Betal

Betal or Vetal (Konkani: वेताळ), (Marathi: वेताळ) a Bhairava form of Shiva is a popular god in Goa, Sindhudurg district & Kolhapur of Maharashtra and Karwar of Karnataka in India.

Betal is also known as Vetoba in the Konkan area of Maharashtra and Goa, and in the Sindhudurg district.

In Maharashtra, especially in the coastal Konkan region, Vetāla is more popular as the folk deity Vetobā.

Śivapurāṇa (III.21) and Kālikāpurāṇa (Chap.47 onwards) narrate interesting stories of association of Bhairava and Vetāla.

As per Śivapurāṇa, once Śiva and Pārvatī were enjoying amorous sports and had appointed Bhairava as the doorman to ensure privacy.

Instead of calmly accepting the unjust curse, they hurled a counter-curse; as they were actually innocent, and were diligently doing their assigned duty.

Accordingly Pārvatī was born to King Kakutstha and his wife Queen Manonmathinī as Princess Tārāvatī.

Once, when Queen Tārāvatī was bathing in a river, a certain Sage Kapota was enchanted by her beauty, and sought coitus with her.

As per the curse, a hideous looking, ill-dressed, penniless, and skull-bearing man would forcibly mate with her, resulting in the birth of two monkey-faced sons.

After she told her husband about the entire episode, he built a secluded tower for her to stay.

Later Sage Nārada informed the King about the birth of two princes, and explained their real nature.

However, they decided to have sons after a counsel with Sage Nārada, who explained to them the need to have a male offspring[6].

Bhairava was attracted to the divine nymph Urvaśī and produced a son named Suveśa.

According to tradition, Betal moves throughout the village at night and keeps vigil on the property of his devotees.

[1] In Poinguinim, Goa, when wishes are fulfilled the offering is made in the form of leather chappals.

Macchindranath, according to the 5th adhyaya of Navnath Bhaktisaar Granth, made war on the ghosts, Vetal's army was defeated by him over North India and beyond.