Kalabhairava Ashtakam

Kalabhairava Ashtakam: Mantra with Meaning

Kalabhairav Ashtakam is a famous Sanskrit hymn dedicated to Kala Bhairava, a fierce form of Shiva. It was composed by Adi Shankaracharya. People chant it for protection, courage, and to remove fear.

Composed By: Adi Shankaracharya

Lord Shiva in the form of Kalabhairava

Play the music, and sing the stotra along with it

॥ कालभैरवाष्टकम् ॥

देवराज-सेव्यमान-पावनांघ्रि-पङ्कजं
व्याल-यज्ञसूत्रमिन्दु-शेखरं कृपाकरम् ।
नारदादि-योगि-वृन्द-वन्दितं दिगम्बरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ-कालभैरवं भजे ॥१॥

One whose sacred lotus feet are served by Indra, who wears a serpent as a sacred thread, who has the moon on his head, and who is compassionate,
Who is praised by sages like Narada and groups of great yogis, and Who wears the sky as his clothes (signifying that He is boundless); to that Shri Kalabhairava who is the supreme Lord of the city of Kashi, my profound salutations.

भानु-कोटि-भास्वरं भवाब्धि-तारकं परं
नीलकण्ठमीप्सितार्थ-दायकं त्रिलोचनम् ।
काल-कालमम्बुजाक्षमक्ष-शूलमक्षरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ-कालभैरवं भजे ॥२॥

One who has the brilliance of a million of suns, who rescues his devotees from the ocean of worldly existence, who is supreme, who has a blue neck, who fulfils the devotee's desires, and who has three eyes,
Who is the death of the death (i.e. who is beyond death), who has lotus eyes, whose Trident supports the three worlds, and who is imperishable; to that Shri Kalabhairava who is the supreme Lord of the city of Kashi, my profound salutations.

शूल-टङ्क-पाश-दण्ड-पाणिमादि-कारणं
श्याम-कायमादि-देवमक्षरं निरामयम् ।
भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्र-ताण्डव-प्रियं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ-कालभैरवं भजे ॥३॥

One who holds Trident, spade, noose and staff In his hands, who is the primordial cause of the Universe, who has an ash-smeared body, who is the first God, who is imperishable, and who is beyond diseases and decay,
Who is the lord with Terrific powers, and Who loves the strange, vigorous Tandava dance; to that Shri Kalabhairava who is the supreme Lord of the city of Kashi, my profound salutations.

भुक्ति-मुक्ति-दायकं प्रशस्त-चारु-विग्रहं
भक्त-वत्सलं स्थितं समस्त-लोक-विग्रहम् ।
निक्वणन्मनोज्ञ-हेम-किङ्किणी-लसत्कटिं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ-कालभैरवं भजे ॥४॥

One who bestows worldly prosperity and liberation, who has an auspicious pleasing appearance, who is kind and loving to his devotees, and who stands firm as the Lord of all the Lokas,
And who has shining golden bells around his waist that produces melodious sounds; to that Shri Kalabhairava who is the supreme Lord of the city of Kashi, my profound salutations.

धर्मसेतु-पालकं त्वधर्म-मार्ग-नाशकं
कर्म-पाश-मोचकं सुशर्म-दायकं विभुम् ।
स्वर्ण-वर्ण-शेष-पाश-शोभिताङ्ग-मण्डलं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ-कालभैरवं भजे ॥५॥

One who is the maintainer of Dharma, who is the destroyer of unrighteous paths, and who liberates us from the bonds of Karma and gives intense happiness,
And who is adorned with golden serpents encircling his body; to that Shri Kalabhairava who is the supreme Lord of the city of Kashi, my profound salutations.

रत्न-पादुका-प्रभाभि-राम-पाद-युग्मकं
नित्यमद्वितीयमिष्ट-दैवतं निरञ्जनम् ।
मृत्यु-दर्प-नाशनं कराल-दंष्ट्र-मोक्षणं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ-कालभैरवं भजे ॥६॥

One whose charming feet shine beautifully with the radiance from his jeweled sandals, who is eternal and inimitable, who bestows our desires to us, and who is stainless and pure,
Who destroys the fear of death, and whose large terrible fangs frees us from fear; to that Shri Kalabhairava who is the supreme Lord of the city of Kashi, my profound salutations.

अट्ट-हास-भिन्न-पद्मजाण्ड-कोश-संततिं
दृष्टि-पात-नष्ट-पाप-जालमुग्र-शासनम् ।
अष्ट-सिद्धि-दायकं कपाल-मालिका-धरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ-कालभैरवं भजे ॥७॥

One whose loud terrible laughter shatters the cosmic egg of Brahma's universe (i.e. who bestows liberation from the world), whose merciful glance is enough to destroy all sins,
Who bestows the eight Siddhis, and who wears a garland of skulls; to that Shri Kalabhairava who is the supreme Lord of the city of Kashi, my profound salutations.

