Kala Bhairava Ashtakam was written by Adi Shankaracharya.
॥ Kalabhairava Ashtakam Sanskrit Lyrics ॥
देवराज सेव्यमान पावनाङ्घ्रि पङ्कजं
व्यालयज्ञ सूत्रमिन्दु शेखरं कृपाकरम् ।
नारदादि योगिबृन्द वन्दितं दिगम्बरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥ 1 ॥
भानुकोटि भास्वरं भवब्धितारकं परं
नीलकण्ठ मीप्सितार्ध दायकं त्रिलोचनम् ।
कालकाल मम्बुजाक्ष मस्तशून्य मक्षरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥ 2 ॥
शूलटङ्क पाशदण्ड पाणिमादि कारणं
श्यामकाय मादिदेव मक्षरं निरामयम् ।
भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्र ताण्डव प्रियं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥ 3 ॥
भुक्ति मुक्ति दायकं प्रशस्तचारु विग्रहं
भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोक विग्रहम् ।
निक्वणन्-मनोज्ञ हेम किङ्किणी लसत्कटिं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥ 4 ॥
धर्मसेतु पालकं त्वधर्ममार्ग नाशकं
कर्मपाश मोचकं सुशर्म दायकं विभुम् ।
स्वर्णवर्ण केशपाश शोभिताङ्ग निर्मलं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥ 5 ॥
रत्न पादुका प्रभाभिराम पादयुग्मकं
नित्य मद्वितीय मिष्ट दैवतं निरञ्जनम् ।
मृत्युदर्प नाशनं करालदंष्ट्र भूषणं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥ 6 ॥
अट्टहास भिन्न पद्मजाण्डकोश सन्ततिं
दृष्टिपात नष्टपाप जालमुग्र शासनम् ।
अष्टसिद्धि दायकं कपालमालिका धरं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥ 7 ॥
भूतसङ्घ नायकं विशालकीर्ति दायकं
काशिवासि लोक पुण्यपाप शोधकं विभुम् ।
नीतिमार्ग कोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं
काशिकापुराधिनाथ कालभैरवं भजे ॥ 8 ॥
कालभैरवाष्टकं पठन्ति ये मनोहरं
ज्ञानमुक्ति साधकं विचित्र पुण्य वर्धनम् ।
शोकमोह लोभदैन्य कोपताप नाशनं
ते प्रयान्ति कालभैरवाङ्घ्रि सन्निधिं ध्रुवम् ॥
॥ Kaala Bhairava Ashtakam Meaning ॥
I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who is adorned by lotus-feet which is revered and served by Indra (Devaraj), Who has a Yagya-thread made up of snake, Who has the moon on His forehead, Who is the abode of mercy, Who has been sung by Narad and other celestial singers, and Whose clothes are the directions. ॥ 1 ॥
I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who is resplendent like millions of sun, Who absolves the ocean of cycle of rebirth, Who is supreme, Who has a blue neck, Who bestows us with our desires, Who has three-eyes, Who is the end of Kaal, Who has lotus-like eyes, Who has immortal monodent weapon, and Who is immortal. ॥ 2 ॥
I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who has monodent, spade, a cord and punishment in His hands, Who is the cause behind the beginning, Who has a grey (smeared) body, Who is the first Deva, Who is imperishable, Who is free from illness and health, Who is immensely mighty, Who is the Lord, and Who loves the special Tandava dance. ॥ 3 ॥
I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who is the bestower of desires and salvation, Who has an enticing appearance form, Who is endears His devotees, Who is static, Who takes various manifestations and forms the world, and Who has a beautiful golden waist-thread with small melodious bells. ॥ 4 ॥
I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who is the maintainer of righteousness, Who is the destroyer of unrighteous paths, Who liberates us from the ties of Karma or deeds, Who bestows us with shyness, Who is splendid, and Whose organ-groups are decorated with a beautiful cord of golden color. ॥ 5 ॥
I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who has feet adorned by two sandals made of gold which is possessing a resplendent shine, Who is eternal, Who is duplicable, Who bestows our desires to us, Who is without desires, Who destroys the pride of death (as in is supreme to death), and Who liberates soul by His teeth. ॥ 6 ॥
I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Whose loud roar is enough to destroy all the manifestations created by the lotus-born Brahma, Whose (merciful) glance is enough to destroy all the sins, Who is the powerful ruler, Who gives the eight-powers¹, and Who wears a garland of skull-caps. ॥ 7 ॥
I sing praise of Kalabhairav, Who is the ruler of the city Kashi, Who is the leader of the ghosts and spirits, Who showers immense glory, Who absolves people dwelling in Kashi from their sins and righteous deeds, Who is splendor, Who has explained the path of righteousness, Who is eternally old, and Who is the controller of the universe. ॥ 8 ॥
Those who study these eight verses on Kalabhairav — which is enticing, which is a source of knowledge and liberation, which increases righteousness of a person, and which destroys grief, attachment, depression, greed, anger and heat — move towards the proximity of the feet of Shiv (Kalabhairav), necessarily. ॥ 9 ॥
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Kaala Bhairavaashtakam in Sanskrit – English – Bengali – Kannada – Malayalam – Telugu – Tamil