The Sanskrit terms Aṣṭabhairava and Aṣṭabhairavā can be transliterated into English as Astabhairava or Ashtabhairava, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Aṣṭabhairava (अष्टभैरव) [=Bhairavāṣṭaka?] refers to the “group of eight Bhairavas”, according to the Brahmayāmala verse 63.54cd-55ab.—Accordingly, “O fair-faced lady, in the middle is Ananta who resides in his own field having placed the group of eight Bhairavas [i.e., bhairavāṣṭaka] (in their proper place) beginning with Asitāṅga in due order starting from the south-east quarter”.

context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

Aṣṭabhairava (अष्टभैरव) refers to the “eight Bhairavas” (originating from the blood of Andhaka when Śiva strikes him correspond with a set of eight Bhairavas), according to the Vāmanapurāṇa 44.23-38ff.—

1. Vidyārāja (east),
2. Kālarāja (south),
3. Kāmarāja (west),
4. Somarāja (north),
5. Svacchandarāja,
6. Lalitarāja,
7. Vighnarāja,
8. Bhairava.

In the Vārāṇasīmāhātmya 1.53-54 seven similar Bhairavas are mentioned:

1. Kālarāja (in Avimukta),
2. Kāmarāja,
3. Saumya,
4. Svacchanda (in Jayantika),
5. Lalita,
6. Vighnarāja (in Kālañjara), and
7. Bhairava (in Bhṛgutuṅga).

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Aṣṭabhairava (अष्टभैरव) refers to a group of deities, according to the Guru Mandala Worship (maṇḍalārcana) ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Aṣṭabhairavā (अष्टभैरवा).—(śivagaṇāḥ) असिताङ्ग, संहार, रुरु, काल, क्रोध, ताम्रचूड, चन्द्रचूड (asitāṅga, saṃhāra, ruru, kāla, krodha, tāmracūḍa, candracūḍa) and महाभैरव (mahābhairava), (itarekapāla, rudra, bhīṣaṇa unmatta, kupita ityādayaḥ).

Derivable forms: aṣṭabhairavāḥ (अष्टभैरवाः).

Aṣṭabhairavā is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms aṣṭan and bhairavā (भैरवा).

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Aṣṭabhairava (ಅಷ್ಟಭೈರವ):—[noun] (pl.) the eight terrible forms of Śiva.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Ashta, Bhairava.

Full-text: Bhairavashtaka, Balipuja.

Relevant text

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