Shri Kaal Bhairav is a fierce deity and is a form of Bhagwaan Shiva. He took birth from Shiva’s matted hair (जटा). Worshipping Shri Kaal Bhairav can help you get rid of your troubles but only by reinveting yourself. The deity will prevent undue harm to your and your family.
If you can, you must visit the principle temple of Shri Kaal Bhairav in Kashi (Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh).
Table of Contents
Ashtakam in Devanagari (Sanskrit, Hindi)
The bhajan praises Shri Kaal Bhairava, his attributes, powers, and his abilities. It also asks for the end of one’s bad habits, bad behaviours and asks for good blessings from the deity.
देवराजसेव्यमानपावनांघ्रिपङ्कजं व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम् ।
नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगंबरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ १॥भानुकोटिभास्वरं भवाब्धितारकं परं नीलकण्ठमीप्सितार्थदायकं त्रिलोचनम् ।
कालकालमंबुजाक्षमक्षशूलमक्षरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ २॥शूलटंकपाशदण्डपाणिमादिकारणं श्यामकायमादिदेवमक्षरं निरामयम् ।
भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्रताण्डवप्रियं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ३॥भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तचारुविग्रहं भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोकविग्रहम् ।
विनिक्वणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणीलसत्कटिं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥ ४॥धर्मसेतुपालकं त्वधर्ममार्गनाशनं कर्मपाशमोचकं सुशर्मधायकं विभुम् ।
स्वर्णवर्णशेषपाशशोभितांगमण्डलं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ५॥रत्नपादुकाप्रभाभिरामपादयुग्मकं नित्यमद्वितीयमिष्टदैवतं निरंजनम् ।
मृत्युदर्पनाशनं करालदंष्ट्रमोक्षणं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ६॥अट्टहासभिन्नपद्मजाण्डकोशसंततिं दृष्टिपात्तनष्टपापजालमुग्रशासनम् ।
अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपालमालिकाधरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ७॥भूतसंघनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकं काशिवासलोकपुण्यपापशोधकं विभुम् ।
नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ८॥॥ फल श्रुति॥
कालभैरवाष्टकं पठंति ये मनोहरं ज्ञानमुक्तिसाधनं विचित्रपुण्यवर्धनम् ।
शोकमोहदैन्यलोभकोपतापनाशनं प्रयान्ति कालभैरवांघ्रिसन्निधिं नरा ध्रुवम् ॥॥इति कालभैरवाष्टकम् संपूर्णम् ॥
Meaning
Stanza 1
देवराजसेव्यमानपावनांघ्रिपङ्कजं व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम् ।
The Kaal Bhairava is worshipped (served) by Devaraj (Indra). He has a snake as his janeyu and moon on the head. He is extremely compassionate.
नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगंबरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ १॥
He is worshipped by Narada, and other Yogis including Digambar Sadhu. He is the lord of Kashipura (Varanasi) and we sing his bhajan.
Stanza 2
भानुकोटिभास्वरं भवाब्धितारकं परं नीलकण्ठमीप्सितार्थदायकं त्रिलोचनम् ।
He has the brilliance of one koti suns (100,00,000 or 1 crore). He rescues us from the ocean of our lives (where every human seems to be lost). He is Neealkantha because he drank poison (Bhagwan Shiva drank poison from Samudra Manthan to save the world), He blesses us with prosperities, the lord with Three Eyes (Triloachanam).
कालकालमंबुजाक्षमक्षशूलमक्षरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ २॥
He is the kaal of kaal (death), he has lotus eyes. His trishul supports the three worlds (Swarga, Prithvi, Naraka). We worship the supreme lord of Kashi, Shri Kaal Bhairav.
Stanza 3
शूलटंकपाशदण्डपाणिमादिकारणं श्यामकायमादिदेवमक्षरं निरामयम् ।
He has trishul, he has a battle axe (pasha), a noose, and a club is his hands. It is he who was at the beginning of the universe. The dark bodied, the elder god (aadi deva), he is imperishable(maksharam), and is beyond any bodily suffering (niramayam).
भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्रताण्डवप्रियं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ३॥
The lord is the owner of very strong powers (bhima vikrama), and he loves the special (vichitra) tandava. We sing the bhajan of Kashi Nath Shri Kaal Bhairav.
Stanza 4
भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तचारुविग्रहं भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोकविग्रहम् ।
He gives us prosperity, and also liberates us from this world. He has an auspicious and pleasant body (vigraha). He is very kind to his devotees, and he stands firmly with people from all lokas (samasta loka vigramham).
विनिक्वणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणीलसत्कटिं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥ ४॥
He has shiny golden bells (nishk or nik) around his waist which produce pleasing sounds (kin kini). We worship the Shri Kaal Bhairav, who is lord of Kashi.
Stanza 5
धर्मसेतुपालकं त्वधर्ममार्गनाशनं कर्मपाशमोचकं सुशर्मधायकं विभुम् ।
He is the keeper of the bridge of Dharma, and is the destroyer of the adharma path. He frees us from our Karma and is the giver of joy (susharma). He is adorned by golden serpents on his body.
स्वर्णवर्णशेषपाशशोभितांगमण्डलं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ५॥
He is adorned by golden serpents on his body. The supreme lord of Kashi, for whom we are singing the bhajan.
Stanza 6
रत्नपादुकाप्रभाभिरामपादयुग्मकं नित्यमद्वितीयमिष्टदैवतं निरंजनम् ।
His feet is adorned by sandals (paduka) which is studded with gems (ratna). He is eternal, unqiue, and the ishta devata (favourite god). He is stainless and pure.
मृत्युदर्पनाशनं करालदंष्ट्रमोक्षणं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ६॥
He is the destroyer of death (akala mrityu), eliminates the fear of death from our hearts, and his formidable fangs (similar to a snake) gives us moksha. We sing the bhajan of Lord of Kashi, Shri Kaal Bhairav.
Stanza 7
अट्टहासभिन्नपद्मजाण्डकोशसंततिं दृष्टिपात्तनष्टपापजालमुग्रशासनम् ।
His formidable laughter shatters the shell of delusion from our mind. His mere glance destroys the net of bad karma (sins) of our lives.
अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपालमालिकाधरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ७॥
His is the giver of 8 siddhis. His necklace is made of skulls (from cremation grounds). He is the lord of Kashi and we sing his bhajan.
Stanza 8
भूतसंघनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकं काशिवासलोकपुण्यपापशोधकं विभुम् ।
He is the leader of all bhutas. His is the giver of very grand deeds. He frees the people of Kashi from all kinds of karma (good or bad).
नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ८॥
He is the shower of the good path (niti marg) in which he is highly skilled. He is the ancient lord of the world. We sing the bhajan of Shri Kaal Bhairav, the lord of Kashi.
Fala Shruti
कालभैरवाष्टकं पठंति ये मनोहरं ज्ञानमुक्तिसाधनं विचित्रपुण्यवर्धनम् ।
शोकमोहदैन्यलोभकोपतापनाशनं प्रयान्ति कालभैरवांघ्रिसन्निधिं नरा ध्रुवम् ॥
Whoever reads this Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam with happiness, his thoughts will be free and his good karma will increase several folds. The bhakta’s sorrow, greed, anger, and evil thoughts will be destroyed. After death, he will be at the feet of Shri Kaal Bhairav.
Further Reading: Shree Shani Deva Mantra