Kalbhairav is a fierce form of Lord Shiva

If we talk about Lord Kaal Bhairava, the name itself may translate into "terrible" and "fearful", while, the actual interpretation is quite different. It means he is the Lord who protects his devotees from external enemies; as also from internal enemies such as greed, lust, anger and all other negative emotions. There is yet another interpretation of the name "Bhairava". "Bha" stands for creation, "Ra" for preservation and "Va" for destruction. Bhairava, thus, is believed to be the Ultimate Godhead, combines all of these forces of the Universe.

People with half-knowledge about Hindu Scriptures can ask such questions since they are totally unaware about the greatness of Mother Kali and Lord Bhairava. And by the way, where it is mentioned that Devi Kali and Prabhu Bhairava act like asuras ? There fierce look bears a symbolism of eternal energy which is sometimes impossible to understand. Devi Kali and Lord Kaal Bhairav are the ultimate time or kaal.

Coming to the matter of Devi Kali, no figure in the history of world religions is more evocative and complex than the Hindu goddess Kali. In many respects, Kali appears to be an intensely frightening manifestation of the sacred, with her associations with blood sacrifice, death, and destruction. At the same time, Kali is seen as the ultimate mother figure, protector, and liberator. We cannot understand Kali without embracing both sides of this paradox; indeed, such ambiguity and multiplicity runs through much of Hinduism.

From one perspective, Kali is a goddess of chaos; a sacred being that embodies that which cannot be controlled or contained. From another perspective, Kali is a dramatic expression of a mother's fierce, protective love for her children; the feminine power rising up to attack those who threaten her babies. Kali is the dark aspect of the goddess Durga, who is central to Hindu devotion.

Maa Kali wears a garland of skulls and a skirt of dismembered arms because the ego arises out of identification with the body. In truth we are beings of spirit and not flesh. So liberation can only proceed when our attachment to the body ends. Thus the garland and skirt are trophies worn by her to symbolize having liberated her children from attachment to the limited body. She holds a sword and a freshly severed head dripping blood. As the story goes, this represents a great battle in which she destroyed the demon Raktabija. Her black skin represents the womb of the quantum manifest from which all of creation arises and into which all of creation will eventually dissolve.

She is depicted as standing on Shiva who lays beneath her with white skin (in contrast to her black or sometimes dark blue skin). He has a blissful detached look. Shiva represents pure formless awareness sat-chit-Ananda (being-consciousness-bliss) while she represents “form” eternally supported by the substratum of pure awareness. Devi Kali is the mother of the whole world and ultimate salvation or Moksha. People like Shri Ramakrishna, who understood this, gained the supreme knowledge of this world.

Who is Kaal Bhairav? Is he the form of Lord Shiva? Yes he is incarnation of Bhagvan Shiv but partial one( ansh avatar just like Veerabhadra) He is the one who was created by Bhagvan Shiv to punish Lord Brahma as brahma ji was speaking Anti-Vedic and arrogant words against his father Bhagvan Shiv from his 5th head because he was deluded by Shambhavi Maya/Mahamaya at that time. So, on the Parmeshwar Shiva's command Kaal Bhairav cut off the fifth head of Lord Brahma with the tip of his finger nail.

As per Skand and Shiv Mahapurana both , fearing from the wrath of Shiva, Brahma Dev started reciting the Satarudriya Mantra to please Bhagvan Shiv and then only he was pacified. Kal Bhairav is also the Kotwal of Kashi. He is like son to Bhagvan Shiv and Maa Parvati. His original name is Bhairav but as even Kaal is afraid of him due to Parmeshwar Shiva's boon on him , he is known as Kaal-Bhairav. Kaal Bhairava is Ugra/Fierce form of Shiv. In tantrik traditions only after reaching a certain level of spiritual upliftment which takes decades, some people do His sadhana. The mantra you are chanting will have no effects as it has not been unlocked, you are not initiated into it and you don’t know the right process to chant it. You may keep chanting it for the rest of your life but it won't give you any result whatsoever. One should never get into the sadhana of the fierce form of any Deity.

Let me tell you a real life incident about it. I know a Dakshin Margi Sadhak who stays at Faridabad , this guy has been into sadhanas for good 30 years. He has a friend who got impressed with him and asked him to initiate him. This guy did. Then after sometime this friend of his heard from someone about Kaal Bhairava sadhana and asked for this mantra from him. The sadhak refused initially but when that friend kept on pestering him, one fine day he gave the mantra and told him the process to chant it.

Now this gentleman started chanting Kaal Bhairava mantra and nothing happened for 2 days. Now on the third day while he was chanting it, he suddenly collapsed and fainted. His family took him to the doctor and the doctor told them that he has gone into coma. Now this sadhak got to know about it, he went to the hospital and met the doctor. Doctor was known to him and had some knowledge. The doctor told him that his brain muscles are swollen for no reason and that is the cause of his coma. The sadhak told him what happened. Now this guy remained in coma for good 6 months. It has been 5 years since this episode and this guy is not normal to this date.

What are the miracles of Kala Bhairava Ashtakam? Kala Bhairava Ashtakam is a hymn in praise of Shiva in His Kalabhairava form. Kaal means time and so Shiva is worshipped as the God for time and often referred as Mahakaal. In this Kala Bhairava form, Shiva has dog as his mount. Kalabhairava Ashtakam was written by Adi Shankaracharya. Chant the Hymn with utmost trust,love and devotion. The miracles of chanting Kala Bhairava Ashtakam are: It makes you very strong and powerful. The lyrics will take you close to Shiva and you can feel Shiva when you chant the Hymn. All your issues will be resolved, since kaal (time) will be on your side. You will have control over mind (thoughts and actions), since you feel the positivity in your life. One line from Kalabhairava Ashtakam.

Shokha moha dhainya lobha kopa taapa naashanam,

Kashika_puradhinatha Kalabhairavam bhaje

It means chanting of Kalabhairava, the Lord to the Kashi city will destroy your anger, desires, greediness, miseries and all your sins

Om Kalabhairava Namaha

Om Mahakaalaya namaha

Om Kala_Kalaaya Namaha