Kalabhairavastakam Lyrics & Meaning in English

dēvarāja-sēvyamāna-pāvanāṅghri-paṅkajaṃ
vyāḻayajña-sūtramindu-śēkharaṃ kṛpākaram ।
nāradādi-yōgibṛnda-vanditaṃ digambaraṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 1 ॥

bhānukōṭi-bhāsvaraṃ bhavabdhitārakaṃ paraṃ
nīlakaṇṭha-mīpsitārtha-dāyakaṃ trilōchanam ।
kālakāla-mambujākṣa-makṣaśūla-makṣaraṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē

Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, whose lotus feet are revered by Lord Indra, king of the devas; who has a snake as his sacrificial thread, a moon on his head and is very compassionate; who is praised by Narada, sage of the gods, and other yogis; who is a Digambara, wearing the sky as his dress, symbolizing his free being. Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, who has the brilliance of a million suns, who saves devotees from the cycle of rebirths, and who is supreme; who has a blue throat, who grants us our desires, and who has three eyes; who is death unto death itself and whose eyes look like a lotus; whose trident supports the world and who is immortal.

śūlaṭaṅka-pāśadaṇḍa-pāṇimādi-kāraṇaṃ
śyāmakāya-mādidēva-makṣaraṃ nirāmayam ।
bhīmavikramaṃ prabhuṃ vichitra tāṇḍava priyaṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 3 ॥

bhukti-mukti-dāyakaṃ praśastachāru-vigrahaṃ
bhaktavatsalaṃ sthiraṃ samastalōka-vigraham । [sthitaṃ]
nikvaṇan-manōjña-hēma-kiṅkiṇī-lasatkaṭiṃ [vinikvaṇan]
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē

Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, who holds the trident, mattock, noose, and club in his hands; whose body is dark, who is the primordial Lord, who is immortal, and free from the diseases of the world; who is immensely mighty and who loves the wonderful tandava dance. Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, the one who bestows both desires and salvation, who has a pleasing appearance; who is loving to his devotees, who is stable as the god of all the worlds; who wears a golden belt around his waist with bells that make a melodious sound when he moves.

dharmasētu-pālakaṃ tvadharmamārga nāśakaṃ [nāśanaṃ]
karmapāśa-mōchakaṃ suśarma-dāyakaṃ vibhum ।
svarṇavarṇa-kēśapāśa-śōbhitāṅga-maṇḍalaṃ [śeṣapāśa, nirmalaṃ]
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 5 ॥

ratna-pādukā-prabhābhirāma-pādayugmakaṃ
nitya-madvitīya-miṣṭa-daivataṃ nirañjanam ।
mṛtyudarpa-nāśanaṃ karāḻadaṃṣṭra-mōkṣadaṃ [bhūṣaṇaṃ]
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē

Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, who ensures that dharma (righteousness) prevails, who destroys the path of adharma (unrighteousness); who saves us from the bonds of karma, thereby freeing our soul; and who has golden-hued snakes entwined around his body. Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, whose feet are adorned with two golden sandals with gems; who is the eternal, non-dual Ishta devata (god who grants our desires); who destroys the pride of Yama (God of Death); whose terrible teeth liberate us.

aṭṭahāsa-bhinna-padmajāṇḍakōśa-santatiṃ
dṛṣṭipāta-naṣṭapāpa-jālamugra-śāsanam ।
aṣṭasiddhi-dāyakaṃ kapālamālikā-dharaṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 7 ॥

bhūtasaṅgha-nāyakaṃ viśālakīrti-dāyakaṃ
kāśivāsi-lōka-puṇyapāpa-śōdhakaṃ vibhum । [kaśivāsa]
nītimārga-kōvidaṃ purātanaṃ jagatpatiṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē

Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, whose loud roar destroys the sheaths of creations (meaning the delusions of our mind) of the lotus-born Brahma; whose very glance is enough to destroy all our sins; who gives us the eight siddhis (accomplishments); and who wears a garland of skulls. Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, who is the leader of ghosts and goblins, who bestows glory; who frees the people of Kashi from their sinful and righteous deeds; who guides us on the path of righteousness, who is the most ancient (eternal) lord of the universe.

kālabhairavāṣṭakaṃ paṭhanti yē manōharaṃ
jñānamukti-sādhanaṃ vichitra-puṇya-vardhanam ।
śōkamōha-lōbhadainya-kōpatāpa-nāśanaṃ [dainyalōbha]
tē prayānti kālabhairavāṅghri-sannidhiṃ dhruvam ॥

Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi. Those who read these eight verses of the Kalabhairava Ashtakam, which is beautiful, which is a source of knowledge and liberation, which increases the various forms of righteousness in a person, which destroys grief, attachment, poverty, greed, anger, and heat – will attain (after death) the feet of Lord Kalabhairava (Lord Shiva).