The KaalaBhairav Ashtakam and its Significance

The creation of the hymn to venerate the Ruler of Eternal Time- Lord Shiva

कालभैरव अष्टकम्

देवराज सेव्यमान पावनाङ्घ्रि पङ्कजं

व्यालयज्ञ सूत्रमिन्दु शेखरं कृपाकरम्

नारदादि योगिवृन्द वन्दितं दिगंबरं

काशिका पुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे॥ १॥

भानुकोटि भास्वरं भवाब्धितारकं पर

नीलकण्ठम् ईप्सितार्थ दायकं त्रिलोचनम् ।

कालकालम् अंबुजाक्षम् अक्षशूलम् अक्षरं

काशिका पुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे॥२॥

शूलटङ्क पाशदण्ड पाणिमादि कारणं

श्यामकायम् आदिदेवम् अक्षरं निरामयम्

भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्रताण्डवप्रियं

काशिका पुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥३॥

भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तचारुविग्रहं

भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोकविग्रहम् ।

विनिक्वणन् मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणी लसत्कटिं

काशिका पुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥४॥

धर्मसेतुपालकं त्वधर्ममार्गनाशकं

कर्मपाश मोचकं सुशर्मदायकं विभुम् ।

स्वर्णवर्णशेषपाश शोभिताङ्गमण्डलं

काशिका पुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥ ५॥

रत्नपादुका प्रभाभिराम पादयुग्मकं

नित्यम् अद्वितीयम् इष्टदैवतं निरञ्जनम् ।

मृत्युदर्पनाशनं कराळदंष्ट्रमोक्षणं

काशिका पुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥६॥

अट्टहास भिन्नपद्मजाण्डकोश सन्ततिं

दृष्टिपातनष्टपाप जालमुग्रशासनम् ।

अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपाल मालिकन्धरं

काशिका पुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥७॥

भूतसङ्घनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकं

काशिवासलोक पुण्यपापशोधकं विभुम् ।

नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं

काशिका पुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥८॥

कालभैरवाष्टकं पठन्ति ये मनोहरं

ज्ञानमुक्तिसाधनं विचित्रपुण्यवर्धनम् ।

शोक मोह दैन्य लोभ कोप ताप नाशनं

ते प्रयान्ति कालभैरवाङ्घ्रि सन्निधिं ध्रुवम् ॥९॥

इति श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्यविरचितं कालभैरवाष्टकं संपूर्णम् ॥

Kalabhairava Ashtakam

dēvarāja-sēvyamāna-pāvanāṅghri-paṅkajaṃ

vyāḻayajña-sūtramindu-śēkharaṃ kṛpākaram ।

nāradādi-yōgibṛnda-vanditaṃ digambaraṃ

kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 1 ॥

bhānukōṭi-bhāsvaraṃ bhavabdhitārakaṃ paraṃ

nīlakaṇṭha-mīpsitārdha-dāyakaṃ trilōchanam ।

kālakāla-mambujākṣa-makṣaśūla-makṣaraṃ

kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 2 ॥

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 ।

nikvaṇan-manōjña-hēma-kiṅkiṇī-lasatkaṭiṃ

kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 4 ॥

dharmasētu-pālakaṃ tvadharmamārga nāśakaṃ

karmapāśa-mōchakaṃ suśarma-dāyakaṃ vibhum ।

svarṇavarṇa-kēśapāśa-śōbhitāṅga-maṇḍalaṃ

kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 5 ॥

ratna-pādukā-prabhābhirāma-pādayugmakaṃ

nitya-madvitīya-miṣṭa-daivataṃ nirañjanam ।

mṛtyudarpa-nāśanaṃ karāḻadaṃṣṭra-mōkṣaṇaṃ

kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 6 ॥

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 ।

nītimārga-kōvidaṃ purātanaṃ jagatpatiṃ

kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 8 ॥

kālabhairavāṣṭakaṃ paṭhanti yē manōharaṃ

jñānamukti-sādhakaṃ vichitra-puṇya-vardhanam ।

śōkamōha-lōbhadainya-kōpatāpa-nāśanaṃ

tē prayānti kālabhairavāṅghri-sannidhiṃ dhruvam ॥

iti śrīmachchaṅkarāchārya virachitaṃ kālabhairavāṣṭakaṃ sampūrṇam ।

Who Is Lord Kaalabhairava?

In the pan Indian mythological lore, which is home to 33 thousand crore Gods and deities symbolizing their unique and distinct energies, Lord Shiva holds the supreme-most position, alongside Lord Bramha, and Lord Vishnu, known otherwise as Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer. Lord Shiva is the Destroyer, with Lord Vishnu being the preserver, and Lord Bramha as the creator of the universe and galaxies. Lord Shiva is said to have 108 different names, each accompanied by a unique form, that resonates with the name. Each of these names, along with its respective forms is supposed to symbolise a unique dimension of the Lord. However, one of the most terrifying forms of Shiva is Kalabhairava – a fierce warrior, adorned with a garland of skulls.

Kalabhairava means one who is so terrifying that even time is fearful of him. In its deepest essence, it also means a state of complete timelessness- for time stands still only for those who can conquer it. As for the millions of humans in the Earth dimension, life itself is dictated by Time. In this form, Shiva is the destroyer of time, and its conqueror; time, therefore, is a symbol that is enormously relevant merging into irrelevancy, as one evolves, on the spiritual path.

The chanting of this divine shloka is said to confer the person who chants it, with the following: inner peace, spiritual growth, mental clarity, protection, overcoming obstacles, liberation, inner strength, righteousness, and guidance.

The last canto of the shloka validates the above gains and benefits. The recommended times for reciting the KaalBhairav Ashtakam are in the morning and evening. It is essential to maintain purity during the recitation, and if possible, it is ideal to perform it in a Shiva temple or in front of a Shivalinga at home.

(Source: "The Great Knowledge of Cultures" - Bharat Prakashan)

Credits:

1. Images of Lord Kalabhairava- Pinterest

2. Short sketch of Kalabhairavashtakam- Wiki

3. Kalabhairavashtakam-shaivam.org (Sanskrit); vignanam.org (English)