Batuk Bhairav Katha

Pauranik kathao ke anusar Bhagwan Shiv ke anek roopon me se ek atyant kripalu aur sheeghra prasann hone wala swaroop Batuk Bhairav ka hai. "Batuk" ka arth hota hai balak, arthaat bal roop me virajmaan Bhairav Bhagwan. Batuk Bhairav ko Bhagwan Shiv ka bal swaroop mana jata hai, jo apne bhakton ki raksha karte hain aur unke sabhi sankaton ka naash karte hain. Prachin samay me jab Prithvi par dusht shaktiyon aur rakshason ka atyachar badh gaya, tab devata atyant chintit ho gaye. Sabhi devata Bhagwan Shiv ki sharan me pahunche aur unse raksha ki prarthana ki. Devataon ki vinati sunkar Bhagwan Shiv ne ek divya balak ka roop dharan kiya. Yah balak tejasvi, parakrami aur adbhut shaktiyon se yukt tha. Yahi balak aage chalkar Batuk Bhairav ke naam se prasiddh hua. Ek baar ek atyant shaktishali daitya ne kathor tapasya karke vardaan prapt kar liya aur teenon lokon me utpaat machane laga. Uske atyacharon se devata, rishi-muni aur saamanya log sabhi dukhi ho gaye. Tab Bhagwan Shiv ne Batuk Bhairav ke roop me prakat hokar us daitya ka saamna kiya. Balak roop hone ke bawajood Batuk Bhairav ki shakti apar thi. Unhone apne divya parakram se daitya ka vadh kiya aur sansar ko uske aatank se mukt karaya. Ek anya katha ke anusar, Kashi nagari ki raksha ke liye swayam Bhagwan Shiv ne Bhairav ko apna kshetrapal niyukt kiya. Bhairav ke anek swaroopon me Batuk Bhairav ko vishesh sthan prapt hai. Mana jata hai ki ve Kashi aur apne bhakton ki sadaiv raksha karte hain. Jo vyakti shraddha aur vishwas ke saath Batuk Bhairav ki pooja karta hai, uske jeevan se bhay, shatru, rog, badhaayein aur nakaratmak shaktiyan door ho jaati hain. Dharmik manyata hai ki Batuk Bhairav apne bhakton ki chhoti se chhoti pukar bhi sunte hain. Ve vishesh roop se un logon par kripa karte hain jo satya, dharm aur nyaay ke maarg par chalte hain. Unki aaradhana se sahas, aatmavishwas, samriddhi aur suraksha ki prapti hoti hai. Aaj bhi Bharat ke anek mandiron me Batuk Bhairav ki pooja ki jaati hai. Vishesh roop se Kalashtami, Bhairav Ashtami aur Ravivaar ke din unki pooja ka vishesh mahatva mana jata hai. Bhakt shraddhapoorvak unka smaran karke apne jeevan ki kathinaaiyon se mukti aur sukh-samriddhi ki kaamna karte hain.