Goddess Bhramari- the Goddess of Bees

Bhramari is the name of a Hindu goddess. She is a manifestation of the Adi-Shakti. Bhramari translates as 'the Goddess of Bees' or 'the Goddess of Black Bees'. She is connected with bees, hornets, and wasps, which attach to her skin. She is often represented carrying a mace, trident, sword, and shield in her four hands.

Table of Contents

1. Appearance of Goddess Bhramari
2. Story behind the Bhramari Avatar
3. Worshipping of Goddess Bhramari
4. Importance of worshipping Goddess Bhramari

Appearance of Goddess Bhramari

Bhramari Devi has four hands, each grabbing a mace, trident, longsword, and shield. Countless black bees, hornets, and wasps stick to her body.

Story behind the Bhramari Avatar

She is the killer of a demon called Arunasur, which runs as follows:
Arunasur, a formidable demon, lived in the Demon City. He was an enraged God-hater and a hypocrite. In order to vanquish the Gods, he proceeded to the banks of the Ganges in the Himalayas and performed a severe penance to Brahma, believing him to be the defender of the demons. First motivated by Tamas Guna, he restrained the five Vayus from his body, eating only dry leaves and repeating the Gayatri Mantra while practising austerity. Thus he practised for ten thousand years.

The devil then lived for another ten thousand years, sipping only a few drops of water; then for another ten thousand years, inhaling only air; and finally, for another ten thousand years, he did not take anything and thus performed his amazing penance. As he practised his penance, a beautiful halo of light emanated from his body and proceeded to scorch the entire globe. The demon was exercising his austerities when he saw that the demon was deep in concentration with his eyes closed, and he appeared to be burning with fire, as if he were a second fire himself. His tummy had dried up, his torso had shrunk, and his nerves had almost become exposed; just the vital breath was lingering there. 

Later, Arunasur received a blessing from Lord Brahma that he would not be slain by any two or four-legged creatures. After receiving the blessing, Arunasur summoned the rest of the demons in the nether realms. The demons who were under his shelter gathered and hailed him as their ruler, and at his instruction, they dispatched messengers to the Heavens to attack the Gods. When the messenger informed Indra that the demons were eager to battle alongside the Gods, he shuddered in horror and immediately proceeded to Brahma's dwelling. Taking Brahma with them from there, they travelled to the Vaikunth, brought Vishnu with them, and all went to Kailash, where Lord Shiva lives. They all gathered there to discuss how to destroy the demon, the Gods' enemy. While Arunasur, the demon king, was besieged by his army, he flew to the Heavens before long. The devil then took numerous forms using the strength of his penances and seized the rights and properties of the Moon, Sun, Yamraj, Agni, and all the others. All the Gods, then, disturbed from their positions, proceeded to the area of Kailash and presented Lord Shiva with their own concerns and hazards, respectively. They turned to Parvati, a part-incarnate of the Supreme Goddess, for help in killing Arunasur in the Himalayas. Parvati stated she would because she was aware of Arunasur's boon that he would be murdered by six-legged creatures. Arunasur's next plan was to assault Parvati, and he had brought in his own vast, powerful army. She was aware of his boon, which stated that she would slay him in the form of a six-legged beast. Parvati then grew to be huge, with four hands wielding a mace, trident, longsword, and shield.

Then, as she closed her eyes, countless bees, hornets, wasps, flies, termites, mosquitos, and spiders descended from the skies like locusts, crawled onto her body, and then clung to her like glue and tape; some crawled from the bottom to the middle of her body, including the back and front, and some emanated from her. Soon, Arunasur and his soldiers noticed that Parvati had assumed the shape of Bhramari Devi. Arunasur's troops launched their weapons at her. She deflected their weapons with her shield, and other demons were kicked by it as well. She employed her weapons, stabbing and decapitation some with the longsword and trident, and kicking and powdering others with the mace.

Also, Bhramari Devi sent out all of the bees, hornets, wasps, flies, termites, mosquitoes, and spiders to destroy them. When she realised Arunasur was the only remaining demon on the battlefield, she unleashed a swarm of insects, including bees, hornets, wasps, flies, termites, mosquitoes, and spiders. They ripped open his breasts, chest, back, belly, arms, hands, fingers, legs, teet, and toes. Soon after observing Arunasur's huge fall, the bees, hornets, wasps, flies, termites, mosquitoes, and spiders returned to Bhramari Devi and clung to her again. The gods praised the Goddess Bhramari Devi.

Worshipping of Goddess Bhramari

The goddess is worshipped as Bhramaramba alongside Shiva in the Mallikarjuna Temple in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh, which is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples and one of the primary 18 Shakti peethas. Kateel reveres her as Bhramari Sri Durga Parameshwari.

Importance of worshipping Goddess Bhramari

Goddess Bhramari is mostly worshipped to protect us from the attacks of bees. She treats all kinds of major diseases, calms our minds with her spiritual touch, and transforms us into pure human beings.

All of our undesired and evil thoughts will be eliminated, and our minds will be focused just on devotional and constructive issues. As the divine mother, she always awaits our call, hears our requests, and emerges quickly. But all we need to do is worship her with genuine devotion in our minds. Whatever issues arise, we should not struggle with them. We should worship the holy mother patiently and throw our burdens on her. With time, our sufferings will gradually decrease with the grace of Goddess Bhramari.

We can worship her in her temples or by keeping her portrait at home. As part of the adoration, we might sing her mantra and other names.