Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam is a Sanskrit prayer dedicated to Lord Kaal Bhairav. Ashtakam means this prayer consists of eight verses eulogizing Kaal Bhairav, the guardian of Kashi.
Who wrote Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam?
Adi Shankaracharya is credited for composing this powerful prayer around 788-820 CE,
Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam:
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 ॥
Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam with meaning and transliteration:
देवराजसेव्यमानपावनांघ्रिपङ्कजं
व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम् ।
नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगंबरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ १॥
Transliteration:
Devarāja-sevyamāna-pāvana-āṅghri-paṅkajaṁ
Vyāla-yajña-sūtra-mindu-śekharaṁ kṛpākaram
Nāradādi-yogi-vṛnda-vanditaṁ digambaraṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kālabhairavaṁ bhaje
Meaning:
I worship Kaal Bhairav, Lord of Kashi, whose sacred lotus feet are revered by Indra, who wears a serpent as sacred thread, has the moon on his head, is compassionate, worshipped by sages like Narada, and who roams unclothed, beyond material bounds.
भानुकोटिभास्वरं भवाब्धितारकं परं
नीलकण्ठमीप्सितार्थदायकं त्रिलोचनम् ।
कालकालमंबुजाक्षमक्षशूलमक्षरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ २॥
Transliteration:
Bhānukoṭi-bhāsvaraṁ bhavābdhi-tārakaṁ paraṁ
Nīlakaṇṭham īpsitārtha-dāyakaṁ trilocanam
Kāla-kālam ambujākṣam akṣa-śūlam akṣaraṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kālabhairavaṁ bhaje
Meaning:
I worship Kaal Bhairav, who shines like a million suns, is the ultimate savior across worldly oceans, blue-throated, grants all desires, three-eyed, eternal, lotus-eyed, and wielder of trident and noose.
शूलटंकपाशदण्डपाणिमादिकारणं
श्यामकायमादिदेवमक्षरं निरामयम् ।
भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्रताण्डवप्रियं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ३॥
Transliteration:
Śūla-ṭaṅka-pāśa-daṇḍa-pāṇi-mādi-kāraṇaṁ
Śyāma-kāyaṁ ādi-devaṁ akṣaraṁ nirāmayam
Bhīma-vikramaṁ prabhuṁ vicitra-tāṇḍava-priyaṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kālabhairavaṁ bhaje
Meaning:
I worship Kaal Bhairav, the original cause of creation, dark-complexioned, primal deity, imperishable, free from ailments, immensely powerful, Lord of the cosmos, and lover of fierce and unique Tandava dance.
भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तचारुविग्रहं
भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोकविग्रहम् ।
विनिक्वणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणीलसत्कटिं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ४॥
Transliteration:
Bhukti-mukti-dāyakaṁ praśasta-cāru-vigrahaṁ
Bhakta-vatsalaṁ sthitaṁ samasta-loka-vigraham
Vini-kvaṇan-manojña-hema-kiṅkiṇī-lasat-kaṭiṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kālabhairavaṁ bhaje
Meaning:
I worship Kaal Bhairav, the giver of both enjoyment and liberation, who has a beautiful, praised form, is affectionate to devotees, embodies the entire universe, and whose golden waist-belt with tinkling bells delights the mind.
धर्मसेतुपालकं त्वधर्ममार्गनाशनं
कर्मपाशमोचकं सुशर्मधायकं विभुम् ।
स्वर्णवर्णशेषपाशशोभितांगमण्डलं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ५॥
Transliteration:
Dharma-setu-pālakaṁ tv-adharma-mārga-nāśanaṁ
Karma-pāśa-mocakaṁ suśarma-dhāyakaṁ vibhum
Svarṇa-varṇa-śeṣa-pāśa-śobhita-aṅga-maṇḍalaṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kālabhairavaṁ bhaje
Meaning:
I worship Kaal Bhairav, protector of righteousness, destroyer of unrighteous paths, liberator from karmic bonds, bestower of happiness, whose radiant golden form is adorned with a serpent noose around his limbs.
