Who is Bhairava (was Homa)

[Guest guest]

|| Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah ||Namaskaar Narasimha Ji,Your explanation of duality and non-duality by the way of example of the offerings to the Homa is just excellent! I think I understood the basic guidelines, and now can contemplate further within this framework.Namaskaar Rajarshi Ji,I have heard about this rupa of Shiva a lot, but I have no idea of why He takes this rupa, why people worship Him in this rupa, and why Devi worships Him in this rupa (Bhairava-poojini is one of the names of Mother in Lalita Sahasranamam). I would be so obliged to read you describe this rupa, since you are also a devotee.With the blessings of Sri Vishnu,Reema. , rajarshi nandy <rajarshi14 wrote:>> Dear Narasimhaji> Â > Thank you for that wonderful explanation. I have never done anything of that sort, neither do I plan to do. I was just curious since a lot of people when the hear that I pray to Bhairava, assume by default that I use alcohol. > What you said makes perfect sense.> Â > -Regards> Â Rajarshi> > "This above all: to thine own self be true!" - Hamlet> > --- On Wed, 19/11/08, Narasimha P.V.R. Rao pvr wrote:> > Narasimha P.V.R. Rao pvr Re: Homa> > Wednesday, 19 November, 2008, 7:49 AM> > > > > > > Namaste,> > Taamasik stuff like alcohol, meat, chillies etc should never be put in homam > fire.> > The type of fire used in homam is jaatavedas (omniscient) or havyavaaha (one > who carries offerings to various gods). That fire can carry various > auspicious substances to various deities, but does NOT like to carry stuff > like alcohol and meat, even if a deity is willing to receive the offering. > If you want to offer alcohol to a deity such as Bhairava, call the deity in > an idol or a kalasha (pot) or in an animal and then make the offering of > alcohol. But do not use homam fire to make the offering.> > Another type of fire called kravyaada (funeral pyre) or ripravaaha (carrier > of impurities) can be used to carry anything, without restrictions. However, > this fire is not used in homam.> > A few deities such as Smashaana Taaraa and Smashaana Kaali may be worshipped > on a funeral pyre with any materials. However, such rituals are not > appropriate for 99.99999999% people. Those are only for people who already > have a very high level of detachment and a very low level of distinction > between the polarities of duality, i.e. people who have a very low level of > mental distinction between things normally considered highly pure and things > normally considered highly impure and see all as One. As a result of their > worship on funeral pyre, they may get results that are normally considered > good or results that are normally considered terrible, but again their > mental distinction between good and bad results is very low and they accept > all results with an equal vision. Rituals practiced by such aghoris are > aimed at honing their detachment and non-distinction to further perfection.> > Such aghora practices are not to be done out of "fascination" or because > they seem or sound "cool". That is a formula for failure and disaster. For > the majority of us who are still deeply affected by the polarities of > duality and cannot see all things equally, worship of any deity in funeral > pyre is a strict no-no. Stick to regular homam and maintain basic purity, no > matter which deity you worship in the fire. In that case, throwing chillies, > meat and alcohol in fire is a strict no-no. Unfortunately, some people do > not realize it and throw these things in their homam fire. This is a > terrible thing to do.> > People in this age foolishly mix up principles of duality and non-duality. > Principles of non-duality like "all is god" are applicable only if you can > see god in pleasure and pain and accept both the same way. If pleasure and > pain are two distinct feelings for you and you prefer one to the other, then > you are immersed in duality and follow the principles of duality without > mixing up non-dual principles and pretending "all is god". All is NOT god > for you then.> > Offering alcohol, meat, chillies etc in homam can bring terrible results to > one. One whose karmic pipeline is very short may experience the results > immediately, but most people do not experience right away. As a result, they > do not realize what a terrible thing they are doing. My humble request to > everybody who performs homam is to stay away from using such taamasik > materials.> > Best regards,> Narasimha> ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -> Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ homam> Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ tarpana> Spirituality: http://groups. / group/vedic- wisdom> Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro. home.comcast. net> Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAst rologer.org> Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagan nath.org> ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - > > - > "rajarshi14" rajarshi14 (AT) (DOT) co.in>> <>> Monday, November 17, 2008 2:38 AM> Homa> > > Dear Narasimhaji> >> > I was seeing a homa being done by a person where alcohol was being> > offered in the fire. What is the significance of using alcohol in a> > homa?> >> > -Regards> > Rajarshi> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger./invite/>

