Twinn Swan

Today, on the most auspicious night of Mahashivratri, I am honoured to announce the release of my book, The Birth of Bhairava.
There could be no more fitting moment for this story to enter the world.

Mahashivratri marks the great night of Shiva, that threshold between destruction and regeneration, between darkness and illumination. It is the night when devotees across the world remain awake, keeping vigil through the darkest hours, chanting prayers and meditating on the fierce grace of the divine. It is a night that pulses with spiritual energy, a night when the veil between worlds grows thin.

The Birth of Bhairava emerges from this same wellspring of ancient power. The story delves into the mysteries of Bhairava, the terrifying and transcendent form of Shiva who embodies both annihilation and protection, rage and compassion. Bhairava is the fierce guardian who destroys ego and illusion, who protects devotees even as he dances on the edge of cosmic dissolution. His birth is not merely a mythological event. It is a timeless archetype of transformation that speaks to every seeker who has ever confronted their own darkness in search of light.

In writing this book, I sought to honour the depth and complexity of these sacred narratives while making them accessible to contemporary readers. The stories of Bhairava are not relics of a distant past, but living teachings that resonate with our modern struggles for meaning, purpose, and transcendence. They remind us that spiritual awakening often comes not through gentle contemplation alone but through confrontation with the wild, untamed aspects of consciousness itself.

The timing of this release feels less like choice and more like destiny. Just as Mahashivratri invites us to remain awake through the night, to witness the movements of consciousness in the silence between breaths, The Birth of Bhairava invites readers into a space where myth becomes immediate, where ancient wisdom speaks directly to the challenges we face today.

For those who will spend tonight in prayer and meditation, for those who will pour water over the Shiva lingam in the four watches of the night, I offer this book as a companion to your practice. May it deepen your understanding of the fierce Divine Masculine, may it illuminate the path through darkness, and may it remind you that within each of us lives the potential for both destruction and creation, for both terror and grace.

As the Shiva temples fill with devotees and the chants of “Om Namah Shivaya” echo through the darkness, The Birth of Bhairava takes its first breath in the world. May it serve the great tradition from which it springs. May it honour the timeless dance of consciousness that Mahashivratri celebrates.

The Birth of Bhairava is now available wherever books are sold. On this most sacred of nights, may we all glimpse the fierce beauty of transformation.

Har Har Parvati Mahadevya.