PARAKUNNATH SREE VETTAKKORUMAKAN PAYYAN KSHETHRAM (TEMPLE), AROLI, KANNUR, KERALA: Bhikshatana is considered a gentler form of Shiva's fierce aspect Bhairava and a gentle phase between Bhairava's two gruesome forms, one of which decapitates Brahma and the other of which murders Shri Vishnu's gatekeeper.

Wednesday 28 December 2016

Bhikshatana is considered a gentler form of Shiva's fierce aspect Bhairava and a gentle phase between Bhairava's two gruesome forms, one of which decapitates Brahma and the other of which murders Shri Vishnu's gatekeeper.

Bhikshatana is considered a gentler form of Shiva's fierce aspect Bhairava and a gentle phase between Bhairava's two gruesome forms, one of which decapitates Brahma and the other of which murders Shri Vishnu's gatekeeper. Bhikshatana is the form of Bhairava that Shiva assumes to atone for his sin of severing Brahma's fifth head. He wanders the universe in the form of a naked Kapali mendicant, begging for alms with Brahma's kapala (skullcap) as his begging bowl, until his sin is expiated upon reaching holy city of Varanasi.

Kurma Purana narrates that Brahma arrogantly declared that he was the Supreme Creator of the Universe. Shiva appeared as an infinite pillar of light. But Brahma remained obstinate. Angered by Brahma's vanity, Shiva, as the terrifying Bhairava, cut off one head of the five-headed Brahma with a mere flick of his fingernail. As a consequence Brahma died, but the spiritual credit he had accumulated over a lifetime of devout asceticism pulled him immediately back from death. Upon his resurrection, Brahma accepted Shiva's superiority. In another version of Shiva Purana, Brahma insults Shiva using his fifth head's mouth, while the rest of them praise Shiva when he comes to Brahma's abode as a guest. In another instance in Shiva Purana, when an argument erupts between Brahma and Shri Vishnu over who is superior, Shiva appears as an infinite fiery pillar in front of them. They decide whoever finds the end of the pillar is superior. Brahma lies about finding the head of the infinite pillar and declares himself as superior.

Puranas narrate that Bhikshatana wandered the three worlds begging with a host of goblins. Upon reaching Varanasi, Brahma's skull falls off Bhikshatana's palm at a place now called Kapala-mochana (liberating from the skull) and Vishaksena's corpse disappears. The sin, personified by Brahmahatya, vanishes into hell. Vishaksena is resurrected and the sanctified Bhairava-Shiva, having bathed in the sacred pond in Varanasi, casts off the appearance of Bhikshatana and returns to his abode.!