The Sanskrit word ‘वनशिरा’ (Vanashira) where ‘vana’ stands for forest and ‘shira’ means the top or peak. The God or Yaksha who is the strongest, most powerful, most knowledgeable and the highest, is called Vanashira. He resides on the top of the forest in himalayan mountains. In deshaj language of interiors of himalayas vanashira is also called as ‘Banashira’ (बणशिरा) or ‘Banasheera’ (बणशीरा). Vanashira Devta is also known as the Param Yoddhā, the greatest warrior that existed on this planet. He is the one of the great Param Kshetrapalas. In some parts of the land of Himachal Pradesh, he is also known as the Rātro Pahari or the Rātri Prahari. Ratri Prahari means the one who protects during the night also, whether it is day or night, whether you are in your own country or the foreign land, whether in the sky or in the water, on the desert or on the land, Vanashira Devata protects his sadhaks and the devotees everywhere.

We often find ourselves surrounded by lust, negativity, and fear. Life can seem overwhelming, filled with difficult times and endless problems. Fear lurks in every corner, making it hard to find peace.

In such moments of darkness, when all seems lost, a ray of hope appears. Someone steps forward—not just as a protector, but also as an inspiration, guiding us to protect ourselves and others.

This kind of presence, this profound awareness, is known as Ratri Prehri—the night guardian.

There is another revered name for Banshira Devta: Kāla Devta. Here, Kala does not simply mean time; it also represents darkness—the absence of light, the absence of hope.

Yet even in that deepest darkness, when all hope seems gone, one final ray of light remains—and that light is Banshira Devta.

Origin

When Bhagwan Swachhanda Bhairav Shiv was imparting divine knowledge to Bhagwati Kurukulla on the Great holy Mount Kailash, she posed a profound question. She asked: “Bhagwan, you have created so many divine and immensely powerful weapons, yet you also teach the virtues of non-violence, compassion, and love. What, then, is the purpose behind the creation of such apocalyptic weapons?”

Bhagwan Swachhanda

Bhairav Shiv explained that when the universe was first created, all fundamental tatvas (elements or principles) came into existence — including the Tamas tatva, the principle of darkness and inertia. Just as there are highly evolved, compassionate, and enlightened beings, there are also dark and negative entities driven by Tamas and Adharma (unrighteousness).

This created a constant state of conflict between the Satvik and the Tamsik forces. Tamsik beings constantly overpowered the Satvik entities. This could lead to disruption of the balance of universe. So to save the Satvik forces and maintain the balance of the universe Amogh Astra Shastra Vidya was provided to all the devi devtas, rishi muni and Mahasiddhas.

These divine weapons are not freely accessible; they are kept under the protection of a powerful deity — the one who embodies both the Gana (attendant) and Bhairav (fierce) aspects of Shiv. Hence, he is called Gana Bhairav of Shiv, known also as Vanashira Devta.

Moved by this revelation, Bhagwati Kurukulla requested to see the Astra Shastras (weapons) and learn about their powers. Then by the order of Bhagwan Swachhanda Bhairav Shiv, Vanashira Devta manifested there, who proceeded to display and explain each Astra Shastras (weapon) in detail to the Goddess. Bhagwati was deeply pleased by the profound knowledge and wisdom of Vanashira Devta. Then Bhagwan Swachhanda Bhairav Shiv appointed Vanashira Devta as her protector deity.

According to the story of Deshaj Parampara, on one occasion, when Bhagwati Kurukulla manifested in the form of Kāli, she asked Vanashira Devta for the Parashu (A kind of battle axe). Observing that the Goddess was in her Unmukta state — an uninhibited and liberated form — Vanashira Devta realized that in such a state, she already had enough power to annihilate the universe. Granting her any Astra Shastra in that moment could potentially lead to Pralay — the ultimate dissolution of creation. Therefore, Vanashira Devta refused to give her the weapon.

