to Andhaka's chariot. Skanda used his power to pull the charioteer toward him, pierced his heart, and threw him lifeless onto the ground. Without his charioteer, Andhaka became powerless, and the deities threw him to the ground, where Lord Ganesha, along with Indra and other deities, swiftly dismantled the chariot using his elephant goad, wheels, and axle. As the mighty Andhaka's chariot shattered, consumed by anger, he snapped his bow and rushed towards the deities with his mace, thundering like a cloud and in a deep voice addressed Lord Shiva, "Ascetic! Although I am now helpless and alone, I will still conquer you. Behold my strength today."

Hearing his words, Lord Shiva concealed Indra, Brahma, and other primary deities within his own form, effectively hiding them.

After this, Lord Shiva addressed Andhaka, saying, "O wicked one! Come, come! Even though I am alone, I stand ready to fight you."

The demon rushed toward Lord Shiva with his mace in hand. Seeing him approach, Lord Shiva, leaving behind his trusted bull Nandi, stood firmly on the mountain with the support of his feet. At that moment, Lord Shiva assumed the terrifying form of Bhairava. This Bhairava form was immensely fearsome, capable of instilling terror across all three worlds. It pierced Andhaka's heart with incredible swiftness. Shiva's form was adorned with a fearsome beard, radiating light like millions of suns, wearing a tiger's skin, adorned with matted hair, and a necklace of serpent. He possessed ten arms and three eyes. With these characteristics, Lord Shiva, in his combined form, impaled the enemy with his trident. His appearance was so formidable that it shattered Andhaka's heart.

At that moment, Shiva's appearance was awe-inspiring, with a beard as fierce as that of countless suns, adorned with a tiger's skin, beautiful, matted hair, a serpent necklace, ten arms, and three eyes. With these attributes, the united form of Lord Shiva pierced the enemy with his trident, causing his heart to rupture. Despite his heart being pierced, the demon Andhaka grabbed Bhairava with his mace and pulled him a kosha (a unit of distance) away. However, in some manner, Lord Shiva stopped himself and struck the mace-wielding Andhaka with his trident immediately. In response, the lord of the demons, Andhaka, also swung his mace toward Bhairava, while Bhairava seized his trident and thrust it upwards. The impact of the mace caused copious amounts of blood to flow in all directions.

As a result, Bhairav, known as "Kalraj," emerged from the east direction, radiating a powerful fire-like aura. Adorned with a lotus garland, Bhairav gained fame under the name "Kalraj." From the south direction, emerged Bhairav known as "Kalraj," with a luminous complexion resembling black collyrium, surrounded by spirits. Afterward, from the west direction, appeared Bhairav named "Kamaraj," adorned with leaves like those of the flax plant.

From the north direction, Bhairav known as "Somraj" appeared, carrying a trident adorned with a crescent moon. In this way, eight Bhairav forms emerged, including "Svechchandaraj" and "Lalitaraj." Bhairav thus slew the demon, liberating the gods from fear of the demons.

Whoever reads, hears, or narrates the tale of Bhairav becomes free from fear. Negative energies within their family are dispelled, and their home is filled with happiness and prosperity. If a person has been afflicted by a prolonged illness, that affliction and suffering are eradicated.

Verified from Vaman Puran...........

Kalashtami Jayanti

Kalashtami Jayanti

Story

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