Virabhadra

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Virabhadra

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In Hinduism, Virabhadra(Veerabhadra) (Sanskrit:

& #2357; & #2368; & #2352; & #2349; & #2342; & #2381; & #2352;, IAST:

V & #299;rabhadra) is a super being created by Shiva. V & #299;rabhadra was a great

warrior who eventually blinded Bhaga, broke Pushan's teeth and other

gods. gods fled the battle field unable to sustain his power. He is

the head of Pramatha's (the followers of Shiva).

Contents

 

* 1 Creation of V & #299;rabhadra

* 2 V & #299;rabhadra Destroyed Daksha

* 3 The compromise with Shiva

* 4 Consort of Virabhadra - Bhadrak & #257;li

* 5 Historical facts

* 6 Chronology of Virabhadra

* 7 See also

* 8 Reference

 

Creation of V & #299;rabhadra

 

Sati was the youngest daughter of Daksha, the chief of the gods. When

Sati grew up she set her heart on Shiva, worshipping him in secret. In

the Swayamvara of Sati, Daksha invited all gods and princes except

Shiva. Sati cast her wreath into air, calling upon Shiva to receive

the garland; and behold he stood in midst of the court with the wreath

about his neck. Daksha had no choice but to marry Sati with Shiva. [1]

 

One day Daksha made arrangements for a great horse sacrifice, and

invited all the gods omtting only Shiva. Sati, being greatly

humiliated, went to the banquet and Sati released the inward consuming

fire and fell dead at Daksha's feet. Narada bore this news to Shiva.

Shiva burned with anger, and tore from his head a lock of hair,

glowing with energy, and cast upon the earth. The terrible demon

V & #299;rabhadra sprang from it, his tall body reached the high heavens, he

was dark as the clouds, he had a thousand arms, three burning eyes,

and fiery hair; he wore a garland of skulls and carried terrible

weapons. V & #299;rabhadra bowed at Shiva's feet and asked his will. [2]

 

V & #299;rabhadra Destroyed Daksha

 

Shiva directed Virabhadra: " Lead my army against Daksha and destroy

his sacrifice; fear not the Brahmanas, for thou art a portion of my

very self " . On this direction of Shiva, Virabhadra appeared with

Shiva's ganas in the midst of Daksha's assembly like a storm wind and

broke the sacrificial vessels, polluted the offerings, insulted the

priests and finally cut off Daksha's head, trampled on Indra, broke

the staff of Yama, scattered the gods on every side; then he returned

to Kailash. [3]

 

V & #299;rabhadra takes the form of Sharabha, a giant bird with four legs and

two heads.

 

The compromise with Shiva

 

After the destruction of Daksha's sacrifice, the defeated gods sought

Brahma and asked his counsel. Brahma advised the gods to make their

peace with Shiva. Brahma himself went with them to Kailash. Shiva

stands up when he sees Brahma coming there and touches Brahma's feet

in reverence. Brahma adviced Shiva to pardon Daksha and to mend the

broken limbs of gods and rishis. Shiva accepted his advice and

restored the burnt head of Daksha with that of goat's head, and the

broken limbs were made whole. Then the devas thanked Shiva for his

gentleness, and invited him to sacrifice. There Daksha looked on him

with reverence, the rite was duly performed, and there also Vishnu

appeared riding upon Garuda. He spoke to Daksha, saying: " Brahma, Lord

Siva and I are the supreme cause of the material manifestation. I am

the Supersoul, the self sufficient witness. But impersonally there is

no difference between Brahma, Lord Siva and Me...One who is not in

proper knowledge thinks that demigods like Brahma and Siva are

independent, or he even thinks that the living entities are

independent.A person with average intelligence does not think the head

and other parts of the body to be separate. Similarly, My devotee does

not differentiate Visnu, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead,

from any thing or any living entity " Then all the gods and rishis

saluted Shiva and Vishnu and Brahma, and departed to their places; but

Shiva returned to Kailash and fell once more into his dram. [4]

 

V & #299;rabhadra is prominently worshipped today in South India. The famous

Lepakshi temple (Veerabhadra temple (Lepakshi)) in Andhra Pradesh is

dedicated to Lord V & #299;rabhadra. His is one of the primary

Pancha-acharyas (gurus) for Lingayats mainly from Karnataka. .

 

Consort of Virabhadra - Bhadrak & #257;li

 

Consort of Virabhadra was Bhadrakali, also known as the gentle Kali,

is generally an auspicious form of the goddess Kali, and the legend

states that she came into being by Devi's wrath, when Daksha insulted

Shiva. It is believed that Bhadrak & #257;li was a local deity, which was

assimilated into the mainstream Hinduism, particularly into Shaiva

mythology. Sometimes, she assumes terrible aspect, and is represented

with three eyes, and four, twelve or eighteen hands. She carries a

number of weapons, with flames flowing from her head, and a small tusk

protruding from her mouth. [5]

 

 

Historical facts

 

Chronology of Virabhadra

 

The historian Ram Swarup Joon has given the chronology of Virabhadra,

obtained from the records of the Bards of Dholpur, in his book

`History of the Jats' (1938, 1967) as under: [6]

 

In the branch of Puru there was `Sanyati' whose son was Virabhadra.

Virabhadra had four sons 1. Pon Bhadra 2. Kalhan bhadra 3. Atisur

Bhadra and 4. Jakh Bhadra.

 

* Pon Bhadra is the originator of Punia gotra.

* Kalhan Bhadra is the originator of Kalhan gotra.

* Atisur Bhadra had Ajanta Jata Shankar and his son Dahi Bhadra in

the lineage. Dahi Bhadra is the originator of Dahiya gotra.

* Jakh Bhadra is the originator of Jakhar gotra.

 

According to Ram Swaroop Joon, the descendants of above spread as under:

 

(a) Pon Bhadra's descendants Punias to Haryana, Brij, and Gwalior

 

(b) Kalhan Bhadra's descendants Kalhans to Kathiawar and Gujrat.

 

© Atisur Bhadra's descendants to Malwa

 

(d) Jakh Bhadra's descendants Jakhars to Punjab and Kashmir

 

(e) Dahi Bhadra's descendants Dahiyas to Punjab and Central Asia

 

See also

 

* Dakshayani

* ganas