Kalabhairava Ashtakam

देवराजसेव्यमानपावनाङ्घ्रिपङ्कजं

Devaraja Sevyamana Pavananghri Pankajam

devarājasevyamānapāvanāṅghripaṅkajaṃ

His holy lotus feet are served by Indra, king of the gods;

व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम् ।

Vyala Yagya Sutram Indu Shekharam Kripakaram

vyālayajñasūtraminduśekharaṃ kṛpākaram

he wears a serpent as his sacred thread and the moon as his crown, and is the source of compassion;

नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगम्बरं

Naradadi Yogi Vrinda Vanditam Digambaram

nāradādiyogivṛndavanditaṃ digambaraṃ

Narada and hosts of yogis praise him; he wears only the sky —

काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ १ ॥

Kashika Puradhinatha Kalabhairavam Bhaje

kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje

I worship Kala Bhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.

भानुकोटिभास्वरं भवाब्धितारकं परं

Bhanu Koti Bhasvaram Bhavabdhi Tarakam Param

bhānukoṭibhāsvaraṃ bhavābdhitārakaṃ paraṃ

Brilliant as ten million suns, the supreme one who carries us across the ocean of worldly life,

नीलकण्ठमीप्सितार्थदायकं त्रिलोचनम् ।

Nilakantham Ipsitartha Dayakam Trilochanam

nīlakaṇṭhamīpsitārthadāyakaṃ trilocanam

the blue-throated, three-eyed one who grants what we long for,

कालकालमम्बुजाक्षमक्षशूलमक्षरं

Kala Kalam Ambujaksham Aksha Shulam Aksharam

kālakālamambujākṣamakṣaśūlamakṣaraṃ

death even to Death, lotus-eyed, bearer of the rosary and trident, the imperishable —

काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ २ ॥

Kashika Puradhinatha Kalabhairavam Bhaje

kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje

I worship Kala Bhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.

शूलटङ्कपाशदण्डपाणिमादिकारणं

Shula Tanka Pasha Danda Panim Adi Karanam

śūlaṭaṅkapāśadaṇḍapāṇimādikāraṇaṃ

Holding the trident, the axe, the noose and the staff, the first cause of all,

श्यामकायमादिदेवमक्षरं निरामयम् ।

Shyama Kayam Adi Devam Aksharam Niramayam

śyāmakāyamādidevamakṣaraṃ nirāmayam

dark-bodied, the primal god, imperishable and untouched by any affliction,

भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्रताण्डवप्रियं

Bhima Vikramam Prabhum Vichitra Tandava Priyam

bhīmavikramaṃ prabhuṃ vicitratāṇḍavapriyaṃ

the mighty lord of awesome power, who loves the wondrous cosmic dance —

काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ३ ॥

Kashika Puradhinatha Kalabhairavam Bhaje

kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje

I worship Kala Bhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.

भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तचारुविग्रहं

Bhukti Mukti Dayakam Prashasta Charu Vigraham

bhuktimuktidāyakaṃ praśastacāruvigrahaṃ

Giver of both worldly joy and liberation, with a lovely and glorious form,

भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोकविग्रहम् ।

Bhakta Vatsalam Sthitam Samasta Loka Vigraham

bhaktavatsalaṃ sthitaṃ samastalokavigraham

tender to his devotees, the steady one whose body is all the worlds,

विनिक्वणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणीलसत्कटिं

Vinikvanan Manogya Hema Kinkini Lasat Katim

vinikvaṇanmanojñahemakiṅkiṇīlasatkaṭiṃ

his waist shining with lovely golden bells that jingle as he moves —

काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ४ ॥

Kashika Puradhinatha Kalabhairavam Bhaje

kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje

I worship Kala Bhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.

धर्मसेतुपालकं त्वधर्ममार्गनाशकं

Dharma Setu Palakam Tvadharma Marga Nashakam

dharmasetupālakaṃ tvadharmamārganāśakaṃ

Guardian of the bridge of dharma, destroyer of the path of wrongdoing,

कर्मपाशमोचकं सुशर्मदायकं विभुम् ।

Karma Pasha Mochakam Susharma Dayakam Vibhum

karmapāśamocakaṃ suśarmadāyakaṃ vibhum

who frees us from the noose of karma, the all-pervading giver of true happiness,

स्वर्णवर्णशेषपाशशोभिताङ्गमण्डलं

Svarna Varna Shesha Pasha Shobhitanga Mandalam

svarṇavarṇaśeṣapāśaśobhitāṅgamaṇḍalaṃ

his body adorned with golden-coloured serpents like a noose —

काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ५ ॥

Kashika Puradhinatha Kalabhairavam Bhaje

kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje

I worship Kala Bhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.

