The Tale of Vaishno Devi and Bhairav Nath

Once, there was a devoted follower named Shridhar who worshipped Ma Vaishno Devi with all his heart. One day, Ma took the form of a young girl and visited him. She requested that he arrange a grand feast for her devotees. Shridhar, honored by the divine request, began preparations for the feast and went out to invite people. Among those he invited was Bhairav Nath, a powerful sage known for his intense but often turbulent spiritual practices.

When the day of the feast arrived, hundreds of devotees gathered at Shridhar’s home. Bhairav Nath, intrigued by the divine aura of the little girl, was captivated and became suspicious of her true identity. Driven by curiosity and desire to test her powers, he began following her wherever she went. Though Ma Vaishno Devi tried to evade him, Bhairav Nath pursued her relentlessly, determined to uncover her mystery.

Eventually, the goddess sought refuge in a cave. Bhairav Nath, still chasing her, demanded that she reveal her true form. Seeing his persistence, Ma Vaishno Devi created a stream of water from a stone to quench his thirst and hoped this act of compassion would turn him away. But Bhairav Nath’s obsession had turned to aggression, and he refused to leave her alone.

In the end, Ma Vaishno Devi revealed her divine form and warned Bhairav Nath to abandon his pursuit, but he ignored her words. As a final act of defense, the goddess beheaded Bhairav Nath. At the moment of his death, he realized his mistake and begged for forgiveness. Showing her boundless compassion, Ma Vaishno Devi forgave him and granted him a blessing: all her devotees would visit his temple after worshipping her.

To this day, pilgrims to Vaishno Devi’s shrine visit the place where Bhairav Nath’s temple stands, honoring both the goddess’s power and her mercy.

**Moral of the Story:** True devotion is marked by respect and humility, not by pursuit and possession. Ma Vaishno Devi’s tale teaches us that the divine seeks devotion from a pure heart, and forgiveness is a blessing that can heal even the deepest of mistakes.