Kalabhairava Ashtakam
Kalabhairava Ashtakam
Kalabhairava Ashtakam
kālabhairavāṣṭakam
devarāja-sevyamāna-pāvanāṅghri-paṅkajaṃ
vyālayajña-sūtramindu-śekharaṃ kṛpākaram |
nāradādi-yogibṛnda-vanditaṃ digambaraṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 1 ||
bhānukoṭi-bhāsvaraṃ bhavabdhitārakaṃ paraṃ
nīlakaṇṭha-mīpsitārtha-dāyakaṃ trilocanam |
kālakāla-mambujākṣa-makṣaśūla-makṣaraṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 2 ||
śūlaṭaṅka-pāśadaṇḍa-pāṇimādi-kāraṇaṃ
śyāmakāya-mādideva-makṣaraṃ nirāmayam |
bhīmavikramaṃ prabhuṃ vicitra tāṇḍava priyaṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 3 ||
bhukti-mukti-dāyakaṃ praśastacāru-vigrahaṃ
bhaktavatsalaṃ sthiraṃ samastaloka-vigraham | [sthitaṃ]
nikvaṇan-manojña-hema-kiṅkiṇī-lasatkaṭiṃ [vinikvaṇan]
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 4 ||
dharmasetu-pālakaṃ tvadharmamārga nāśakaṃ [nāśanaṃ]
karmapāśa-mocakaṃ suśarma-dāyakaṃ vibhum |
svarṇavarṇa-keśapāśa-śobhitāṅga-maṇḍalaṃ [śèṣapāśa, nirmalaṃ]
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 5 ||
ratna-pādukā-prabhābhirāma-pādayugmakaṃ
nitya-madvitīya-miṣṭa-daivataṃ nirañjanam |
mṛtyudarpa-nāśanaṃ karāladaṃṣṭra-mokṣadaṃ [bhūṣaṇaṃ]
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 6 ||
aṭṭahāsa-bhinna-padmajāṇḍakośa-santatiṃ
dṛṣṭipāta-naṣṭapāpa-jālamugra-śāsanam |
aṣṭasiddhi-dāyakaṃ kapālamālikā-dharaṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 7 ||
bhūtasaṅgha-nāyakaṃ viśālakīrti-dāyakaṃ
kāśivāsi-loka-puṇyapāpa-śodhakaṃ vibhum | [kaśivāsa]
nītimārga-kovidaṃ purātanaṃ jagatpatiṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 8 ||
kālabhairavāṣṭakaṃ paṭhanti ye manoharaṃ
jñānamukti-sādhakaṃ vicitra-puṇya-vardhanam |
śokamoha-lobhadainya-kopatāpa-nāśanaṃ [dainyalobha]
te prayānti kālabhairavāṅghri-sannidhiṃ dhruvam ||
iti śrīmatparamahaṃsaparivrājakācaryasya
śrīgovindabhagavatpūjyapādaśiṣyasya
śrīmacchaṅkarabhagavataḥ kṛtau
śrī kālabhairavāṣṭakaṃ sampūrṇam |
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About This Stotram
Overview
The Kalabhairava Ashtakam is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn dedicated to Kala Bhairava, the fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva associated with time, death, and the guardianship of Kashi (Varanasi). The verses praise Bhairava's divine attributes and invoke his protection and blessings. The text belongs to the Shaiva tradition and author is unknown; it is widely recited in Varanasi and among Bhairava devotees across India.
What are the benefits of chanting Kalabhairava Ashtakam?
- Removes fear of death and dissolution
- Grants protection from negative energies and obstacles
- Bestows courage and inner fortitude
- Leads toward spiritual liberation (moksha)
When is the best time to recite this?
Morning and evening are the standard times for recitation. The Ashtami and Chaturdashi tithis of each lunar fortnight are considered especially auspicious, as is Maha Shivaratri. Recitation is also recommended during times of distress or when seeking protection.
What is the historical and traditional background?
The specific author and composition date of the Kalabhairava Ashtakam are not known. It belongs to the broader tradition of devotional poetry dedicated to Bhairava, a form of Shiva that has been worshipped particularly in Varanasi since at least the medieval period. Bhairava worship is prominent in the Kapalika and Agamic Shaiva traditions. The hymn's language and style are consistent with classical Sanskrit devotional literature, and it has circulated widely through oral tradition before being codified in written form.
Available scripts
This text is available in 14 scripts: devanagari, tamil, telugu, kannada, malayalam, gujarati, bengali, iast, gurmukhi, oriya, assamese, sinhala, itrans, hk. Use the script selector above to switch between them.
Related Texts
- Kala Bhairava Ashtakam — a related nine-verse hymn to the same deity, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya
- Kasi Vishwanathashtakam — an ashtakam honoring Kashi's presiding deity, Vishwanatha (Shiva)