Meaning and elaboration
Meaning: Salutations To The one who creates the eight forms of wealth (Vasus) and gold.
Elaboration
The name Vasvaṣṭasvarṇakṛte (वस्त्वाष्टस्वर्णकृते) is a profound and multi-layered epithet of Kalabhairava, composed of several Sanskrit terms: Va (wealth/Vasus), Aṣṭa (eight), Svarṇa (gold), and Kṛte (the one who creates/bestows).
The Eight Vasus (Aṣṭa Vasus) In Vedic and Puranic traditions, the Vasus are a group of eight attendant deities, representing cosmic natural phenomena and considered gods of material abundance and welfare. They are usually identified as: 1. Dhāra (Earth) 2. Dhruva (Pole star/Constancy) 3. Soma (Moon/Water) 4. Āpa (Water/Cosmic waters) 5. Anala (Fire) 6. Anila (Wind) 7. Pratyūṣa (Dawn/Light) 8. Prabhāsa (Dazzling light/Splendor)
These eight Vasus symbolize the fundamental elements and energies that constitute and sustain the material world and its prosperity. When Kalabhairava is described as "creating" or "bestowing" the eight Vasus, it means he is the ultimate source and controller of all forms of material wealth, natural resources, stability, and illumination in the universe. He is the master of the very components that create an environment of abundance.
Svarṇa (Gold) Svarṇa, or gold, is universally recognized as the epitome of wealth, purity, and preciousness. In Hindu thought, gold is often associated with durability, divinity, and sacredness. It represents not just material riches but also spiritual brilliance and untainted prosperity. By being the "creator of gold," Kalabhairava is depicted as the ultimate bestower of all precious metals and, by extension, all forms of valuable and pure wealth. This signifies his dominion over economic sustainability and the purity of resources.
The Creator and Bestower (Kṛte) The suffix Kṛte (from kṛ, "to do," "to make," "to create") signifies that Kalabhairava is the active agent in manifesting these forms of wealth. He is not merely a possessor but the very source and orchestrator of material well-being. This implies his power to grant prosperity, remove poverty, and ensure the material sustenance of his devotees and the cosmos at large.
Symbolic Meaning This name highlights Kalabhairava's role as a benevolent provider despite his fierce appearance. He controls not only destruction and time but also creation and sustenance, especially concerning material wealth and fundamental cosmic elements. He ensures that those who worship him with devotion are free from want and are blessed with all forms of material and spiritual prosperity, governed by the sacred order.
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