[Guest guest]

Dear Reemaji

 

There are different stories from Purana regarding why lord Shiva took the ferocious roopa of Bhairava. One of them from the Shiva Maha Puran states that Bhairava was created from the third eye of Shiva to cut off one of the heads of Brahma. Thus Bhairava became the first person to commit the sin of Brahmahatya. Later he had to take a human skull as a begging bowl and roamaround the earth untill finally when he reached Kasi, the skull fell from his hand and Lord Bhairava was liberated from the sin of brahmahatya. Thus he became the protector of the lord city of Kasi. It is believed, anyone who goes to Kasi to visit Kasi Vishwanath, should also pay his/her respect to KalBhairav.

 

Another story, the 51 shakti peethas, where the body of Sati had fallen are guarded by Shiva in his Bhairava roopa.

 

Bhairav is often refered to as the deity of the Samshan (Shiva in his sashan roopa) as well as Kshetrapala. Or protector of the field "kshetra". That is why Vatuka Bhairava (Vatuka meaning small child) is often invoked for protection during many rituals in the samshan.

On the esoteric level, the kshetra is the field, the body. That is where Durga/Kali resides in the form of the kundalini. And Shiva as Bhairava acts as the protector of the fortress of the Goddess. Hence, in some tantrik traditions, Bhairava is also refered to as a son of Kali. Or in other words, one who has been intoxicated into God conscinousness by the Kundalini energy may act and behave like Bhairava in appearence (nothing material will appeal to him anymore). Therefore they say, one who can get the real grace of the divine mother is not a sadhak ( a sadhak gets maybe one or two aspects of the Mother depending on the sadhana), but a son or daughter of the Mother.

 

In Kashmiri traditions, Bhairav holds a very important place. He is considered to be the all in all deity who creates, maintains and then destroyes. He is the pure conscinousness where all duality is broken down and hence is so fierce for ordinay mortals like us who are so accustomed to existence within duality. The Rudrayamala tantra contains some very strong descriptions of Lord Bhairava, including his various roops, his shaktis. There is a beautiful hymn of Kal Bhairava as composd by Adi Shankarachrya.

 

All that I mentioned above is what I have understood from a theoritcal point of view regarding Lord Bhairava. I had been given a mantra of lord Bhairav through a strange set of events by a person, and since then I had been praying to Him. Before that day, I had never even heard of the name Bhairava. He had told me one more thing, the key to doing any genuine sadhana of Bhairava entails facing and eventually losing once fears.

Often people have strong misconceptions about Lord Bhairava considering Him to be one associated with black magik or such. All those are quite incorrect.

 

-Regards

Rajarshi

 

"This above all: to thine own self be true!" - Hamlet--- On Wed, 19/11/08, Reema Patel Sriganesh <reema_sriganesh wrote:

Reema Patel Sriganesh <reema_sriganesh Who is Bhairava (was Re: Homa) Date: Wednesday, 19 November, 2008, 12:49 PM

 

