देवराजसेव्यमानपावनाङ्घ्रिपङ्कजं व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम्। नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगम्बरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥

Devaraja-sevyamana-pavananghri-pankajam Vyala-yajna-sootram-indu-shekharam kripakaram, Naradadi-yogi-vrinda-vanditam digambaram Kashika-puradhinatha-Kalabhairavam bhaje.

I worship Kalabhairav, lord of Kashi, whose holy lotus feet are served by Indra, who wears a serpent as his sacred thread and the moon on his head, the treasury of compassion, praised by Narada and hosts of yogis, clad in the sky.

भानुकोटिभास्वरं भवाब्धितारकं परं नीलकण्ठमीप्सितार्थदायकं त्रिलोचनम्। कालकालमम्बुजाक्षमक्षशूलमक्षरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥

Bhanu-koti-bhasvaram bhavabdhi-tarakam param Neelakantham-eepsitartha-dayakam trilochanam, Kala-kalam-ambujaksham-aksha-shoolam-aksharam Kashika-puradhinatha-Kalabhairavam bhaje.

Radiant as ten million suns, the supreme one who carries us across the ocean of existence, blue-throated, giver of all we wish for, three-eyed, death of Death, lotus-eyed, holding the rosary and trident, imperishable: I worship Kalabhairav, lord of Kashi.

शूलटङ्कपाशदण्डपाणिमादिकारणं श्यामकायमादिदेवमक्षरं निरामयम्। भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्रताण्डवप्रियं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥

Shoola-tanka-pasha-danda-panim-adi-karanam Shyama-kayam-adi-devam-aksharam niramayam, Bheema-vikramam prabhum vichitra-tandava-priyam Kashika-puradhinatha-Kalabhairavam bhaje.

Holding the trident, axe, noose and staff, the first cause, dark of body, the primal god, imperishable and free of all ill, of terrible might, the Lord who loves the wondrous Tandava: I worship Kalabhairav, lord of Kashi.

भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तचारुविग्रहं भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोकविग्रहम्। विनिक्वणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणीलसत्कटिं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥

Bhukti-mukti-dayakam prashasta-charu-vigraham Bhakta-vatsalam sthitam samasta-loka-vigraham, Vinikvanan-manojna-hema-kinkini-lasat-katim Kashika-puradhinatha-Kalabhairavam bhaje.

Giver of worldly joy and liberation, of beautiful and auspicious form, loving to his devotees, the embodiment of all the worlds, his waist adorned with sweetly jingling golden bells: I worship Kalabhairav, lord of Kashi.

धर्मसेतुपालकं त्वधर्ममार्गनाशकं कर्मपाशमोचकं सुशर्मदायकं विभुम्। स्वर्णवर्णशेषपाशशोभिताङ्गमण्डलं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥

Dharma-setu-palakam tvadharma-marga-nashakam Karma-pasha-mochakam susharma-dayakam vibhum, Svarna-varna-shesha-pasha-shobhitanga-mandalam Kashika-puradhinatha-Kalabhairavam bhaje.

Guardian of the bridge of dharma and destroyer of the paths of adharma, who frees us from the noose of karma, giver of true happiness, the all-pervading one, whose body shines with golden serpent coils: I worship Kalabhairav, lord of Kashi.

रत्नपादुकाप्रभाभिरामपादयुग्मकं नित्यमद्वितीयमिष्टदैवतं निरञ्जनम्। मृत्युदर्पनाशनं करालदंष्ट्रमोक्षणं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥

Ratna-paduka-prabhabhirama-pada-yugmakam Nityam-advitiyam-ishta-daivatam niranjanam, Mrityu-darpa-nashanam karala-damshtra-mokshanam Kashika-puradhinatha-Kalabhairavam bhaje.

Whose feet shine lovely with jewelled sandals, eternal, without a second, the chosen deity, stainless, destroyer of the pride of Death, who frees us with his fearsome fangs: I worship Kalabhairav, lord of Kashi.

अट्टहासभिन्नपद्मजाण्डकोशसन्ततिं दृष्टिपातनष्टपापजालमुग्रशासनम्। अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपालमालिकाधरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥

Atta-hasa-bhinna-padmajanda-kosha-santatim Drishti-pata-nashta-papa-jalam-ugra-shasanam, Ashta-siddhi-dayakam kapala-malika-dharam Kashika-puradhinatha-Kalabhairavam bhaje.

Whose thunderous laughter shatters the shells of the universes born of Brahma, whose mere glance destroys the web of sin, stern ruler, giver of the eight siddhis, wearing a garland of skulls: I worship Kalabhairav, lord of Kashi.

भूतसङ्घनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकं काशिवासलोकपुण्यपापशोधकं विभुम्। नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥

Bhoota-sangha-nayakam vishala-keerti-dayakam Kashi-vasa-loka-punya-papa-shodhakam vibhum, Niti-marga-kovidam puratanam jagatpatim Kashika-puradhinatha-Kalabhairavam bhaje.

Leader of the hosts of beings, giver of great renown, the Lord who judges the merit and sin of those who live in Kashi, wise in the ways of right conduct, ancient, master of the world: I worship Kalabhairav, lord of Kashi.

कालभैरवाष्टकं पठन्ति ये मनोहरं ज्ञानमुक्तिसाधनं विचित्रपुण्यवर्धनम्। शोकमोहदैन्यलोभकोपतापनाशनं प्रयान्ति कालभैरवाङ्घ्रिसन्निधिं नरा ध्रुवम्॥

Kalabhairavashtakam pathanti ye manoharam Jnana-mukti-sadhanam vichitra-punya-vardhanam, Shoka-moha-dainya-lobha-kopa-tapa-nashanam Prayanti Kalabhairavanghri-sannidhim nara dhruvam.

Those who recite this lovely Kalabhairav Ashtakam, a means to knowledge and liberation that increases merit and destroys grief, delusion, poverty, greed, anger and suffering, surely reach the feet of Kalabhairav.