रत्नपादुकाप्रभाभिरामपादयुग्मकं
नित्यमद्वितीयमिष्टदैवतं निरंजनम् ।
मृत्युदर्पनाशनं करालदंष्ट्रमोक्षणं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ६॥
Transliteration:
Ratna-pādukā-prabhābhirāma-pāda-yugmakaṁ
Nityam advitīyam iṣṭa-daivataṁ nirañjanam
Mṛtyu-darpa-nāśanaṁ karāla-daṁṣṭra-mokṣaṇaṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kālabhairavaṁ bhaje
Meaning:
I worship Kaal Bhairav, whose pair of feet adorned with jeweled sandals shines beautifully, who is eternally unique, the chosen deity of devotees, pure and stainless, destroyer of death’s pride, and the fierce-fanged giver of liberation.
अट्टहासभिन्नपद्मजाण्डकोशसंततिं
दृष्टिपात्तनष्टपापजालमुग्रशासनम् ।
अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपालमालिकाधरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ७॥
Transliteration:
Aṭṭa-hāsa-bhinna-padmajāṇḍa-kośa-saṁtatiṁ
Dṛṣṭi-pāta-naṣṭa-pāpa-jālam ugra-śāsanam
Aṣṭa-siddhi-dāyakaṁ kapāla-mālikā-dharaṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kālabhairavaṁ bhaje
Meaning:
I worship Kaal Bhairav, whose thunderous laughter shattered Brahma’s cosmic egg, whose mere glance destroys all sins, who is a strict ruler of the wicked, grants eight mystical powers, and wears a garland of skulls.
भूतसंघनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकं
काशिवासलोकपुण्यपापशोधकं विभुम् ।
नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं
काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ८॥
Transliteration:
Bhūta-saṅgha-nāyakaṁ viśāla-kīrti-dāyakaṁ
Kāśi-vāsa-loka-puṇya-pāpa-śodhakaṁ vibhum
Nīti-mārga-kovidaṁ purātanaṁ jagat-patiṁ
Kāśikā-purādhinātha-kālabhairavaṁ bhaje
Meaning:
I worship Kaal Bhairav, leader of spirits and ghosts, bestower of great fame, purifier of all sins and merits of those residing in Kashi, knower of the path of righteousness, ancient and eternal Lord of the universe.
फलश्रुति (Phala Shruti)
कालभैरवाष्टकं पठंति ये मनोहरं
ज्ञानमुक्तिसाधनं विचित्रपुण्यवर्धनम् ।
शोकमोहदैन्यलोभकोपतापनाशनं
प्रयान्ति कालभैरवांघ्रिसन्निधिं नरा ध्रुवम् ॥
Transliteration:
Kālabhairavāṣṭakaṁ paṭhanti ye manoharaṁ
Jñāna-mukti-sādhanaṁ vicitra-puṇya-vardhanam
Śoka-moha-dainya-lobha-kopa-tāpa-nāśanaṁ
Prayānti kālabhairavāṅghri-sannidhiṁ narā dhruvam
Meaning:
Those who recite this beautiful Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam, a source of wisdom and liberation, which increases merit and destroys sorrow, delusion, misery, greed, anger, and suffering, will surely attain the divine presence of Kaal Bhairav.
Benefits of Reciting Kaal Bhairav Ashtak:
1. Protection from evil, black magic, etc.
2. Relief from debt, enemies, and court cases.
3. Freedom from sins and fear.
4. Favorable outcomes in travel and business.
5. Attainment of 8 siddhis.
When to chant Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam:
The best time to chant Kaal Bhairav Ashtak is early morning or midnight. Kaal Ashtami (the 8th day of Krishna Paksha, monthly) is considered the best day to chant it, or on Tuesdays/Sundays.
How many times should one chant it?
You can chant it once, thrice, or 11 times.
Download Kaal Bhairav Ashtakam PDF:
Also Read: Kaal Bhairav Kavach