Bhairava is Shiva's wrathful form, manifested when he severed Brahma's fifth head, condemned to wander bearing the skull until absolved at Varanasi.
The Shakti Pithas are each guarded by a form of Bhairava, the fierce aspect of Shiva, who stands as protector and consort-counterpart to the goddess enshrined at every site, ensuring no impurity violates the sacred ground where Sati's body fell.
Bhairava stands as the eternal Kotwal of Kashi, appointed by Shiva himself to guard the sacred city of Varanasi, where the skull of Brahma finally fell from his hand and the sin of brahmanicide was absolved.
Bhairava severed Brahma's arrogant fifth head with nothing more than the nail of his left thumb, punishing the creator god for claiming supremacy over Shiva and for lusting after his own daughter Sandhya.
After severing Brahma's fifth head, the skull fused to Bhairava's palm, and he wandered the three worlds as a skull-bearing penitent, begging for alms from the gods to expiate the sin of brahmanicide, until the skull finally dropped from his hand at Varanasi and his wandering ended.
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