The story of evil tantric Yogi Bhairavnath and Vaishno Devi
is very famous among Shakti devotees. Yogi Bhairavnath was a very powerful
tantric ascetic belonging to the Guru Gorakh Nath sampradaya. He had three hundred
and sixty disciples and he hated the worshippers of Vishnu and Devi.
Wherever he came across the followers of Vishnu or Devi, he
would make all efforts to put them into trouble. People used to tremble before
him out of fear of his powers. His dictate ran in the region under his
influence. He spread the cult of consuming liquor and meat as part of tantric
rituals.
When Goddess Devi, on the request of princess Chandrabhaga,
came to stay on the banks of Chandrabhaga River (Jhelum) people in thousands
started visiting her sacred abode. Her fame spread far and wide.
When Bhairavnath came to know about it he decided to put her
to test and find out about her powers. Along with his three hundred and sixty
disciples he reached the residence of Goddess at Mantripur in Vajirabad in
Jammu.
Vaishno Devi received them all and advised them to forsake
consumption of liquor and meat and instead take vegetarian food as per tenets
of Vaishnava religion.
But the intention of Bhairavnath was to test the powers of
Goddess and insult her. He impudently told Goddess that he had heard that she
fulfils every desire of ones who approach her, hence, true to her reputation,
she should fulfill his desire too.
When Devi asked him as to what his desire was, he started
looking at her with carnal passion in his sinful eyes. As soon as he tried to
catch her she vanished instantly and reached Jammu city. From there she
appeared at Kaulkandhauli.
Bhairavnath followed Goddess and at a place called Hansali
he tried to harass the devotee of Goddess. The poor devotee was rescued by
Goddess and she then moved to Balganga and from there she moved to Charan Paduka
and then to Adikumari. Bhairavnath followed her in all these places.
From Adikumari, Goddess entered a cave named Garbh Gufa and
from here she entered the cave on Trikuta Mountain. The way through Garbh Gufa
is very complicated. When Bhairavnath entered it following Devi he got totally
confused and took very long time to come out of it.
Goddess asked her monkey, Langur Veer, to guard the entrance
of the Cave of Trikuta Mountain.
Bhairavnath reached the opening of the cave and fought with
Langur Veer to gain entrance. Fed up with the nuisance of Bhairavnath, Goddess
Vaishnavi came out of the cave and severed the head of evil Bhairavnath with
her trident.
The severed head of Bhairavnath asked for the pardon of
Goddess and expressed repentance for evil behavior. Devi showed mercy on him
and told that her devotees will also worship in future.
The head of Bhairavnath which fell some two miles away from
the entrance of the cave turned into a stone. Now there is a Bhairava Temple
here. While returning from the visit to the Mata Vaishno Devi cave on the Trikuta
Mountain, the devotees visit the Bhairava temple and offer worship here.