A fierce form or manifestation of the Hindu god, Shiva, he is a guardian deity and one of the central deities of Tantrism and Kashmir Shaivism. Within the Hindu religious tradition, there are several further forms and aspects of Bhairava, including the Eight Bhairavas, the 64 Bhairavas and Vatuka-Bhairava. His iconographical depictions may include elements such as matted locks, protruding teeth, snakes as ornaments, a garland of skulls or a skull held in one hand, along with several weapons.
More Definitions
Rudra
Minor deity in Vedic religion, generally associated with terrible or destructive natural forces, but also with various benevolent aspects. Rudra…
Paadal Petra Sthalam
A group of 275 shrines dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva and concentrated in southern India. They are mentioned in…
Madrassa
An institution of higher learning in the Islamic thought. In its earliest form, it was an extension of mosques and…
Vishwakarma
A deity in the Hindu pantheon, Vishwakarma is considered a divine engineer and was the architect of Dwarka, Lanka and…
Airavata
Meaning 'belonging to Iravati' or 'produced from water', Airavata is a celestial white elephant, usually depicted with three or five…
Asura
A clan of power-seeking figures in the Hindu pantheon. Often mistranslated as "demon," the Sanskrit word asura originally meant "lord"…
madanika
Celestial figure of a young, beautiful woman in Indian art and mythology, often associated with nature. The Sanskrit term madanika…
Tathata
A central concept in Buddhism that denotes the essential or true nature of reality, which is beyond the range of…