रत्नपादुकाप्रभाभिरामपादयुग्मकं

Ratna Paduka Prabhabhirama Pada Yugmakam

ratnapādukāprabhābhirāmapādayugmakaṃ

His two feet are made lovely by the light of jewelled sandals;

नित्यमद्वितीयमिष्टदैवतं निरञ्जनम् ।

Nityam Advitiyam Ishta Daivatam Niranjanam

nityamadvitīyamiṣṭadaivataṃ nirañjanam

eternal, without a second, the beloved deity, spotless and pure,

मृत्युदर्पनाशनं करालदंष्ट्रमोक्षणं

Mrityu Darpa Nashanam Karala Damshtra Mokshanam

mṛtyudarpanāśanaṃ karāladaṃṣṭramokṣaṇaṃ

who crushes the pride of Death and whose fearsome fangs bring liberation —

काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ६ ॥

Kashika Puradhinatha Kalabhairavam Bhaje

kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje

I worship Kala Bhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.

अट्टहासभिन्नपद्मजाण्डकोशसन्ततिं

Attahasa Bhinna Padmajanda Kosha Santatim

aṭṭahāsabhinnapadmajāṇḍakośasantatiṃ

His thunderous laughter shatters the shells of the cosmic eggs born of Brahma;

दृष्टिपातनष्टपापजालमुग्रशासनम् ।

Drishtipata Nashta Papa Jalam Ugra Shasanam

dṛṣṭipātanaṣṭapāpajālamugraśāsanam

a single glance of his destroys the net of sins; his rule is stern,

अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपालमालिकाधरं

Ashta Siddhi Dayakam Kapala Malika Dharam

aṣṭasiddhidāyakaṃ kapālamālikādharaṃ

giver of the eight spiritual powers, wearing a garland of skulls —

काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ७ ॥

Kashika Puradhinatha Kalabhairavam Bhaje

kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje

I worship Kala Bhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.

भूतसङ्घनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकं

Bhuta Sangha Nayakam Vishala Kirti Dayakam

bhūtasaṅghanāyakaṃ viśālakīrtidāyakaṃ

Leader of the hosts of spirits, giver of great renown,

काशिवासलोकपुण्यपापशोधकं विभुम् ।

Kashivasa Loka Punya Papa Shodhakam Vibhum

kāśivāsalokapuṇyapāpaśodhakaṃ vibhum

the all-pervading one who purifies the merit and sin of all who live in Kashi,

नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं

Niti Marga Kovidam Puratanam Jagatpatim

nītimārgakovidaṃ purātanaṃ jagatpatiṃ

master of the path of right conduct, the ancient lord of the world —

काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ८ ॥

Kashika Puradhinatha Kalabhairavam Bhaje

kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje

I worship Kala Bhairava, lord of the city of Kashi.

कालभैरवाष्टकं पठन्ति ये मनोहरं

Kalabhairavashtakam Pathanti Ye Manoharam

kālabhairavāṣṭakaṃ paṭhanti ye manoharaṃ

Those who recite this lovely Kalabhairava Ashtakam —

ज्ञानमुक्तिसाधनं विचित्रपुण्यवर्धनम् ।

Gyana Mukti Sadhanam Vichitra Punya Vardhanam

jñānamuktisādhanaṃ vicitrapuṇyavardhanam

a means to wisdom and liberation that increases merit in wondrous ways,

शोकमोहदैन्यलोभकोपतापनाशनं

Shoka Moha Dainya Lobha Kopa Tapa Nashanam

śokamohadainyalobhakopatāpanāśanaṃ

which destroys grief, delusion, despair, greed, anger and suffering —

प्रयान्ति कालभैरवाङ्घ्रिसन्निधिं नरा ध्रुवम् ॥

Prayanti Kalabhairavanghri Sannidhim Nara Dhruvam

prayānti kālabhairavāṅghrisannidhiṃ narā dhruvam

surely reach the presence of Kala Bhairava’s feet.