Virabhadra:

Virabhadra: the demon created by Lord Shiva to destroy the sacrifice of Maharaja Daksa.

(See also: Virabhadra , Hinduism, Hinduism Dictionary, Sanskrit Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul)

Virabhadra (Sanskrit) Heroically beneficent or benevolent; an avatara of Siva, the patron of occult study and achievement. Ancient Indian myth represents him as a monster to human vision, being a thousand-headed and thousand-armed entity born of the breath of Siva-Rudra -- Siva under his form of Rudra, and therefore the great destroyer because regenerator. In the Mahabharata, Siva commissions this entity "to destroy the sacrifice prepared by Daksha. Then Virabhadra, 'abiding in the region of the ghosts (ethereal men). . . . created from the pores of the skin (Romakupas), powerful Raumas, (or Raumyas): (SD 2:182-3). This allegory refers in human history to the evolution of the "sweat-born" or second root-race and the destruction of the remnants of the first root-race.

Cosmically Siva-Rudra is the active force of mahat (cosmic mind), both regenerative and destructive; and following the same line of thought Virabhadra in his human application has reference to the incessant effort of the manasaputras to break forth through the veils of maya to bring mind to the mentally somnolent or imperfectly awakened earliest human races. Hence, the reference to Virabhadra as thousand-headed, -eyed, or -armed may likewise be applied to mind -- for mind is not only all seeing but all performing and all wise.

(See also: Virabhadra , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Virabhadra (Sanskrit). A thousand-headed and thousand-armed monster, "born of the breath" of Siva Rudra, a symbol having reference to the "sweat-born ", the second race of mankind

(Secret Doctrine, II., p. 182).

(See also: Virabhadra , Theosophy, Spirituality, Body mind and Soul, Spiritual Dictionary,)

Daksha Daksa (Sanskrit) (from daksh to be able, strong)

Adroit, able, intelligent, clever; used as a proper noun, intelligent power or ability. One of the chief prajapatis, cosmic creative intelligences, spiritual entities; the synthesis or aggregate of the terrestrial progenitors, including the pitris.

Daksha signifies the intelligent or competent, but usually carries with it the idea of creative or evolving power. "He is a son of Brahma, and of Aditi, and agreeably to other versions, a self-born power, which, like Minerva, sprang from his father's body. . . . the Rig-Veda says that 'Daksha sprang from Aditi and Aditi from Daksha,' a reference to the eternal cyclic re-birth of the same divine Essence" (SD 2:247).

As the progenitor of real physical man, Daksha was son of the Prachetasas and Marisha, the first of the "egg-born." He "establishes the era of men engendered by sexual intercourse. But this mode of procreation did not occur suddenly, as one may think, and required long ages before it became the one 'natural' way. Therefore, his sacrifice to the gods is shown as interfered with by Siva, the destroying deity, evolution and progress personified, . . . Virabhadra, 'abiding in the region of the ghosts (etherial men) . . . . created from the pores of the skin (Romakupas), powerful Raumas, (or Raumyas).' Now, however mythical the allegory, the Mahabharata, which is history as much as is the Iliad, shows the Raumyas (hairy ones)

and other races, as springing in the same manner from the Romakupas, hair or skin pores. . . .

"In the Vayu Purana's account of Daksha's sacrifice, moreover, it is said to have taken place in the presence of creatures born from the egg, from the vapour, vegetation, pores of the skin, and, finally only, from the womb.

"Daksha typifies the early Third Race, holy and pure, still devoid of an individual Ego, and having merely the passive capacities. Brahma, therefore, commands him to create (in the exoteric texts; when, obeying the command, he made 'inferior and superior' (avara and vara) progeny (putra), Bipeds and quadrupeds; and by his will gave birth to females. . . . to the gods, the Daityas (giants of the Fourth Race), the snake-gods, animals, cattle and the Danavas (Titans and demon Magicians) and other beings.

". . . 'From that period forward, living creatures were engendered by sexual intercourse. Before the time of Daksha, they were variously propagated -- by the will, by sight, by touch, and by Yoga-power'" (quotes from the Vishnu-Purana)

(SD 2:182-3).

(See also: Daksha, Daksa , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Raumas or Raumyas (Sanskrit) [from roma hair]

Hairy; a race or tribe of the early third root-race said to have been created from the pores of Virabhadra, a distinguished hero and one of the avataras of Siva, commonly stated to have had a thousand heads and a thousand arms and who destroyed Daksha's sacrifice. An allusion to the sweat-born races, they were called Raumas because their origin was from the romakupas (hair- or skin-pores).

(See also: Raumas, Raumyas , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

Ishta Devata: (Sanskrit) "Cherished or chosen Deity." The Deity that is the object of one's special pious attention. Ishta Devata is a concept common to all Hindu sects.

Vaishnavas may choose among many Divine forms, most commonly Vishnu, Balaji, Krishna, Radha, Rama, Lakshmi, Hanuman and Narasinha, as well as the aniconic shalagrama, a sacred river rock.

Traditionally, Smartas choose from among six Deities: Siva, Shakti, Vishnu, Surya, Ganesha and Kumara (or any of their traditional forms).

For Shaktas, the Divine is worshiped as the Goddess, Shakti, in Her many fierce forms and benign forms, invoking the furious power of Kali or Durga, or the comforting grace of Parvati,

Ambika and others. Saivites direct their worship primarily to Siva as represented by the aniconic Siva Linga, and the human-like murtis, Nataraja and Ardhanarishvara. In temples and scriptural lore, Siva is venerated in a multitude of forms, including the following 23 additional anthropomorphic images: Somaskanda, Rishabarudra, Kalyanasundara, Chandrashekhara, Bhikshatana, Kamadahanamurti, Kalari, Jalandara, Tripurari, Gajari, Virabhadra, Dakshinamurti, Kiratamurti, Nilakantha, Kankala, Chakradana, Gajamukhanugraha, Chandesanugraha, Ekapada, Lingodbhava, Sukhasana, Uma Maheshvara and Haryardha.

See: murti, Shakti, Siva.

(See also: Ishta Devata , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)