कालभैरवाष्टकम् — Kalabhairava Ashtakam

Composed by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya

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Introduction & Significance

In Varanasi, Lord Kalabhairava holds the sovereign office of Kotwal-e-Kashi (The Divine Police Chief and Magistrate of Kashi). Tradition holds that while Lord Vishwanath grants liberation (Moksha), Kalabhairava dispenses justice, purifying pilgrims of their latent karmic impressions (Bhairavi Yatana) so they become eligible for supreme release. Adi Shankaracharya composed this eight-stanza hymn while residing at Kashi, capturing both the awe-inspiring majesty and infinite grace of the Lord of Time.

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Verse 1

देवराजसेव्यमानपावनाङ्घ्रिपङ्कजं
व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम् ।
नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगम्बरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration:
Devarāja-sevyamāna-pāvanāṅghri-paṅkajaṁ
Vyāla-yajña-sūtram-indu-śekharaṁ kṛpākaram |
Nāradādi-yogi-vṛnda-vanditaṁ digambaraṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kāla-bhairavaṁ bhaje || 1 ||

Meaning:
I bow to Lord Kalabhairava, the sovereign Lord of Kashi, whose sacred lotus feet are served by Indra and all celestials; who wears a serpent as his sacred thread; who bears the crescent moon upon his crest; who is the storehouse of compassion; who is worshiped by sage Narada and great yogis; and whose garment is the infinite sky (Digambara).

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Verse 2

भानुकोटिभास्वरं भवाब्धितारकं परं
नीलकण्ठमीप्सितार्थदायकं त्रिलोचनम् ।
कालकालमम्बुजाक्षमक्षशूलमक्षरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration:
Bhānu-koṭi-bhāsvaraṁ bhavābdhi-tārakaṁ paraṁ
Nīlakaṇṭham-īpsitārtha-dāyakaṁ trilocanam |
Kāla-kālam-ambujākṣam-akṣa-śūlam-akṣaraṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kāla-bhairavaṁ bhaje || 2 ||

Meaning:
I bow to Kalabhairava, the supreme Lord of Kashi, who is resplendent like ten million suns; who ferries devotees across the turbulent ocean of worldly existence; whose throat is blue from holding poison; who fulfills all righteous desires; who has three eyes; who is the death of Death himself (Kala-Kala); who wields the trident and lotus; and who is imperishable and eternal.

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Verse 3

शूलटङ्कपाशदण्डपाणिमादिकारणं
श्यामकायमादिदेवमक्षरं निरामयम् ।
भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्रताण्डवप्रियं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration:
Śūla-ṭaṅka-pāśa-daṇḍa-pāṇim-ādi-kāraṇaṁ
Śyāma-kāyam-ādi-devam-akṣaraṁ nirāmayam |
Bhīma-vikramaṁ prabhuṁ vicitra-tāṇḍava-priyaṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kāla-bhairavaṁ bhaje || 3 ||

Meaning:
I bow to Kalabhairava, the supreme Lord of Kashi, whose hands hold the trident (shula), chisel (tanka), noose (pasha), and magistrate’s staff (danda); who is the primordial cause of all creation; whose divine complexion is dark like rainclouds; who is the ancient primeval lord, free from all disease and decay; whose valor is mighty and terrible; and who delights in the cosmic tandava dance.

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Verse 4

भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तचारुविग्रहं
भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोकविग्रहम् ।
विनिक्वणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणीलसत्कटिं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration:
Bhukti-mukti-dāyakaṁ praśasta-cāru-vigrahaṁ
Bhakta-vatsalaṁ sthitaṁ samasta-loka-vigraham |
Vi-nikvaṇan-manojña-hema-kiṅkiṇī-lasat-kaṭiṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kāla-bhairavaṁ bhaje || 4 ||

Meaning:
I bow to Kalabhairava, ruler of Kashi, who bestows both material fulfillment (bhukti) and final liberation (mukti); whose auspicious form is graceful and charming; who holds deep tenderness toward his devotees; who encompasses the entire cosmos in his body; and whose waist is adorned with golden bells that produce a sweet and enchanting chime.

