Daily Seva of a Bhairav Temple — Which Temple to Adopt, How to Enter It, and What It Cuts

On which days does our tradition tell us to go to a temple?

The speaker says that on any auspicious work or any auspicious day of our life, going to a temple has certainly been enjoined — on one's birth tithi as reckoned by the Hindi panchang, on the tithi of one's marriage, and on any auspicious day of any member of the family.

Opening the subject, the speaker asks what can come of going daily to Bhairava ji's temple, and what attainment — how great an achievement — can come from serving such a temple alone. He calls it a very good subject and the simplest of subjects. When we enter within our own culture and try to know it, he says, we see that on any auspicious work or any auspicious day of our life, going to a temple has certainly been enjoined. That includes the tithi of one's birth — tithi meaning the day as reckoned by our Hindi panchang, so one should go on the day of the birth tithi. One should go on the tithi on which one's marriage took place. And when any auspicious day of any member of the family comes, one should go to a temple that day.

What happens if a devotee of Mahadev or Bhagavati goes regularly to a Bhairav temple?

The speaker frames this as the classified question of the session: we go to Mahadev's temple because we are Mahadev's devotees, or to Bhagavati's because we are hers — but what happens if, while remaining devotees of Mahadev and Bhagavati, we go regularly to Bhairav ji's temple, how should one go, what kind of temple should be visited daily, and what is obtained from it.

A classified question arises here, the speaker says: what will be attained by going properly to the temple of a particular deity? It happens, he says, that we are devotees of Mahadev, so we go to Mahadev's temple; someone is a devotee of Bhagavati, so to Bhagavati's. But if we are going to Bhairava ji's temple, what will happen? We are devotees of Mahadev and of Bhagavati, but if we go regularly to Bhairav ji's temple, what comes of it? How should one go to a Bhairav temple, in what kind of temple should one go daily, and what will be obtained from it — these are the questions he sets out to answer, and he calls the subject a very good one.

Is Bhairav a deity or a post, and where is he present?

Bhagavan Bhairav is held to be the very form of Shiva; the authority to give danda was given first to Bhairav ji in the region of Kashi; at all the Shakti Peeths Bhairav is present for protection, and he is present as gram devata and as kshetrapal. But Bhairav, the speaker says, is not only a deity — as Indra is a post, so Bhairav too is a post.

Bhagavan Bhairava has been held to be the very form of Shiva, the speaker says. The authority to give danda was given first of all to Bhairav ji in the region of Kaal Bhairava's city, Kashi. Thereafter, at all the Shakti Peeths that exist, Bhagavan Bhairav remains present everywhere for the sake of protection. And in the form of the gram devata, in the form of the Kshetrapal, it is Bhagavan Bhairav who remains. So Bhairav's presence is in one way obligatory everywhere. But Bhairav is not only a deity. Just as Indra is not only a deity but a post, in the same way Bhairav too is a post. It is therefore not necessary every time that it is Bhagavan Shiva's own form that is present as Bhairav. In 98 percent of places, he says, wherever you look, Bhagavan Bhairav is Shiva's own form — but there are a few tirtha sthals, tirtha kshetras and Shakti Peeths of our Sanatan Dharma where other deities are present in the form of Bhairav. There you will be able to understand that Bhairav ji is also a post here. Everywhere, however, there is Batuk Bhairava; Batuk Bhairav is called in one way the child form of Shiva, and in that form it is Bhagavan Sadashiva.

Who most needs to go to a Bhairav temple daily?

The person on whom some abhicharik prayoga has been done whose counter is simply not being found should certainly go daily to a Bhairav temple. Whether one is a woman or a man, if a Bhairav temple is available one should go regularly, because the shaktis that move in abhichar work are shamshanik and negative shaktis, and the shakti under whom all of them stand is Bhagavan Bhairav.

A person upon whom some abhicharik prayoga has been done whose counter is simply not being achieved should certainly go daily to a Bhairav temple, the speaker says. If possible such people should go to a Bhairav temple. You can of course go to Mahadev's temples, but if a temple of Bhairava ji becomes available to you, then whether you are a woman or a man you should certainly go to Bhairav ji's temple regularly. The reason he gives is that in all Abhichara work, which shaktis move? Somewhere or other it is shamshanik shaktis that move; somewhere or other negative shaktis are involved. And of all these shaktis, the presiding shakti beneath whom all of them stand is Bhagavan Bhairav.

Which Bhairav or Kali temple must a householder never adopt for daily visits?

A grihastha should never go regularly, daily, to a Bhairav temple or a Kali temple that stands inside shmashan bhoomi. If the temple lies before the boundary of the shmashan bhoomi begins, one may go there regularly. Even there, a woman more than three months pregnant must not enter shmashan bhoomi or a temple in that surrounding area, and neither should a man who is about to become a father.

