Kala Bhairava Ashtakam

Sri Adi Sankaracharya's Kalabhairava Ashtakam. Kalabhairava is an incarnation of Lord Shiva and the Devatha of the Lord Rahu (Navagraha Planet). Kalabhairava is also regarded as the guardian of Lord Shiva Temples. Sri Kalabhairava Ashtakam is a very musical prayer of Lord Kalabhairava. Kalabhairava Astakam is recited by the priests of the Kalabhairava Temples.

Kaal Bhairav is the Rudra Avatar of Shiva who is the omnipresent time or Kaal. Kaal or time is the fearsome face of Shiva as time stops for none. Each and every living being is afraid of time as it spares none. Hence Kaal is feared by one and all.

The Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam was composed by the great philosopher saint of the 8th century AD Adi Shankara.

The Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam is recited to make your journey through time or life free from troubles and dangers.

Sanskrit-

देवराजसेव्यमानपावनांघ्रिपंकजं । 

व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिंदुशेखरं कृपाकरम् ॥

नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगंबर । काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥१॥

भानुकोटिभास्वरं भावाब्धितारकं परं । नीलकण्ठमीप्सितार्थदायकं त्रिलोचनम् ॥

कालकालमम्बुजाक्षमक्षशूलमक्षरं । काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥२॥

शूलटंकपाशदण्डपाणिमादिकारणं । श्यामकायमादिदेवमक्षरं निरामयम् ॥

भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्रतांडवप्रियं । काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥३॥

भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तलोकविग्रहं । भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोकविग्रहं ।

विनिक्कणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिंकिणीलसत्कटिं । काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥४॥

धर्मसेतुपालकं त्वधर्ममार्गनाशकं । कर्मपाशमोचकं सुशर्मदायकं विभुं ॥

स्वर्णवर्णशेषपाशशोभितांगमण्डलं । काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥५॥

रत्न५पादुकाप्रभाभिरामपादयुग्मकं । नित्यमद्वितीयमिष्टदैवतं निरंजनम् ॥

मृत्युदर्पनाशनं करालदंष्ट्रमोक्षणं । काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥६॥

अट्टाहासभिन्नपद्मजाण्डकोशसंततिं । दृष्टिपातनष्टपापजालमुग्रशासनं ॥

अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपालमालिकाधरं । काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥७॥

भूतसंघनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकं । काशिवासलोकपुण्यपापशोधकं विभुं ॥

नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं । काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥८॥

कालभैरवाष्टकं पठन्ति ये मनोहरं । ज्ञानमुक्तिसाधनं विचित्रपुण्यवर्धनं ॥

शोकमोहदैन्यलोभकोपतापनाशनम् । प्रयान्ति कालभैरवांघ्रिसन्निधि नरा ध्‍रुवम् ॥९॥

Lyrics-

Deva raja sevya mana pavangri pankajam,l

Vyala yagna suthra mindu shekaram krupakaram,ll

Naradadhi yogi vrundha vandhitham digambaram,l

Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje ll 1

Bhanu koti bhaswaram, bhavabdhi tharakam param,l

Neelakanda meepsidartha dayakam trilochanam ll

Kalakala mambujaksha maksha soola maksharam,l

Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje ll 2

Soola tanga pasa danda pani madhi karanam,l

Syama kaya madhi devamaksharam niramayam ll

Bheema vikramam prabhum vichithra thandava priyam,l

Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje ll 3

Bhukthi mukthi dayakam prasashtha charu vigraham,l

Bhaktha vatsalam sthitam,samastha loka vigraham ll

Vinikwanan manogna hema kinkini lasath kateem,l

Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje ll 4

Dharma sethu palakam, thwa dharma marga nasakam,l

Karma pasa mochakam,susharma dayakam vibhum ll

Swarna varna sesha pasa shobithanga mandalam,l

Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje ll 5

Rathna padukha prabhabhirama padayugmakam,l

Nithyamadwidheeyamishta daivatham niranjanam ll

Mrutyu darpa nasanam karaladamshtra mokshanam,l

Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje ll 6

Attahasa binna padma janda kosa santhatheem,l

Drushti pada nashta papa jala mugra sasanam ll

Ashtasidhi dayakam kapala malikadaram,l

Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje ll 7

Bhootha sanga nayakam, vishala keerthi dayakam,l

Kasi vasa loka punya papa shodhakam vibum l1

Neethi marga kovidham purathanam jagatpathim,l

Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje ll 8

Kalabhairavashtakam patanthi yea manoharam,l

Jnana mukthi sadhanam,vichithra punya vardhanam ll

Soka moha dainya lopa kopa thapa nasanam,l

Thea prayanthi Kalabhairavangri saniidhim druvam ll 9

Meaning-

I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who is adorned by lotus-feet which is reverred and served by Indra (Devaraj), Who has a Yagya-thread made up of snake, Who has the moon on His forehead, Who is the abode of mercy, Who has been sung by Narad and other celestial singers, and Whose clothes are the directions.||1||

I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who is resplendent like millions of sun, Who absolves the ocean of cycle of rebirth, Who is supreme, Who has a blue neck, Who bestows us with our desires, Who has three-eyes, Who is the end of Kaal, Who has lotus-like eyes, Who has immortal monodent weapon, and Who is immortal.||2||

I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who has monodent, spade, a cord and punishment in His hands, Who is the cause behind the beginning, Who has a grey (smeared) body, Who is the first Deva, Who is imperishable, Who is free from illness and health, Who is immensely mighty, Who is the Lord, and Who loves the special Tandava dance.||3||

I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who is the bestower of desires and salvation, Who has an enticing appearance form, Who is endears His devotees, Who is static, Who takes various manifestations and forms the world, and Who has a beautiful golden waist-thread with small melodious bells.||4||

I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who is the maintainer of righteousness, Who is the destroyer of unrighteous paths, Who liberates us from the ties of Karma or deeds, Who bestows us with shyness, Who is splendid, and Whose organ-groups are decorated with a beautiful cord of golden color.||5||

I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who has feet adorned by two sandals made of gold which is possessing a resplendent shine, Who is eternal, Who is induplicable, Who bestows our desires to us, Who is without desires, Who destroys the pride of death (as in is supreme to death), and Who liberates soul by His teeth.||6||

I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Whose loud roar is enough to destroy all the manifestations created by the lotus-born Brahma, Whose (merciful) glance is enough to destroy all the sins, Who is the powerful ruler, Who gives the eight-powers¹, and Who wears a garland of skull-caps.||7||

I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who is the leader of the ghosts and spirits, Who showers immense glory, Who absolves people dwelling in Kashi from their sins and righteous deeds, Who is splendor, Who has explained the path of righteousness, Who is eternally old, and Who is the controller of the universe.||8||

Those who study these eight verses on Kalabhairav — which is enticing, which is a source of knowledge and liberation, which increases righteousness of a person, and which destroys grief, attachment, depression, greed, anger an heat — move towards the proximity of the feet of Shiv (Kalabhairav), necessarily.||9||