Angered by this denial, Bhagwati attempted to forcibly take the weapon from him, but Vanashira Devta held it tightly and did not relent. Enraged further, Bhagwati cursed him: that he would be born as a human on Earth. Vanashira Devta did not give her the axe and said,

“Mata, this is your Leela (divine play), and I know that there must be some hidden blessing for me in this. I accept it wholeheartedly.”

Saying this, he accepted the curse and took birth as a human on planet earth.

Vanashira Devta was born in northern Himalayas in Dwapar Yuga. His Mother and father both were Yakshas. His father’s name was Panchvahan and mother’s name was Madhuparva. They had four sons – Arun who later became Mahasiddha Arun Nath, Shankushir who later became the general (commander) of daitya sena, Vajramatta who later became the king of Yakshas and the oldest among the four is Vanashira. As Vanashira Devta grew older he had eight Gurus –

He is the one who received this art of warfare along with the most secretive techniques from none other than the devata of all the other devatas, Bhagawan Shiva himself. The sadhana of Bansheera Devata is unparalleled and infallible. The one who does regular sadhana of Bansheera Devata carry the weapons regularly as the rule of sadhana.

Vanashira Devta was born in northern Himalays (current Nepal/Uttarakhand). his Mother and father both were Yakshas. They had four sons, the oldest among the four is Vanashira. As Vanashira Devta grew older he had eight Gurus – Bhagwan Kartikeya, Bhagwan Nandi ( the mount of Bhagwan Shiva ), Maharishi Lomesh were among these eight Gurus.

He is the one who received this art of warfare along with the most secretive techniques from none other than the devata of all the other devatas, Bhagawan Shiva himself. The sadhana of Bansheera Devata is unparalleled and infallible.

Due to his bravery and endless powers, Bhagawan Shiva presented Bansheera Devata with the strong weapons made up of iron.

That is why Bansheera Devata is seen always embellished with many weapons along with swords and axes. The one who does regular sadhana of Bansheera Devata carry the weapons regularly as the rule of sadhana.

Iconography

This great warrior looks strong with a crown on his head. But he has extremely angry expressions on his face. He has bloodshot eyes. He is mounted on a horse and he is holding a big iron axe in one hand and the shield in another hand. He has the dhwaj (flag) behind him.

He is holding eight weapons –

1. Shangal – Shangal is made of iron rods, like a chain. But to hold it from behind, a round or a square handle is made. It is quite long, but there are tips on it, which are carved and sharpened.

2. Khadag – it is like a Dharati ( A small curved sword ).

3. Sword – a bladed weapon designed primarily for cutting, thrusting, or slashing, consisting of a long metal blade attached to a handle or hilt.

4. Gaj – is a metallic rod pointed on one side and blut on other.

5. Gadaa – is a traditional blunt mace weapon, typically consisting of a heavy spherical or cylindrical head mounted on a long shaft or handle, used for crushing, striking, and smashing in warfare.

6. Paash – a divine rope made up of metal.

7. Bhālā – is a spear or lance — a traditional pole weapon used in ancient Indian warfare. It typically has a long wooden shaft with sharp pointed metal head, designed for thrusting, throwing, or piercing.

8. Parashu – is a traditional, unglazed clay cup.

There are many other forms of Vanashira devta.

Mool Vanashira – In this form he is seen holding a shield and parashu in one hand and a trishul in another hand. He is standing on a snow leopard skin wearing a tripund on forehead and rudraksh malas in neck. He is wearing crown and Bhujabandha made of gold. He is wearing black dress standing in the middle of dense himalayan forests giving blesssings to his devotees.

Dev Vanashira – In this form he is sitting in meditation posture on the asana made of snow leopard skin in the dense himlayan forests.

Ugra Vanashira – In this form he is seen as a warrior fighting and killing the enemies, mlechhas, daityas, vidharmi and adharmi

Ratri prahari Vanashira – Ratri denotes the dark times, times filled with negativity, times of deep sorrow, times of disaster and when the person is alone travelling somewhere in night. Prahari means protector. Vanashira Devta is the one who protects the individual during such times.

