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THE MYTHOLOGY OF BHIKTESHWAR

Bhikteshwar, Bhikshatana, or Bhikshitamurti is Shiva who has taken the form of a mendicant or a beggar. He is described as being naked, with a begging bowl in his hands, and carries his trishul, and his damru. His hair is matted and unkempt but embellished with the crescent moon and Ganga. His forehead displays his third eye. He wears the sacred thread around his chest. Snakes adorn his body. He wears ornaments - necklaces, elbow bands, wrist bracelets, and rings.

He is not alone; his attendants from the cremation grounds and his followers, men, and women who are attracted to the god accompany him. As Pahupati, Lord of beasts, animals instinctively seek shelter under him.

But why did Shiva become a wandering mendicant?

Shiva removed the fifth head of Brahma, using his fingernail. Brahma collapsed but revived himself because of his accumulated good deeds. Shiva was thus guilty of the crime of Brahamanicide; the skull of Brahma stuck to his hand. To get rid of this, and in the act of contrition for his crime of brahmacharya, Shiva in the form of Bhikshatamurti, wandered all in the land, naked, with snakes wrapped around his middle, accompanied by a dog, and a dwarf. He carried a begging bowl made out of the skull of Brahma. The sin of Brahmacharya took a physical form and accompanied him, shrieking and screaming.

He traveled the three worlds (heaven, earth, and netherworld) begging from door to door. Despite his appearance as a naked beggar, women who gave him alms found him attractive; many of them left their houses to follow him singing and dancing. Eventually, he reached the house of Vishnu. Vishaksena was the doorkeeper of Vaikuntha, where Vishnu lived with Lakshmi. Not recognizing Shiva in the beggar's garb, he refused to let Shiva into the house. Angered Bhikshatana slew him with his trident. He carried the corpse on the trident. Shiva thus committed another sin. Carrying the corpse on the trident Shiva became known as Kankala murti or 'One with the Skeleton.' He entered Vishnu's house and begged for food. Having eaten, he was advised by Vishnu to go to the holy city of Kashi where sins are forgiven. Indeed in Kashi, this is what happened. The skull fell off and the place where this happened is called kapala mochana or liberation from the skull. Vishaksena's body fell off the trident of Shiva and was resurrected. The sin that was called Brahmahatya, that howling banishee, vanished into hell. Shiva had a bath in the sacred pond at Kashi and regained his original form as Shiva.

But why did Shiva remove the head of Brahma in the first place? There are three views on this.

During a meeting of Rishis, Brahma took the position that he was the supreme god and creator of the universe. This stance was not acceptable to Shiva; he appeared as a pillar of light and opposed Brahma's statement. The council acknowledged Shiva as Mahadeva or the supreme god, but Brahma refused to accept this. His arrogance, blatant refusal, and defiance so angered Shiva that he emerged as Bhairava from the pillar of light; with his fingernail, he decapitated the fifth head of Brahma. This led to the death of Brahma, but he was revived on the strength of the spiritual merits he had acquired over time. Brahma acknowledged Shiva as Mahadeva.

A second reason given for the punishment meted out to Brahma by Shiva was the act of incest committed by the former against his daughter whom he eventually married. His daughter was Saraswati and she was his creation. After creating her Brahma, could not stop looking at her. He was so overcome by lust that he could no longer control his desires. As punishment for this dastardly act, Shiva removed the fifth head of Brahma.

In a third version, Shiva visited Brahma as his guest along with others to attend a meeting. But Brahma deeply offended Shiva with his behavior. His four heads spoke highly of Shiva and lavished and lavished praise on him. The fifth head belittled Shiva. The latter was angry and took the form of Bhairava and removed the fifth head.

The story of Bhikteshwar is an interesting and charming piece of Indian religious mythology. But it raises a question that needs an answer.