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Verse 5

धर्मसेतुपालकं त्वधर्ममार्गनाशनं
कर्मपाशमोचकं सुशर्मदायकं विभुम् ।
स्वर्णवर्णशेषपाशशोभिताङ्गनिर्मलं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration:
Dharma-setu-pālakaṁ tv-adharma-mārga-nāśanaṁ
Karma-pāśa-mocakaṁ suśarma-dāyakaṁ vibhum |
Svarṇa-varṇa-śeṣa-pāśa-śobhitāṅga-nirmalaṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kāla-bhairavaṁ bhaje || 5 ||

Meaning:
I bow to Kalabhairava, the protector of Kashi, who upholds the bridge of Dharma and destroys the paths of unrighteousness; who liberates souls from the binding cords of Karma; who confers peace and auspicious joy; who is omnipresent; and whose pure limbs are encircled by golden serpentine coils.

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Verse 6

रत्नपादुकाप्रभाभिरामपादयुग्मकं
नित्यमद्वितीयमिष्टदैवतं निरञ्जनम् ।
मृत्युदर्पनाशनं कराळदंष्ट्रमोक्षणं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration:
Ratna-pādukā-prabhābhirāma-pāda-yugmakaṁ
Nityam-advitīyam-iṣṭa-daivataṁ nirañjanam |
Mṛtyu-darpa-nāśanaṁ karāḷa-daṁṣṭra-mokṣaṇaṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kāla-bhairavaṁ bhaje || 6 ||

Meaning:
I bow to Kalabhairava, guardian of Kashi, whose two feet radiate brilliance from gem-studded sandals; who is eternal, peerless, taintless (niranjana), and the cherished deity; who destroys the arrogance of Death; and whose fearsome fangs devour ignorance and liberate the bound soul.

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Verse 7

अट्टहासभिन्नपद्मजाण्डकोशसन्ततिं
दृष्टिपातनष्टपापजालमुग्रशासनम् ।
अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपालमालिकाधरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration:
Aṭṭa-hāsa-bhinna-padmajāṇḍa-kośa-santatiṁ
Dṛṣṭi-pāta-naṣṭa-pāpa-jālam-ugra-śāsanam |
Aṣṭa-siddhi-dāyakaṁ kapāla-mālikā-dharaṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kāla-bhairavaṁ bhaje || 7 ||

Meaning:
I bow to Kalabhairava of Kashi, whose mighty roar of laughter reverberates across the cosmos; whose single glance dissolves entire webs of accumulated sins; whose rule is unyielding and supreme; who confers the eight supernatural powers (Ashta Siddhis); and who wears a garland of skulls representing the cycle of cosmic time.

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Verse 8

भूतसङ्घनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकं
काशिवासलोकपुण्यपापशोधकं विभुम् ।
नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration:
Bhūta-saṅgha-nāyakaṁ viśāla-kīrti-dāyakaṁ
Kāśi-vāsa-loka-puṇya-pāpa-śodhakaṁ vibhum |
Nīti-mārga-kovidaṁ purātanaṁ jagat-patiṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kāla-bhairavaṁ bhaje || 8 ||

Meaning:
I bow to Kalabhairava, Lord of Kashi, who is the commander of the elemental spirits (Bhutas); who grants vast and lasting renown; who judges and purifies the merits and demerits of all who dwell in Kashi; who is the master of ethical righteousness; who is primordial, timeless, and the supreme ruler of the cosmos.

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फलश्रुति — Phala Shruti (Fruits of Recitation)

कालभैरवाष्टकं पठन्ति ये मनो finishहरं
ज्ञानमुक्तिसाधनं विचित्रपुण्यवर्धनम् ।
शोकमोहदैन्यलोभकोपतापनाशनं
ते प्रयान्ति कालभैरवाङ्घ्रिसन्निधिं ध्रुवम् ॥

Meaning:
Whoever recites this captivating Kalabhairava Ashtakam — which is the direct instrument of wisdom and liberation, which increases extraordinary spiritual merit, and which uproots grief, delusion, poverty, greed, anger, and burning afflictions — will assuredly attain eternal residence near the holy feet of Lord Kalabhairava.