Lord Shiva has several forms and avatars (manifestation of a deity in physical body form). Although his original ascetic form is widely revered, his paśupatinātha and viśvanātha avatar are also quite famous. But, one of the most fearsome avatars of Lord Shiva is the kālabhairava. This form of Shiva, described by ādi śankarāchārya in the kālabhairava aṣṭakam, is shown to be naked, black, entwined with a garland of skulls, three eyes, weapons of destruction in his four hands, and entwined with snakes.
The depiction of this form may seem at odds with the dispassionate, calm, and meditative form that many pray to every day, but there is a deep symbolism associated with kālabhairava. The depiction of kālabhairava is vikraala (large and fearsome). It signifies that time eats away everything. Anything that is present in this world will dissolve and perish with time. The kings and empires that were here thousands of years ago, the wonders that are present now, and anything that will come in the future - they will all perish as time passes.
In the kālabhairava aṣṭakam, where ādi śankarāchārya praised Lord Kalabhairava as the Lord of kāśī, he actually means the Agya Chakra – signifying total awareness of the present moment. This is also coveted by all the devatas (divine energies). ādi śankarāchārya says that even the lords, those divine energies, bow down at the feet of kālabhairava, yearning for that state of bliss and samadhi.
dēvarāja sēvyamāna pāvanāṅghri paṅkajaṃ
vyāḻayajña sūtramindu śēkharaṃ kṛpākaram ।
nāradādi yōgibṛnda vanditaṃ digambaraṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 1 ॥
Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, whose lotus feet are revered by Lord Indra, king of the devas; who has a snake as his sacrificial thread, a moon on his head and is very compassionate; who is praised by Narada, sage of the gods, and other yogis; who is a Digambara, wearing the sky as his dress, symbolizing his free being.
bhānukōṭi bhāsvaraṃ bhavabdhitārakaṃ paraṃ
nīlakaṇṭha mīpsitārdha dāyakaṃ trilōchanam ।
kālakāla mambujākṣa mastaśūnya makṣaraṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 2 ॥
Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, who has the brilliance of a million suns, who saves devotees from the cycle of rebirths, and who is supreme; who has a blue throat, who grants us our desires, and who has three eyes; who is death unto death itself and whose eyes look like a lotus; whose trident supports the world and who is immortal.
śūlaṭaṅka pāśadaṇḍa pāṇimādi kāraṇaṃ
śyāmakāya mādidēva makṣaraṃ nirāmayam ।
bhīmavikramaṃ prabhuṃ vichitra tāṇḍava priyaṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 3 ॥
Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, who holds the trident, mattock, noose, and club in his hands; whose body is dark, who is the primordial Lord, who is immortal, and free from the diseases of the world; who is immensely mighty and who loves the wonderful tandava dance.
bhukti mukti dāyakaṃ praśastachāru vigrahaṃ
bhaktavatsalaṃ sthitaṃ samastalōka vigraham ।
nikvaṇan-manōjña hēma kiṅkiṇī lasatkaṭiṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 4 ॥
Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, the one who bestows both desires and salvation, who has a pleasing appearance; who is loving to his devotees, who is stable as the god of all the worlds; who wears a golden belt around his waist with bells that make a melodious sound when he moves.
dharmasētu pālakaṃ tvadharmamārga nāśakaṃ
karmapāśa mōchakaṃ suśarma dāyakaṃ vibhum ।
svarṇavarṇa kēśapāśa śobhitāṅga maṇḍalaṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 5 ॥
Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, who ensures that dharma (righteousness) prevails, who destroys the path of adharma (unrighteousness); who saves us from the bonds of karma, thereby freeing our soul; and who has golden-hued snakes entwined around his body.
ratna pādukā prabhābhirāma pādayugmakaṃ
nitya madvitīya miṣṭa daivataṃ nirañjanam ।
mṛtyudarpa nāśanaṃ karāḻadaṃṣṭra mōkṣaṇaṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 6 ॥
Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, whose feet are adorned with two golden sandals with gems; who is the eternal, non-dual Ishta devata (god who grants our desires); who destroys the pride of Yama (God of Death); whose terrible teeth liberate us.
aṭṭahāsa bhinna padmajāṇḍakōśa santatiṃ
dṛṣṭipāta naṣṭapāpa jālamugra śāsanam ।
aṣṭasiddhi dāyakaṃ kapālamālikā dharaṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 7 ॥
Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, whose loud roar destroys the sheaths of creations (meaning the delusions of our mind) of the lotus-born Brahma; whose very glance is enough to destroy all our sins; who gives us the eight siddhis (accomplishments); and who wears a garland of skulls.
bhūtasaṅgha nāyakaṃ viśālakīrti dāyakaṃ
kāśivāsi lōka puṇyapāpa śōdhakaṃ vibhum ।
nītimārga kōvidaṃ purātanaṃ jagatpatiṃ
kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavaṃ bhajē ॥ 8 ॥
Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi, who is the leader of ghosts and goblins, who bestows glory; who frees the people of Kashi from their sinful and righteous deeds; who guides us on the path of righteousness, who is the most ancient (eternal) lord of the universe.
kālabhairavāṣṭakaṃ paṭhanti yē manōharaṃ
jñānamukti sādhakaṃ vichitra puṇya vardhanam ।
śōkamōha lōbhadainya kōpatāpa nāśanaṃ
tē prayānti kālabhairavāṅghri sannidhiṃ dhruvam ॥
Salutations to Lord Kalabhairava, the supreme lord of Kashi. Those who read these eight verses of the Kalabhairava Ashtakam, which is beautiful, which is a source of knowledge and liberation, which increases the various forms of righteousness in a person, which destroys grief, attachment, poverty, greed, anger, and heat - will attain (after death) the feet of Lord Kalabhairava (Lord Shiva).
iti śrīmachchaṅkarāchārya virachitaṃ kālabhairavāṣṭakaṃ sampūrṇam ।
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