Divine Birth of the Cosmic Protector: The Origin of Vatuka Bhairava

Various sacred texts provide different explanations for how the deva Vatuka Bhairava came to be, and we'll explore the shakta tradition's narrative.

Shakta tradition explains that during our present kalpa, supernatural entities populated the universe, including vetalas, pretas, pishachas, kushmandas, yakshas, rakshasas, kinnaras, gandharvas, and various types of grahas. These grahas were sorted into categories: brahma, vaishnava, raudra, aindra, ganapatya, kaumara, pashupata and saura. Although these beings were followers of specific deities (such as ganapatya grahas following ganapati and his devotees), they created disorder and interfered with spiritual practitioners' devotions by taking away the benefits of their mantras and worship. To address this situation and defend both the world and its devotees, the goddess bhagavatI Adya Maha Kali brought forth Vatuka Bhairava in divine form.

The essence and appearance of Vatuka Bhairava was formed by combining the spiritual energy (tejas) of innumerable yoginis, bhairavas, mahavidyas, and various goddess manifestations including Kali, Tara, Tripurasundari, Bala, Chinnamasta, Bagalamukhi, Bhuvaneshvari, and Dhumavati.

Through the divine intention (samkalpa) of Adya Maha Kali, Vatuka Bhairava materialized from the combined spiritual energy of these countless deities. He contained within himself the powers of the trimurtis and their corresponding shaktis, leading to his title GunatrayasvarUpavan, which references the three gunas: sattva, rajas, and tamas. Vatuka Bhairava manifests in three main forms depending on which of these gunas predominates. He also appears in ten distinct forms venerated by the shaktas, each aligned with the dominance of one of the ten mahavidyas that make up his form.

When Vatuka Bhairava manifested, various goddesses gifted him with sacred objects: Ugra Tara bestowed an upavita (sacred thread), Chinnamasta offered him a Kapala (skull), and Kalika granted him dominion over time and death. He also received a trishula (trident) with three prongs overseen by the shaktitraya, the three goddesses Kali, Tara, and Chinnamasta. Various divine beings, including siddhas and sadhyas, transformed into nine dogs and became Vatuka Bhairava's companions. Mahakali then disclosed that through her divine intention (samkalpa), shiva himself had taken shape as Vatuka Bhairava. She named him 'Deviputra' (son of the goddess), reinforcing her position as Jagadyoni (source of the universe). Vatuka Bhairava was given authority over vetaladi grahas (various supernatural beings), and tradition holds that any spiritual practitioner who worships him during their spiritual practice remains protected from harmful grahas and is safeguarded from all types of suffering and danger.