Kalabhairava Ashtakam Lyrics in English

Full Lyrics

This English devotional page keeps the opening verified eight verses of Kalabhairava Ashtakam from SanskritDocuments in Roman transliteration. The source page also includes a later phala-shruti, but this page stays focused on the main stotra so the reading flow remains clean and source-faithful.

devarājasevyamānapāvanāṃghripaṅkajaṃ vyālayajñasūtraminduśekharaṃ kṛpākaram | nāradādiyogivṛndavanditaṃ digaṃbaraṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 1||

bhānukoṭibhāsvaraṃ bhavābdhitārakaṃ paraṃ nīlakaṇṭhamīpsitārthadāyakaṃ trilocanam | kālakālamaṃbujākṣamakṣaśūlamakṣaraṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 2||

śūlaṭaṃkapāśadaṇḍapāṇimādikāraṇaṃ śyāmakāyamādidevamakṣaraṃ nirāmayam | bhīmavikramaṃ prabhuṃ vicitratāṇḍavapriyaṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 3||

bhuktimuktidāyakaṃ praśastacāruvigrahaṃ bhaktavatsalaṃ sthitaṃ samastalokavigraham | vinikvaṇanmanojñahemakiṅkiṇīlasatkaṭiṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 4||

dharmasetupālakaṃ tvadharmamārganāśakaṃ karmapāśamocakaṃ suśarmadāyakaṃ vibhum | svarṇavarṇaśeṣapāśaśobhitāṃgamaṇḍalaṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 5||

ratnapādukāprabhābhirāmapādayugmakaṃ nityamadvitīyamiṣṭadaivataṃ niraṃjanam | mṛtyudarpanāśanaṃ karāladaṃṣṭramokṣadaṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 6||

aṭṭahāsabhinnapadmajāṇḍakośasaṃtatiṃ dṛṣṭipātanaṣṭapāpajālamugraśāsanam | aṣṭasiddhidāyakaṃ kapālamālikādharaṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 7||

bhūtasaṃghanāyakaṃ viśālakīrtidāyakaṃ kāśivāsalokapuṇyapāpaśodhakaṃ vibhum | nītimārgakovidaṃ purātanaṃ jagatpatiṃ kāśikāpurādhināthakālabhairavaṃ bhaje || 8||

Meaning & Significance

Kalabhairava Ashtakam is a compact Shiva stotra that praises Kalabhairava as a force of protection, order, and spiritual discipline. The opening verses establish that tone immediately. They move through worship, radiance, cosmic power, and guardianship, so the prayer feels strong without becoming complicated.

That makes the text useful for regular recitation. It is short enough to chant easily, but it still carries a serious devotional weight. Readers often search for it when they want a prayer that feels direct, memorable, and rooted in Shaiva practice.

For a lyrics page, clarity matters more than commentary. The words should be easy to read on screen, easy to chant aloud, and easy to return to later. Keeping only the opening source-backed verses makes the page practical while avoiding any guesswork from the later source material.

Pronunciation Notes

The chant works best when read with a steady beat and a short pause at the end of each verse. The repeated refrain is not just a rhyme; it is part of the spiritual structure of the prayer.

Roman transliteration is most helpful when the reader keeps the rhythm intact rather than trying to race through the lines. One verse at a time is usually the easiest way to chant it on a phone or desktop screen.

About Traditional Shaiva Stotra Tradition

Kalabhairava Ashtakam belongs to the broader tradition of Shaiva stotras that are used for worship, remembrance, and focused devotion. Its value comes from repeated use. Devotees return to it because it feels dependable, intense, and prayerful.

The traditional attribution matters because this is not a pop-style lyric page. It is a devotional text page meant to support chanting. Readers usually want the words in a readable form, a clear devotional frame, and a layout that gets out of the way of the prayer itself.

That is why this page keeps the explanation modest and the verses central. The hymn does the heavy lifting. The surrounding text simply helps the reader chant with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many verses are shown here?

This page shows the opening eight verses of Kalabhairava Ashtakam, which are the main stotra verses verified from the source page.

Why is Kalabhairava Ashtakam often recited?

Many devotees recite it for its strong devotional focus and its association with Shiva, protection, and disciplined prayer. The repeated refrain makes it especially chant-friendly.

Why does this page stop before the closing section?

The SanskritDocuments source continues with a phala-shruti, but this page keeps only the opening verified verses so the lyrics stay clean and source-faithful.