When you go to Bhairav ji's temple, which temple of Bhairav ji may you go to? Keep in mind, the speaker says, that a grihastha should never go regularly, daily, to such a Bhairava temple or such a Kali temple as stands within Shamshaan bhoomi. If the temple stands before the boundary of the shmashan bhoomi begins, then you may go there regularly. But even there care is to be taken: a woman in pregnancy, if the pregnancy has passed three months, is not to enter shmashan bhoomi, nor should any pregnant woman go to a temple in the area around shmashan bhoomi. Along with that, those who are about to become fathers should also not go into this kind of kshetra.

Does the shmashan-boundary restriction on visiting a Bhairav or Kali temple apply at Kashi, Ujjain and Tarapith?

No. The speaker says he is not speaking of the Avimukteshwar kshetra of Kashi and the like, or of the Chakra Tirtha shmashan kshetra of Ujjain — he is speaking of ordinary kshetras. Going to Ujjain Mahakaleshwar or to Tarapith is not covered by the prohibition; it applies to the shmashan bhoomi of the ordinary areas around your town, your village and your city.

The Shamshaan kshetra of the Avimukteshwar kshetra, Kashi and so on, and the Chakra Tirtha shmashan kshetra of the region of Ujjain — of all of these, the speaker says, he is not speaking. He is speaking of the ordinary kshetras. It is not the case, he says, that you are going to Ujjain Mahakaleshwar and there you say that entry into shmashan bhoomi is forbidden; or that you are going to Tarapith and it is forbidden there. No — for all these places, for tirtha kshetras, it is not so. The prohibition concerns the ordinary kshetras: the shmashan bhoomi of the areas in your town, around your village, around your city. In that condition one should not go into those.

Why should one go to a Bhairav temple regularly, and what kind of temple should be looked for?

The greatest reason for going regularly is that the prarabdha, the karma, the affliction that is being cut nowhere else will be cut by Bhairav ji's grace. The temple to look for is an unworshipped one — a Bhairav temple where regular puja does not happen, where people come only on some particular day such as Sunday and where a lamp does not even burn on the other days. Such a temple, the speaker says, should be seized at once.

The greatest reason for going regularly, the speaker says, is that the PrarabdhaThe portion of destiny already set in motion by past actions — spiritual practice and good deeds can lessen its severity, but not eliminate it., the karma, the affliction that is being cut nowhere at all will be cut by Bhairava ji's grace. As for which temple: whatever temple is apujit — if you see some temple of Bhairav ji where regular puja is not happening, where people come on some particular day, on a Sunday, do puja and go, and on the remaining days not even a lamp burns there — then such a temple should be seized immediately. If such a temple of Bhairav ji becomes available to you, where there is nobody to perform the regular seva, where a regular lamp does not burn or where daily seva is not able to happen, then take upon yourself the burden of the regular seva there.

May one touch the Shri Vigraha of Bhairav without diksha?

No — the Shri Vigraha of Bhairav ji is not to be touched if you are not initiated. Only if you are initiated in a panth, a sampradaya or a guru parampara where this is done, or are initiated in Bhairav ji's mantra and have received your guru's adesh that you may touch the Shri Vigraha, should you touch it. A Shivling you may touch; the vigraha of Bhairav ji is not for every person to touch by simply walking up to it.

Keep in mind, the speaker says, that the Shri Vigraha of Bhairava ji is not to be touched if you are not initiated. If you are initiated in such a panth, such a sampradaya, such a guru parampara where the Shri Vigraha of Bhairav ji may be touched, or if you are initiated in Bhairav ji's mantra and have received an adesh from your guru that yes, you may touch the Shri Vigreh, then and only then touch his vigraha. Otherwise, without touching the Shri Vigraha, you may touch a Shivling — but the touching of Bhairav ji's vigraha is not something every person should do, simply walking up and doing it.

What is the 90 or 108 day vidhan of serving an unserved Bhairav temple, and what does it cut?

Without touching the Shri Vigraha, place flowers and bhog before him, light dhoop and a lamp, and do a paath of the Bhairav Sahasranama or the Bhairav Ashtak or the Kaal Bhairav Ashtak before him with bhaav, do aarti and then come away. If such a Bhairav temple is found where nitya seva does not happen, and you begin seva there and go continuously for three months — 90 days or 108 days — he will free you of every affliction, however great the court case, the false suit or the wrong prayoga done upon you.

