Ashta Bhairavas ("Eight

Bhairava Bhairava (Sanskrit: भैरव ) or Kala Bhairava is a Shaivite and Vajrayāna deity worshiped by Hindus and Buddhists. In Shaivism, he is a powerful manifestation, or avatar, of Shiva associated with annihilation. In Trika system ''Bhaira ...

s") are eight manifestations of the Hindu god

, a ferocious aspect of the god

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

. They guard and control the eight directions. Each Bhairava has seven sub Bhairavas under him. All of the Bhairavas are ruled and controlled by Maha Kala Bhairava (shown in picture), who is considered the supreme ruler of time of the universe and the chief form of Bhairava. Listed below are the Ashta Bhairava, along with their ruling goddesses, their

vahana ''Vahana'' ( sa, वाहन, or animal vehicle, literally "that which carries, that which pulls") denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical, a particular Hindu God is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vahana is often ...

(mount), and the direction each guards. Also given are their lucky stones, and the consecrated temples in

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

, India, where people born on the listed nakshatras get the Ashta Bhairava’s favours and Dosha Nivritti (remedies for problems). The Ashta Bhairavas, all 8 of them, can be seen at

Kashi Vishwanath Temple The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in Vishwanath Gali of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh in India. The temple stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganga, and is one of the twelve Jyot ...

Sattainathar Temple, Sirkazhi Sattainathar temple, Sirkazhi (also called Brahmapureeswarar temple and Thoniappar temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Sirkali, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classified as ''Pa ...

Aragalur Aragalur ("six moat place") is a village in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is about 6 km from Thalaivasal and 70 km from Salem. Etymology Aragalur literally means "six moat place" or the village having six moats. The moats were ...

Sri Kamanada Eswar Temple, Shri Mahabairavar Rudra Aalayam, Chengalpattu.

Asithanga Bhairava

This form is white complexioned and has four arms. In his four hands, he holds the rosary, kamandal, sword and skull cup. * Ruling goddess/Consort:

Brahmani Brahmani (Sanskrit: ब्रह्माणी, IAST: Brahmāṇī) or Brahmi (Sanskrit: ब्राह्मी, IAST: Brāhmī), is one of the seven Hindu mother goddesses known as Sapta Matrikas. She is a form of Saraswati and is considered ...

Vahana ''Vahana'' ( sa, वाहन, or animal vehicle, literally "that which carries, that which pulls") denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical, a particular Hindu God is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vahana is often ...

: Swan * Direction: East * Temple: Sattanathar Temple,

Sirkazhi Sirkazhi () also spelled as ''Siyali'' is a major municipal town in Mayiladuthurai district in Tamil Nadu, India. It is located from the coast of the Bay of Bengal, and from the state capital Chennai. Sirkazhi was a part of Thanjavur distric ...

and Brahma Sira Kandeeswarar Temple, Thirukandiyur. * Nakshatram/ Birth Star: Punarpoosam, Visakam, Purattadhi * Stone: Yellow Sapphire *Ruling God : Brahma *Governs graha : Guru (Jupiter)

Ruru Bhairava

This form is light blue complexioned and has four arms. In his four arms he holds the deer, axe, sword and bowl. * Ruling goddess/Consort:

Maheshvari Matrikas (Sanskrit: मातृका (singular), IAST: mātṝkās, lit. "divine mothers") also called Matar or Matri, are a group of mother goddesses who are always depicted together in Hinduism. The Matrikas are often depicted in a group ...

: Ox * Direction: Southeast * Temple: Rathnagiriswarar Temple, Thirumarugal * Nakshatram/ Birth Star: Karthikai, Uthiradam, Uthiram * Stone: Ruby * Ruling god : Shiva * Governs Graha: Shukra (Venus)

Chanda Bhairava

This form is fair complexioned and has four arms. The bow, arrow, sword and bowl are held in these arms. * Ruling goddess/Consort:

Kaumari Matrikas (Sanskrit: मातृका (singular), IAST: mātṝkās, lit. "divine mothers") also called Matar or Matri, are a group of mother goddesses who are always depicted together in Hinduism. The Matrikas are often depicted in a group ...

