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Bhairava Ashtami, also known as Bhairavashtami, Bhairava Jayanti, Kala-BhairavaAshtamiand Kala-Bhairava Jayantiis a Hindu holy daycommemorating the birthday of

Bhairava(lit. "terrible"), a fearsome and wrathful manifestation of the god Shiva.[!t falls on theeighth lunar day (ashtami) in the fortnight of the waning moon (Krishnapaksha) in the Hindu

monthof #artik($er the South ndianAmavasyantcalendar, every month ends with a new

moon) or %argashirsha($er the &orth ndianPurnimantcalendar, every month ends with a fullmoon). By both schemes, Bhairava 'shtami falls on the same day in &ovemberecember.[*!

+he nameKalashtamiis sometimes used to refer to this day, but might also refer to any ashtami

inKrishna paksha, all of which are sacred days of Bhairava, who is also called also anda$ani(as holds a rod or andato $unish sinners) and he rides a dog he is also known as Swaswa

meaning "whose horse is a dog".[!

Legend

Bhairava is an manifestation of Shiva-s wrath. 'ccording to the legend narrated on the occasion,the +rimurtigods,Brahma,ishnuand Shiva were talking in a serious mood as to who was

su$erior of them all. n the heated debate, Shiva felt slighted by remarks made by Brahma andinstructed hisganorBhairava to cut of one of Brahma/s five heads. Bhairava followed Shiva/s

orders and one head of Brahma was cut off and thus he became four headed. nstilled with fear,all others $rayed to Shiva and Bhairava.[!

'nother slightly modified version is that when Brahma insulted Shiva, Bhairava (#ala0Bhairava)

a$$eared from the angry Shiva-s forehead and severed Brahma-s head, leaving him with only fourheads. +he head of Brahma stuck to Bhairava-s left $alm due to the sin of killing Brahma, the

most learned BrahminBrahmahatyaor Brahminicide. +o e1$iate the sin of brahmahatya,

Bhairava had to $erform the vow of a #a$ali2 wandering the world as a naked beggarwith the

skull of the slain as his begging bowl. Bhairava-s sin is finally e1$iated when he reaches the holy

city of aranasi,where a tem$le dedicated to him still e1ists.[!

Practices

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History

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_festivalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairavahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairavahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-Lochtefeld-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-Lochtefeld-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakshahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_monthhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_monthhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kartika_(month)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kartika_(month)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margashirshahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-Sehgal1999-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimurtihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-Sehgal1999-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahminhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapalikahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikshatanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanasihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanasihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-Lochtefeld-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairavahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shivahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-Lochtefeld-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakshahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_monthhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_monthhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kartika_(month)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margashirshahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-Sehgal1999-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimurtihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnuhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-Sehgal1999-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahminhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kapalikahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikshatanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanasihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhairava_Ashtami#cite_note-Lochtefeld-1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Hinduismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_festival

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Glossary of Hinduism terms

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'n all0night vigil is observed on Bhairava 'shtami with $rayers, worshi$ and tales of Bhairava,

Shiva and 3arvati being told. n the midnight, an aratiof Bhairava should be $erformed withconches, bells and drums. 'fter taking a bath in the morning, devotees, es$ecially Shiva0

worshi$$ing Shaivasoffer libations and oblations to their dead ancestors. +hen, Bhairava, Shiva,

Shiva-s consort3arvatiand Bhairava-s vahana(animal vehicle), the dog, is worshi$$ed with

flowers and sweets. ogs are also offered milk, sweets, curds and other food as offerings.[![7![![8!

+he day is considered holier if Bhairava 'shtami falls on a Sunday or a +uesday, sacred

weekdays dedicated to Bhairava.[8!Bhairava is s$ecifically worshi$$ed for success, wealth,

health and obstacle removal.[7!' devotee is said to be freed of sin and the fear of death byobserving Bhairava 'shtami.[8!

Bhairava 'shtami is observed in Bhairav 3rasad +em$le in aishno evihills in #ashmir.6n

this day, an image of #ala0Bhairava is made in gold or silver and immersed in a brass metal $ot

filled with water and worshi$$ed with all scri$tural $rayers, as is done to Shiva. +hen, the $riestswho do the$u9aare offered gifts.[:!

n aranasi,an eight0day $ilgrimage of the eight tem$les dedicated to 'shta Bhairava, eight

subsidiary as$ects of Bhairava, is undertaken on the first eight days of the fortnight, culminating

with Bhairava 'shtami. 6n Bhairava 'shtami, #ala Bhairava, the city-s guardian deity, isworshi$$ed in his tem$le. ;or the rest of a year, a cloth covers the central icon, e1ce$t his face,

however on this day, the cloth is removed to reveal the whole image. +he image is adorned with

a garland of silver skulls on this day. Several devotees flood the tem$le to ca$ture the uni

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