Without touching the Shri Vigraha, the speaker says, place flowers and the like before him, place bhog and the like before him, light dhoop and a lamp, and before him you may do a paath of the Bhairav Sahasranama and the like, or of the Bhairav Ashtak, of the Kaal Bhairava Ashtak, with bhaav; and having done aarti and so on, come away again. Do this and see, he says: however great a court case there may be, if you have been trapped in a false suit, if it is the biggest of cases, if no path is visible from anywhere, if some wrong prayoga of any kind has been done upon you and no way is to be seen. If a Bhairava temple of this kind is found, where nitya seva does not take place, and you go to that place and begin the seva — for three months, 90 days, or up to 108 days, going regularly and continuously and doing his seva — then he will free you from every affliction.

What does taking refuge in Bhairav give?

The speaker says Bhagavan Bhairav's grace is boundless; he increases extraordinary punya and holds the capacity to quell many kinds of sins, and the person who attains his sharanagati becomes free of every kind of fear. So in any affliction or great calamity, accept Bhairav's refuge and become his sharanagat, and try to find a temple that is unworshipped, where puja happens little and people do not always go.

Such is his boundless grace, the speaker says. Bhagavan Bhairava increases extraordinary Punyas and holds the capacity to quell many, many sins. The human being who attains his sharanagati becomes free of every kind of fear. No fear of any kind remains. So if any affliction is upon you, if a great calamity of any kind has fallen, accept the sharanagati of Bhairav and go into his refuge. Become his sharanagat, and make the effort to find such a temple as is unworshipped, where puja happens little, where people do not always go but come only now and then. It is at such a place that this should be done.

Can a woman do the seva of Bhairav, and how should one stand before an ugra vigraha?

Asked what a stri sadhika should do when people tell her a woman cannot serve Bhairav, the speaker answers: absolutely not so. The prohibition is on touching the Shri Vigraha, and that is forbidden to men too. Where the forms are ugra — Shamshan Kali, Shamshan Bhairavi, all the shmashan Shri Vigrahas, or any vigraha made in an ugra form — they are not worshipped from the front, and a grihastha must not stand before their eyes and meet their eyes and do mantra japa. Those who have become detached from grihastha life may; the listener should not.

If you are a stri sadhika and are going to do Bhairava ji's seva, the speaker says, the biggest question that arises is that people will first of all forbid you, saying a woman cannot do Bhairav ji's seva — and you take that as final. Absolutely not, he says. The prohibition is on touching, on touching the Shri Vigreh. And that is forbidden for men too, as he has already said. Nobody is to touch the vigraha. And there are always the ugra shaktis — the shmashan forms of Mahakali, Shamshan Kali, Shamshan Bhairavi, all the shmashan Shri Vigrahas, or the ugra forms whose Shri Vigraha has been made in an ugra form itself. They are not worshipped from in front of them. Those who stand before their eyes and, meeting their eyes, do mantra japa — a grihastha should not do this. Those who have become detached from grihastha life, let them do it, that is a separate matter. But you should not do it.

Where should one stand, and what lamp and bhog should be offered to Bhairav?

If a Kaal Bhairav temple has him installed in an ugra form, worship is done standing at the side — you stand right beside the Shri Vigraha, not in front. First of all a lamp should be lit: a chaumukh lamp on a heap of black sesame, with two cloves, one cardamom and camphor put into it, kindled in Bhairav ji's name. Then offer bhog of imarti, jalebi, or dahi bada made with your own hand, papad, or any sweet you wish; then flowers, itra, and fragrant dhoop or the guggul cup sambhrani sold nowadays, burnt well.

If there is a Kaal Bhairava temple and he is installed there in an ugra form, the speaker says, then at such a time worship is done standing at his side. That is, you do not stand in front of him; you stand right beside the Shri Vigreh. Thereafter, of whatever bhog and lamp you are to light before him, first of all it is the lamp that should be lit. A chaumukh lamp should be lit for Bhairava ji, making a heap of black sesame. Into it two cloves and one cardamom should be put, and camphor should be put in. First you kindle the lamp in Bhairav ji's name. After that, offer the bhog of imarti or jalebi, or the bhog of dahi bada — dahi bada made with your own hand, offer that. Offer the bhog of papad, or offer any sweet or mishthan you wish. Having offered flowers and the rest, having submitted itra and so on near him, burn the dhoop well — fragrant dhoop, or the guggul cup sambhrani that comes nowadays.

What paath and aarti complete the worship?

After the dhoop, do a paath of the Bhairav Sahasranama or the Kaal Bhairav Ashtak, taking the sankalpa that "O Bhagavan Bhairav, free me from this affliction". Then aarti with a camphor tablet in which two cloves are placed, showing the aarti five times, keeping it near Bhairav ji, making kshama prarthana and saying that all the punya is dedicated to Bhagavan Bhairav — then release water and come away.