 

|| Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah ||Namaskaar Narasimha Ji,Your explanation of duality and non-duality by the way of example of the offerings to the Homa is just excellent! I think I understood the basic guidelines, and now can contemplate further within this framework.Namaskaar Rajarshi Ji,I have heard about this rupa of Shiva a lot, but I have no idea of why He takes this rupa, why people worship Him in this rupa, and why Devi worships Him in this rupa (Bhairava-poojini is one of the names of Mother in Lalita Sahasranamam) . I would be so obliged to read you describe this rupa, since you are also a devotee.With the blessings of Sri Vishnu,Reema., rajarshi nandy <rajarshi14@. ..> wrote:>> Dear Narasimhaji> Â > Thank you for that wonderful explanation. I have never done anything

of that sort, neither do I plan to do. I was just curious since a lot of people when the hear that I pray to Bhairava, assume by default that I use alcohol. > What you said makes perfect sense.> Â > -Regards> Â Rajarshi> > "This above all: to thine own self be true!" - Hamlet> > --- On Wed, 19/11/08, Narasimha P.V.R. Rao pvr wrote:> > Narasimha P.V.R. Rao pvr Re: Homa> > Wednesday, 19 November, 2008, 7:49 AM> > > > > > > Namaste,> > Taamasik stuff like alcohol, meat, chillies etc should never be put in homam > fire.> > The type of fire used in homam is jaatavedas (omniscient) or havyavaaha (one > who carries offerings to various gods). That fire can carry various > auspicious

substances to various deities, but does NOT like to carry stuff > like alcohol and meat, even if a deity is willing to receive the offering. > If you want to offer alcohol to a deity such as Bhairava, call the deity in > an idol or a kalasha (pot) or in an animal and then make the offering of > alcohol. But do not use homam fire to make the offering.> > Another type of fire called kravyaada (funeral pyre) or ripravaaha (carrier > of impurities) can be used to carry anything, without restrictions. However, > this fire is not used in homam..> > A few deities such as Smashaana Taaraa and Smashaana Kaali may be worshipped > on a funeral pyre with any materials. However, such rituals are not > appropriate for 99.99999999% people. Those are only for people who already > have a very high level of detachment and a very low level of distinction > between the

polarities of duality, i.e. people who have a very low level of > mental distinction between things normally considered highly pure and things > normally considered highly impure and see all as One. As a result of their > worship on funeral pyre, they may get results that are normally considered > good or results that are normally considered terrible, but again their > mental distinction between good and bad results is very low and they accept > all results with an equal vision.. Rituals practiced by such aghoris are > aimed at honing their detachment and non-distinction to further perfection.> > Such aghora practices are not to be done out of "fascination" or because > they seem or sound "cool". That is a formula for failure and disaster. For > the majority of us who are still deeply affected by the polarities of > duality and cannot see all things equally, worship of

any deity in funeral > pyre is a strict no-no. Stick to regular homam and maintain basic purity, no > matter which deity you worship in the fire. In that case, throwing chillies, > meat and alcohol in fire is a strict no-no. Unfortunately, some people do > not realize it and throw these things in their homam fire. This is a > terrible thing to do.> > People in this age foolishly mix up principles of duality and non-duality. > Principles of non-duality like "all is god" are applicable only if you can > see god in pleasure and pain and accept both the same way. If pleasure and > pain are two distinct feelings for you and you prefer one to the other, then > you are immersed in duality and follow the principles of duality without > mixing up non-dual principles and pretending "all is god". All is NOT god > for you then.> > Offering alcohol, meat,

chillies etc in homam can bring terrible results to > one. One whose karmic pipeline is very short may experience the results > immediately, but most people do not experience right away. As a result, they > do not realize what a terrible thing they are doing. My humble request to > everybody who performs homam is to stay away from using such taamasik > materials.> > Best regards,> Narasimha> ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -> Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ homam> Do Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ tarpana> Spirituality: http://groups. / group/vedic- wisdom> Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro. home.comcast. net> Free Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAst rologer.org> Sri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagan

nath.org> ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - > > - > "rajarshi14" rajarshi14 (AT) (DOT) co.in>> <>> Monday, November 17, 2008 2:38 AM> Homa> > > Dear Narasimhaji> >> > I was seeing a homa being done by a person where alcohol was being> > offered in the fire. What is the significance of using alcohol in a> > homa?> >> > -Regards> > Rajarshi> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger. / invite/>

Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Invite them now.