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Everywhere Pan-India 94 South India 66 West India 30 East India 22 North India 15 The Himalaya 12 Northeast India 5 Southeast Asia 4 Central India 4

Legend · 5 tellings · contested

Brahma's fifth head and the skull that would not fall

Bhairava, born from Shiva's brow, cuts off Brahma's fifth head; the skull sticks to his hand and the sin of brahmin-killing follows him; he wanders as a beggar, kills Vishnu's gatekeeper, is fed blood from Vishnu's forehead, and is freed when the skull falls at Kashi.

Brahma, Shiva, Bhairava, Vishnu

North India Pan-India South India