After that, the speaker says, do the paath of the Bhairav Sahasranama or of the Kaal Bhairava Ashtak, having taken the SankalpaA formal ritual resolution spoken aloud before an offering or observance, declaring its intent and dedicating its merit. that: O Bhagavan Bhairava, free me from this affliction. Then the AartiA ritual of waving a lit lamp or flame before a deity's image, performed here at the close of Deepdan once the lamps begin to burn down. and so on — with a camphor tablet, the kind of camphor that comes in a lump, placing two cloves in it, do the aarti with that, showing the aarti five times and keeping it near Bhairav ji, making kshama prarthana and the rest, saying that all the Punya is dedicated to you, O Bhagavan Bhairav. Saying this, release water, and after that come away.

What is to be done with the bhog offered to Bhairav?

The bhog that is offered should, if you are a man and you take it, be taken as naivedya right there outside the temple, on the spot. Otherwise it may be distributed to small children, or given to the temple's own sevaks so that they eat it, or given to dogs — placed so that they can eat it wherever it is found. Take a little yourself, accept that much, and feed all the rest right there to everyone.

The bhog that is offered, the speaker says, if you are a man and you take it yourself, should be taken as naivedya right there outside the temple, on that very spot. Or you may distribute it to small children; or Bhairava ji's bhog should be given to the sevaks of that same place so that they eat it; or it should be given to dogs. Place it so that they may eat it, wherever it may be found. Take a little yourself, accept that much. All the rest should be fed right there to everyone. Serve at Bhairav ji's temple in this way, he says, and you will become free of many, many afflictions.

What does Bhairav seva do for someone whose mantras are not fructifying?

Those who keep chasing siddhis and find that siddhi is not coming, the mantra is not becoming siddha, the mantras give no effect — such a person should do Bhairav ji's seva and see. Not only will every kind of mantra become fully awakened, but whenever you take a sankalpa and use it, it will begin to give the full effect you require. Any error in japa, that is, dosha in the pronunciation of the mantra and in its japa, is quelled by Bhairav's grace, and this dosha too will be finished by serving Bhairav ji.

Those people who keep running after siddhis — siddhi is not being obtained, the mantra is not becoming siddha, the mantras are giving no effect — such a person, the speaker says, should do Bhairava ji's seva and see. Not only will every kind of mantra become fully awakened for you, but whenever you take a SankalpaA formal ritual resolution spoken aloud before an offering or observance, declaring its intent and dedicating its merit. and use it, it will begin to give the entire effect, the effect that you want. If any error occurs in japa of any kind — that is, dosha in the pronunciation of the mantra and in its japa — that is quelled by Bhairav's grace. So by doing Bhairav ji's seva this dosha too will be finished.

What if one is under a curse or is seeking prayashchitta for a killing or a sin?

If some dosha has attached to you, if a shraap of some kind has come upon you, if a curse has been laid on you by some creature, if a killing has happened by you unknowingly, or if you deliberately committed some sin for which you now wish to do prayashchitta and it feels to you that no deity will give you shelter — then, the speaker says, you should take the sharanagati of such a temple and such a Shri Vigraha of Bhagavan Bhairav as is apujya. Apujya means where regular worship does not happen, or where puja happens very little.

If some dosha has attached itself to you, the speaker says; if a Shraap of some kind has come upon you; if a curse has been laid upon you by some creature; if a killing has happened by you unknowingly; or if you knowingly committed some sin about which you now wish to do PrayashchittaRitual atonement performed to offset the karmic burden of a weighty act, such as a Shatkarma that results in an enemy's death., and it seems to you that no god or goddess is going to give you shelter. Then you should take the sharanagati of such a temple of Bhagavan Bhairava, of such a Shri Vigreh, as is apujya — where regular pujan does not happen. Apujya means, he explains, where regular pujan does not happen or where puja happens very little. There take the sharanagati. And do the seva of Jagadamba and Bhagavan Bhairav there in this manner and see. Even this much you do, he says, and you will obtain extreme benefit — what is there that cannot be obtained by Bhagavan Bhairav's grace?

What else counts as the seva of a Bhairav temple?

The seva of such a temple of Bhairav ji includes its cleanliness — the cleaning of that place and that temple and of the surrounding area — and the seva of dogs, that is, feeding dogs salted roti and sweet roti, and making as much arrangement as possible for water and for food for them. The speaker says explicitly he is not telling anyone to bring a dog home and tie it up: the seva is to be done outside.

So the seva of such a temple of Bhairava ji, the speaker says, is its cleanliness — the cleaning of that place, of that temple, and the cleaning of the surrounding area — and the seva of dogs, that is, feeding dogs salted roti and feeding them sweet roti. As much as possible, make arrangements for them, for water and for food. He is not saying to bring them home and tie them up. The seva is to be done outside. Do this, he says, and you will obtain extreme benefit — Bhairav gives more than you can imagine. He closes by saying that whatever affliction one may be in, one should do the seva of Bhagavan Bhairav in this manner and attain liberation from that affliction.