: Peacock * Direction: South * Temple: Vaitheeswaran Koil * Nakshatram/ Birth Star: Mirugaseerisham, Chithirai, Avittam * Stone: coral * Governs Graha: Mangal (Mars)

Krodha Bhairava

This form is dark blue complexioned and has four arms in which he holds the conch, discus, mace and bowl. * Ruling goddess/Consort: Vaishnavi *

: Eagle * Direction: South-West * Temple: Thiruvisanallur, Thirunaraiyur * Nakshatram/ Birth Star: Rohini, Hastham, Thiruvonam * Stone: Pearl * Governs Graha: Shani (Saturn)

Unmatta Bhairava

This form is golden complexioned and has four arms in which he holds the sword, skull cup,

pestle Mortar and pestle is a set of two simple tools used from the Stone Age to the present day to prepare ingredients or substances by crushing and grinding them into a fine paste or powder in the kitchen, laboratory, and pharmacy. The ''mortar'' () ...

and shield. * Ruling goddess/Consort:

Jwala ji Jwala Ji ( Pahari: जवाला जी, pa, ਜਵਾਲਾ ਜੀ, hi, ज्वाला जी) is a Hindu Goddess. Alternative spellings and names for Jwala Ji include ''Jawala Ji'', ''Jwala Devi'' and ''Jwalamukhi Ji''. The physical m ...

Varahi Varahi ( sa, वाराही, )) is also used as the name of the consort of Varaha, who is identified with Bhumi (the earth goddess). This consort is depicted in a human form., group=note is one of the Matrikas, a group of seven mother g ...

: Horse * Direction: West * Temple:

Thiruveezhimizhalai Thiruveezhimizhalai is a village in the Kudavasal taluk of Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh ...

, Bilur,

Amona Amona may refer to: Places * Amona, Goa, a village in Goa, India *Amona, Mateh Binyamin, an Israeli outpost in the central West Bank *Isla de Mona, known in the pre-Columbian era as Amona Other *"Amona", a song on the album ''Necessary Evil A ne ...

* Governs Graha: Budha (Mercury)

Kapala Bhairava

This form has a shining-yellow complexion and has four arms in which he holds the thunderbolt, noose, sword and bowl. * Ruling goddess/Consort:

Indrani Indrani (Sanskrit: इन्द्राणी, IAST: ''Indrāṇī, lit.'' Indra's queen), also known as Shachi (Sanskrit: शची, IAST: ''Śacī''), is the queen of the devas in Hinduism. Described as tantalisingly beautiful, proud and ...

: Elephant * Direction: North-West * Temple: Thiruvirkudi, Thirupanthuruthi * Nakshatram/ Birth Star: Bharani, Pooram, Puradam * Stone: Diamond * Governs Graha: Chandra (Moon)

Bheeshana Bhairava

This form is blood-red complexioned and has four arms in which the sword, skull cup, trident and pestle are held. * Ruling goddess/Consort: Chamunda *

Preta Preta ( sa, प्रेत, bo, ཡི་དྭགས་ ''yi dags''), also known as hungry ghost, is the Sanskrit name for a type of supernatural being described in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Chinese folk religion as undergoing sufferin ...

* Direction: North * Temple:

Rameswaram Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kil ...

Piranmalai Piranmalai is a village located in Singampunari Taluk in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, India. The nearest town is Singampunari located at away. Piranmalai is a fortified hill at an elevation of over . This is a last outcrop of the Easter ...

* Nakshatram/ Birth Star: Thiruvadhirai, Swati, Sadayam, Ashwini, Magha, Mula * Governs Graha: Ketu

Samhara Bhairava

This form has a lightning-yellow-orange complexion and has ten arms in which he holds the trident, drum, conch, mace, discus, sword, bowl, skull-topped staff, noose and a goad. * Ruling goddess/Consort:

Chandi Chandi ( sa, चण्डी, ) or Chandika () is a Hindu deity. Chandika is another form of Mahadevi, similar to Durga. Chandika is a powerful form of Mahadevi who manifested to destroy evil. She is also known as ''Kaushiki'', '' Katyayan ...

: Lion * Direction: Northeast * Temple: Thiruvenkadu,

Kolli Malai Kolli may refer to: * Kolli, Iran (disambiguation), places in Iran * Kolli Hills, is a small mountain range located in central Tamil Nadu * Kolli Pratyagatma, better known as Kotayya Pratyagatma * Kolli Srinath Reddy better known as K. Srinath R ...

, Vairavanpatti, Hosur * Nakshatram/ Birth Star: Ayilyam, Ketai, Revathi * Governs Planet: Rahu

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhairavar, Ashta Forms of Shiva