Mahāmpu Palyat and the Bhairawa cult in Java

It is told that Lord Guru became manifest in the form of Mahāmpu Palyat, a bhujangga of the Śaiwa denomination who practised austerities in a cemetery on Mt Hyang, following the rites of the Bhairawa order. Upon learning that there was an unusual ascetic residing in the realm of Brahmāloka, the reigning king at Galuh, named Mahārāja Bhatati, desired to meet him, and to that end summoned the entire community of wiku to participate in a royal ceremony. When, however, the king caught sight of Mahāmpu Palyat, whose attributes included a drinking cup in the form of a skull, as well as a bowl (kaṇṭora) containing human flesh, he was outraged and immediately ordered for the renegade wiku to be put to death. The two officials appointed to the task, Mpu Kalotan and Mpu Waju-kuning, went straight to Mahāmpu Palyat's hermitage on the following morning and carried out the king's orders, binding the ascetic with rattan and throwing him into the sea, before reporting back to the palace. When they returned the next day, however, they were surprised to discover the wiku sitting calmly in his hermitage as usual, as if nothing had happened. Twice more they attempted to kill the holy man, weighting him down with stones in the ocean and even burning him to ashes, but to no avail. Realizing that Mahāmpu Palyat was none other than the Supreme Lord Parameśwara himself, the two emissaries bowed low at the sage's feet and requested to become his disciples. After receiving ordination as Mpu Janaḍipa and Mpu Narajñāna, they returned to the capital, where they were installed respectively as teacher and court priest to Mahārāja Bhatati.

Leaving aside the more fantastic elements, it is noteworthy that both the historical and geographical setting of the above account are in accordance with the inscriptional record. As far as I am aware, the earliest dated reference to the worship of Bhairawa in eastern Java is to be found in the charter of Hantang, issued by the Kaḍiri king Mapañji Jayabhaya in the year 1135.