भूतसंघ-नायकं विशाल-कीर्ति-दायकं
काशि-वासलोक-पुण्य-पाप-शोधकं विभुम् ।
नीति-मार्ग-कोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ-कालभैरवं भजे ॥८॥

One who is the ruler of ghosts and goblins, who bestows great glory to us, who purifies both virtues and sins of the people living in Kashi, and who is splendor,
Who is skilled in guiding us to the path of righteousness, and who is the most ancient (i.e. eternal) lord of the Universe; to that Shri Kalabhairava who is the supreme Lord of the city of Kashi, my profound salutations.

कालभैरवाष्टकं पठंति ये मनोहरं
ज्ञान-मुक्ति-साधनं विचित्र-पुण्य-वर्धनम् ।
शोक-मोह-दैन्य-लोभ-कोप-ताप-नाशनं
प्रयान्ति कालभैरवांघ्रि-सन्निधिं नरा ध्रुवम् ॥

Those who read these beautiful eight verses of Shri Kalabhairava (which is a powerful means to attain supreme knowledge and liberation, and which increases extraordinary spiritual merits) with devotion,
They will find that all their sorrow, delusion, poverty, greed, anger and heat of worldly miseries are completely destroyed. Such individuals will, without a doubt, attain eternal abode at the sacred feet of Lord Kalabhairava.

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NOTE:
You may find that some texts do not match the words from the song. Know that, the texts written here is the correct and complete one. For easy reading, dash sign (-) is placed in the middle of texts, leaving space as it is. If you want the original format, just remove dash sign from all the verses.

Symbolism of Kalabhairava

Kalabhairav Ashtakam looks like a simple devotional hymn, but inside it carries deep ideas about time, ego, death, and freedom. The hymn praises Kala Bhairava, a fierce manifestation of Shiva, and it was composed by the philosopher Adi Shankaracharya. When we read it carefully, we start noticing that many of the images and symbols are not meant to frighten people; they are meant to teach something about life.

One of the most important ideas in the hymn is hidden in the word “Kala.” In Sanskrit, “Kala” means time. Kala Bhairava represents the power that controls time itself. Everything in the universe moves under time—birth, growth, aging, and death. Nothing escapes it. By praising Kala Bhairava, the hymn reminds us that the divine power exists beyond time, while everything else eventually changes or disappears.

At first glance, the form of Kala Bhairava can look terrifying. He is described with skulls, serpents, weapons, and a fierce expression. But these are actually symbolic images. The garland of skulls reminds us that every physical body eventually dies. The serpents symbolize mastery over fear and life energy. The trident represents control over the three dimensions of time—past, present, and future. The staff (danda) stands for justice and discipline. So, the frightening appearance is not about violence; it is about revealing the truth of existence.

There is also a deeper story connected with the destruction of ego. According to Puranas, the creator god Brahma once became proud and arrogant. To humble him, Shiva manifested as Kala Bhairava and cut off Brahma’s fifth head. The story may sound dramatic, but its meaning is philosophical. Ego and pride must be destroyed before true wisdom appears. The hymn subtly reminds the listener that spiritual growth requires humility.

The verses also repeatedly describe Kala Bhairava as the guardian of Varanasi, one of the holiest cities in Hindu tradition. Symbolically, this role represents something deeper. Varanasi has long been associated with liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Kala Bhairava is seen as the protector of that sacred gateway—the one who guides souls and removes obstacles on the path to freedom.

Another important theme in the hymn is the removal of fear, especially the fear of death. Several lines describe Kala Bhairava as the destroyer of death’s pride. The idea behind this is not that death disappears, but that fear of death loses its power when a person understands the deeper nature of existence. The body may end, but consciousness and spiritual essence continue beyond it.

Finally, the hymn mentions that Kala Bhairava grants both “bhukti” and “mukti.” Bhukti means success and enjoyment in the material world, while mukti means liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth. By mentioning both, the hymn suggests that spiritual wisdom does not reject life; instead, it helps a person live wisely while also moving toward ultimate freedom.

When we read the hymn with these ideas in mind, the fierce form of Kala Bhairava begins to feel less frightening and more meaningful. It becomes a reminder that time rules everything, ego must fall away, and freedom comes when fear disappears. In that sense, the hymn is not just praise—it is a quiet philosophical lesson about how to live with courage and awareness.