Kalabhairava Ashtakam
Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya; the closing colophon names him as its author and the hymn is printed in the Complete Works of Shankaracharya. It has eight verses in praise of Kalabhairava as lord of the city of Kashi, each ending with the same refrain, followed by a ninth verse on the fruit of reciting it. A closely similar hymn is also found in the Shiva Rahasya, where Shiva teaches it to Parvati for the worship of Kalashtami. The Sanskrit given here follows the text published by Sanskrit Documents. The meanings are plain prose renderings written for this site and are not a word-for-word translation.
Verse 1
देवराजसेव्यमानपावनांघ्रिपङ्कजं व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम् । नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगंबरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ १॥
I worship Kalabhairava, the lord of the city of Kashi, whose pure lotus feet are served by Indra, the king of the gods. He wears a serpent as his sacred thread and the moon on his head, and he is full of compassion. Narada and the other yogis bow to him, and the sky itself is his only garment.
Verse 2
भानुकोटिभास्वरं भवाब्धितारकं परं नीलकण्ठमीप्सितार्थदायकं त्रिलोचनम् । कालकालमंबुजाक्षमक्षशूलमक्षरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ २॥
He shines like ten million suns and carries beings across the ocean of worldly existence; he is the supreme one. Blue-throated and three-eyed, he gives his devotees what they long for. He is death to Death itself, lotus-eyed, armed with the trident, and imperishable. I worship that Kalabhairava, lord of Kashi.
Verse 3
शूलटंकपाशदण्डपाणिमादिकारणं श्यामकायमादिदेवमक्षरं निरामयम् । भीमविक्रमं प्रभुं विचित्रताण्डवप्रियं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ३॥
He holds the trident, the axe, the noose and the staff in his hands, and he is the first cause of all things. Dark of body, he is the primal god, undecaying and free from every affliction. He is the lord of fearsome valour who delights in the wondrous tandava dance. I worship that Kalabhairava, lord of Kashi.
Verse 4
भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तचारुविग्रहं भक्तवत्सलं स्थितं समस्तलोकविग्रहम् । विनिक्वणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणीलसत्कटिं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ४॥
He grants both the enjoyments of this world and liberation, and his form is praised for its beauty. He is tender towards his devotees and stands as the very embodiment of all the worlds. Sweet-sounding bells of gold shine at his waist. I worship that Kalabhairava, lord of Kashi.
Verse 5
धर्मसेतुपालकं त्वधर्ममार्गनाशकं कर्मपाशमोचकं सुशर्मदायकं विभुम् । स्वर्णवर्णशेषपाशशोभितांगमण्डलं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ५॥
He guards the bridge of dharma and destroys the path of adharma. He loosens the bonds of karma and gives true well-being; he is the all-pervading lord. His limbs are adorned with coils of serpents that gleam like gold. I worship that Kalabhairava, lord of Kashi.
Verse 6
रत्नपादुकाप्रभाभिरामपादयुग्मकं नित्यमद्वितीयमिष्टदैवतं निरंजनम् । मृत्युदर्पनाशनं करालदंष्ट्रमोक्षदं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ६॥
His two feet are radiant with the glow of jewelled sandals. He is eternal, without a second, the chosen deity of his devotees, and free from every stain. He destroys the pride of Death and delivers from Death's dreadful fangs. I worship that Kalabhairava, lord of Kashi.
Verse 7
अट्टहासभिन्नपद्मजाण्डकोशसंततिं दृष्टिपातनष्टपापजालमुग्रशासनम् । अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपालमालिकाधरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ७॥
His loud laughter shatters the whole succession of worlds born from the egg of the lotus-born Brahma. A single glance from him destroys the web of sins, and his rule is stern. He grants the eight siddhis and wears a garland of skulls. I worship that Kalabhairava, lord of Kashi.
Verse 8
भूतसंघनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकं काशिवासलोकपुण्यपापशोधकं विभुम् । नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्पतिं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥ ८॥
He is the leader of the hosts of spirits and the giver of wide renown. He is the lord who sifts the merit and the sin of the people who live in Kashi. Skilled in the path of right conduct, he is the ancient one and the master of the world. I worship that Kalabhairava, lord of Kashi.
Phalashruti
कालभैरवाष्टकं पठंति ये मनोहरं ज्ञानमुक्तिसाधनं विचित्रपुण्यवर्धनम् । शोकमोहदैन्यलोभकोपतापनाशनं प्रयान्ति कालभैरवांघ्रिसन्निधिं नरा ध्रुवम् ॥
This is the closing verse on the fruit of recitation. Those who recite this beautiful Kalabhairava Ashtakam, which leads to knowledge and liberation and increases merit of many kinds, are freed of grief, delusion, wretchedness, greed, anger and distress. They surely reach the presence of the feet of Kalabhairava.
Where the information comes from: sanskritdocuments.org, sa.wikisource.org, sanskritdocuments.org