The Hastamudra of the Banshira Devata holds deep meaning. One hand represents annihilation and the other of benevolence. Which means that the Banshira Neeti says that sometimes for the welfare of the people, annihilation is necessary.

Vanashira devta and Khari Devta

Vanashira Devta and Khari Devta (his Guru bhai) are the Gaurdians of Bhagwati Tara. Khari devta is also a Yaksha and he was also the master of yuddha vidya but his ways and views were different as compared to Vanashira Devta. When Bhagwati Tara was travelling around in himalayas along with Vanashira devta and Khari devta Himalayan, Mahasiddhas recognised Bhagwati and her gaurdian devtas. Thus there are many temples of Maa Tara along with Vanashira Devta and Khari Devta in the regions of Himalayas.

Vanashira and Yudda Kala

According to the Deshaj Katha (folk tradition) concerning the origin of Vanashira Vidya, there was a time when Bhagwati Tara was immersed in deep samadhi (meditative absorption) in one of the remote Himalayan mountains. During this period, Vanashira Devta and Khari Devta, finding themselves free, decided to engage in the practice of Yuddha Vidya (martial science) to maintain their strength, health, and combat readiness. They divided different regions of the mountain between themselves and agreed upon a challenge: each would secretly enter the other’s territory and kill as many daityas (demons) as possible. The one who succeeded in slaying more daityas in the opponent’s area would be declared the winner. Khari Devta went first. He stealthily entered Vanashira Devta’s designated area and managed to kill 10 daityas. He brought their bodies back and presented them to Vanashira Devta.

Now it was Vanashira Devta’s turn. He entered Khari Devta’s territory and killed 200 daityas, bringing their bodies back as evidence. Witnessing this astonishing feat, Khari Devta acknowledged Vanashira Devta’s superior skill and valor.

In the second round there was direct combat between the two. In this also Vanashira devata won the battle. Then in the third round there was a debate on the yuddya vidya tactics (daavpech). In this Khari devta won. Vanashira devta was excellent in Direct combat (muscle power) whereas Khari devta was master in yuddha tactics.

Mahasiddhas of Himlayas requested Vanashira Devta and Khari devta to teach them this knowledge so that they can preserve it for the future generations. So the wisdom and teachings of Vanashira devta, Khari devta along with the knowledge of many other things, most importantly the teachings of Bhagwan Swachhanda Bhairav Shiv was incorporated. Later on Mahasiddha Koshira restructured the knowledge so that it can be taught to other yogis.

The two Devtas were not only masters of Yuddha Vidya, but also engaged in Shastrartha (philosophical debate), discussions on Gyaan-Vigyaan (spiritual and scientific knowledge), and the deeper aspects of divine wisdom.

Recognizing the importance of preserving this knowledge, Vanashira Devta decided to document all their practices and insights.

According to the Ganai Bhartha (local sacred oral tradition), they undertook a meticulous process to create these records:

Bhoj Patra (birch bark) was brought from Indraneel Parvat,

Ink was made from the Baan tree, found in the Himalayas,

Honey and different himalayan berries (used to make natural colors) were used for special purposes in the writing process,

The Kalam (writing pen) was crafted from Gahari, a plant native to the Himalayan mountains,

Thus, the sacred Vanashira Vidya was born — a divine body of knowledge encompassing martial arts, philosophy, spiritual wisdom, and the lived experiences of these great Himalayan deities.

Mantra of Vnashira devta

The mantra of Vanashira Devta is very important for a sadhak. Reciting this mantra provides the blessings of bhagwan Vanashira and protection from the dark forces of nature.

