Kalabhairavashtakam,
By
Adhi Sankara
Bhagwat Pada
Translated
by
P.R.Ramachander
(Kalabhairava is the God who is the
protector of
Another story identifies Kalabhairava with
Veerabhadra who cut off the head of Daksha the father of Sathi Devi, when he
insulted lord Shiva. Sathi’s body was cut into pieces and strewn all over
There is also another
interpretation. He is the form of Shiva who controls the growth and management of
time. (Kala means time). Whoever wants to spend, manage or ration their time in
a proper manner should pray him.
He is also
considered as the guardian of temples of Lord Shiva. After locking the doors of
the
This very musical
stotra of Lord Kalabhairava is supposed to be written by Adhi Sankara Bhagawt
Pada. Even today this ashtakam is recited by the priests of the
Deva raja sevya mana pavangri pankajam,
Vyala yagna suthra mindu shekaram krupakaram,
Naradadhi yogi vrundha vandhitham digambaram,
Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje. 1
I salute Kalabhairava,
the lord of the city of
Whose lotus like feet
is being served by Devendra,
Who is merciful and
wears the moon on his forehead ,
Who wears a snake as
his sacred thread,
Who wears the different
directions as his cloth,
And who is worshipped
by sages like Narada.
Bhanu koti bhaswaram, bhavabdhi tharakam param,
Neelakanda meepsidartha dayakam trilochanam,
Kalakala mambujaksha maksha soola maksharam,
Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje. 2
I salute Kalabhairava,
the lord of the city of
Who shines like
billions of suns,
Who helps us cross
this miserable ocean of life,
Who is supreme and
has a blue neck,
Who has three eyes
and grants us our desires,
Who is the death to
the God of death*,
Who has lotus flower
like eyes,
Who has the
undefeatable trident,
And who does not have
decay.
* could also be
translated as death to the time.
Soola tanga pasa danda pani madhi
karanam,
Syama kaya madhi devamaksharam niramayam,
Bheema vikramam prabhum vichithra thandava priyam,
Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje. 3
I salute Kalabhairava,
the lord of the city of
Who has a spear, a
chord and a stick as weapons,
Who is black in
colour and the primeval cause,
Who is deathless and
the first God,
Who is free from
decay and ill health,
Who is the Lord who
is a great hero,
And who likes the
special vigorous thandava*
*dance with male’s
vigorous movements. .
Bhukthi mukthi dayakam prasashtha charu vigraham,
Bhaktha vatsalam shivam* , samastha
loka vigraham,
Vinikwanan manogna hema kinkini lasath kateem,
Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje. 4
I salute Kalabhairava,
the lord of the city of
Who fulfills desires
and also grants salvation,
Who is well known for
his pretty mien,
Who is a form of Shiva ,who loves his devotees,
Who is the God of the
entire world,
Who assumes various forms,
And who has a golden
waist thread,
On which jingling
bells are tied.
* Another version
mentions as Stitham –the one who is static.
Dharma sethu palakam, thwa dharma marga nasakam,
Karma pasa mochakam , susharma
dayakam vibhum,
Swarna varna sesha pasa shobithanga
mandalam,
Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje. 5
I salute Kalabhairava,
the lord of the city of
Who maintains the
bridge of dharma in life,
Who destroys paths
which are not right,
Who saves us from the
ties of Karma,
Who is the lord who
makes us ashamed ,
When trying to do wrong things,
Who has a shining
body because of golden rope ,
With bells tied in
various places.
Rathna padukha prabhabhirama padayugmakam,
Nithyamadwidheeyamishta daivatham niranjanam,
Mrutyu darpa nasanam karaladamshtra mokshanam,
Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje. 6
I salute Kalabhairava,
the lord of the city of
Who has feet adorned
by the shine of gem studded sandals,
Who is eternal and
does not have any one second to him,
Who is our favorite
God who bestows everything,
Who takes away the
fear of death from humans,
And who grants them salvation by his
terrible teeth.
Attahasa binna padma janda kosa santhatheem,
Drushti pada nashta papa jala mugra sasanam,
Ashtasidhi dayakam kapala malikadaram,
Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje. 7
I salute Kalabhairava,
the lord of the city of
Whose loud roar is
enough to destroy all those created by Brahma,
Whose sight is
sufficient to destroy all sins,
Who is crafty and
strict ruler,
Who can grant the
eight occult powers,
And who wears the
garland of skulls.
Bhootha sanga nayakam, vishala keerthi dayakam,
Kasi vasa loka punya papa shodhakam vibum,
Neethi marga kovidham purathanam jagatpathim,
Kasika puradhi nadha Kalabhairavam bhaje. 8
I salute Kalabhairava,
the lord of the city of
Who is the chief of
the society of Bhoothas,
Who grants broad
based fame,
Who is the lord who
judges good and bad deeds,
Of those who live in
Who is an expert in
the way of righteousness,
And who is eternally
old and lord of the universe.
Kalabhairavashtakam patanthi yea manoharam,
Jnana mukthi sadhanam , vichithra
punya vardhanam,
Soka moha dainya lopa kopa thapa nasanam,
Thea prayanthi Kalabhairavangri saniidhim druvam. 9
Those who read this
enticing octet on Kalabhairava,
Which
is the source of eternal knowledge,
Which
increases the effect of righteous deeds,
And which destroys
grief, passion, poverty, want
and anger,
Would
surely reach the holy presence of Kalabhairava.
