Kankalamurti

shloka:

Smeared in red (raktApam), blossomed face, crowned with the moon, carrying the staff with a collection of bones to the left, Three-eyed, lotus hands like Vedas (four), having skeletons, vina, striking with the right hand the Damarukam (drum) in the left hand, holding ax and deer, to that Kankala deva salutations.

Kankala : God with skeleton

Lord Shiva is said to be associated with destruction, dancing in cemeteries, wearing skulls and bones, etc. Why? While everybody irrespective of human, animal, plant, devas, asuras and all creatures at the time of praLaya get reduced (die) to be created again in the next prapanchOtpatti, God is the only one, Who is ever present. Indicating this Eternal being of God is the skulls, skeleton ornaments and the concept that It dances in the cemeteries.

Kankala is the mUrti after reducing all the creations into Him. He will be having a staff with bones collected in it, which is an indication of destruction. He alone will exist and will be enjoying the Self.

Kankalamurti is one of the three most popular aspects of Bhairava; the others being Brahmashiraschedaka-murti and Bhikshatana-murti. Shiva – as the terrifying Bhairava – cuts the fifth head of the creator-god Brahma (an act iconographically depicted as Brahmashiraschedaka-murti) and that head/skull stuck as kapala (skull-cup) to Bhairava's left palm due to the sin of beheading Brahma. To expiate the sin, Bhairava had to undertake the vow of a Kapali: wandering the world as a naked mendicant with the skull of the slain as his begging bowl. This gentle beggar form is Bhikshatana-murti.

The Kurma Purana narrates that Bhairava, after the encounter with the sages of the Deodar Forest, continued to wander, visiting various countries of gods and demons before he finally reached the abode of the god Vishnu. Vishnu's gatekeeper Vishvaksena did not allow him to enter. Angered, Bhairava slew Vishvaksena, impaled the corpse on his Trishula (trident), and carried it over his shoulder, which added to his sin. Bhikshatana-murti transformed into Kankala-murti, the one with a skeleton. Bhairava, now as Kankala-murti, entered Vishnu's abode and begged for food. Vishnu offered his own blood as food in one version. In another version, Vishnu cut an artery on Bhairava's forehead; a stream of blood spurts into his begging bowl as his food. Vishnu then directed Bhairava to visit the sacred city of Varanasi, where his sin would be expiated. The encounter with Vishnu's gatekeeper is also retold with some variation in the Vamana Purana and the Matsya Purana. Kankala-murti wandered with his begging bowl in his hand and the corpse or skeleton on his shoulder.

All Puranas agree that upon reaching Varanasi, Brahma's skull falls off Bhairava's palm and Vishvaksena's corpse disappears. Vishvaksena is resurrected and the sanctified Bhairava-Shiva casts off the appearance of Kankala-murti and returns to his abode.

Another legend about Kankalamurti is that Shiva assumed the form when he slew Vamana, an avatar of Vishnu. Vishnu assumed the form of Vamana, a huge form that encompassed the huge universe to teach a lesson to the demon Mahabali. After Mahabali was humbled, the Vamana form became a nuisance to the world and the gods. At their request, Shiva destroyed Vamana and used his backbone as a weapon. Thus, Shiva held the kankala (bones) of Vamana and became known as Kankalamurti. Another interpretation is that Kankalamurti is Shiva as the dissolver of the universe and the bones symbolize destruction.