The mantra is – Oṁ bham bhreṁ bhrūṁ saha vaṁśirāya bham huṁ phaṭ
In Sanskrit – ॐ भं भ्रें भ्रूं स: वनशिराय भं हुं फट्।

Vanashira Devta and Kaulantak peeth

Vanashira Devta is a very aggressive devta. He never spares his enemies. So for those families who considered him as their kula devta he is a protector diety. All other families who did not consider him as their kula devta they considered him as a soul of the dead or the demon etc beacuse of his wrathfull appearance. But all this is just a myth. Vanashira devta is a prominent and highly worshiped deity in Himalayan Siddha Tradition. In many himalayan regions Vanashira devta is worshiped in the form of Dev Rathas, Malimukh, Trishul etc.

In Kurukulla temple situated in jogini dhaar near kotla village of Himachal Pradesh Vanashira devta and Khari devta both are present as the protectors or Gaurdians of Bhagwati Kurukulla. Temple of Vanashira Devta is also present in Dharakhari village of Himachal Pradesh but the prime temple of Vanashira devta is present in Panihar village in Paldi Valley (Himachal Pradesh). It is not yet open for the general public. It is a small double story temple made of stones and wood in old style. Inside the temple there is the Malimukh and other mukhas of Vanashira devta, the Dev Kardi, Pindi, Shangals, Trishulas and many other sacred ritualistic things of Vanashira Devta are present.

Mahasiddhas of Vanashira Vidya 

These are the main MahaSiddhas who gave their important contributions in restructuring and preserving the sacred knowledge system of Vanashira Vidya. It is because of them that this knowledge system could be carried through guru Shishya Parampara till date. Therefore whenever a sadhak does the sadhana of Vanashira Devta he prays and worships the madala of these Mahāsiddhas.

Yantra of Vnashira devta

The Yantra Mandala is considered the living embodiment of a deity. In the same way, the Yantra Mandala of Banashira Devta is none other than Banashira Devta himself.

This sacred mandala consists of ten āvaraṇas (spiritual enclosures or layers), each representing a deeper level of spiritual reality. The outermost layer is known as the Kalā Mandala, where all the kalās (facets of cosmic energy), qualities (guṇas), and shaktis (powers) of this universe reside. It consists of 64 lotus petals, each housing one unique kalā and shakti.

Moving inward, the next layer is the Veer Mandala, followed by the Jnana Mandala, which contains the complete knowledge of the cosmos. Deeper still is the Bodh Mandala, the sphere of enlightened understanding.

At the center of this structure lies the Vanashira Trikona, an upward-facing triangle, similar to the Shiva Trikona, symbolizing ascent and divine awakening. Enclosed within this is the Shakti Mandala, followed by the Vanashira Loka Bhupura Mandala, representing the realm or world of Banashira.

Within this lies the Ashta Siddhi Chakra, an eight-petaled lotus symbolizing the eight supreme spiritual powers (Ashta Siddhis). Further inward is the Chatur Veda Mandala.

At the heart of the Yantra Mandala is the Vanashira Deva Bindu Mandala — the central point of the mandala. Here reside Kaulantak Nath and Banashira Devta in their most transcendent and unified form.

When a seeker reaches this final Bindu, they perceive Banashira Devta and Kaulantak Nath as one — a vision that reveals that all deities in the cosmos are ultimately manifestations of the Supreme Consciousness (Parabrahma).

A Sādhak (spiritual practitioner) must perform worship and meditation on Kaulantak Nath and the seven Mahāsiddhas associated with this sacred sādhana. Entry into the mandala is facilitated through the use of specific mudrās (symbolic hand gesture) each corresponding to a particular āvaraṇa (layer) of the mandala. A unique mudrā is required to enter each enclosure.

However, this mandala is keelit, meaning it is spiritually sealed or locked. To access it, the sādhak must receive dīkṣā (initiation) and utkeelan (the unlocking) from a qualified Guru.

Once initiated, the sādhak may engage in trāṭak (concentrated gazing), dhyāna (meditation), dhāraṇā (focused concentration), and the āvaraṇa pūjā—ritual worship of the various layers of the mandala.