Kālabhairavāṣṭaka by Śankarācārya

(translated by John Woodroffe, with minor modifications)

Śiva as Bhairava, clad in an elephant skin and a tiger’s hide, with the goddess Pārvati seated beside him on a white elephant. He is pictured with his attributes of a drum, a corpse, a trident, a bowl, a stick and a deer in his six hands. Pahari School, Kangra Style; circa 1790–1800 Punjab Hills. British Museum

I worship Kālabhairava, Lord of the city of Kāśī,
Whose sacred lotus feet are worshipped by the King of Devas,
The compassionate One,
Whose sacrificial thread is made of serpents,
upon whose forehead shines the moon.
The naked one, whom Nārada and other Yogis adore.
Kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavam bhaje.

I worship Kālabhairava, Lord of the city of Kāśī,
Blazing like a million suns,
Our great Saviour in our voyage across the ocean of the world.
The blue-throated, three-eyed grantor of all desires,
The lotus-eyed one who is the death of death,
The imperishable One, holding a rosary of human bones and the trident.
Kāśikāpurādhinātha Kālabhairavam bhaje.

I worship Kālabhairava, Lord of the city of Kāśī,
The primeval cause, who holds in His hands trident, axe, noose, and staff
He whose body is black,
The first of all Devas: imperishable, incorruptible, formidable and all-powerful,
He who loves to dance;
Kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavam bhaje.

I worship Kālabhairava, Lord of the city of Kāśī,
He who possesses a great and beautiful form,
The giver of both enjoyment and liberation, 2
Who loves and smiles upon all His devotees,
Whose body is the whole world,
Whose waist is adorned with little tinkling bells; 3
Beautiful are they, and made of gold.
Kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavam bhaje.

I worship Kālabhairava, Lord of the city of Kāśī,
The protector of the bridge of dharma,
Destroyer of the path of adharma,
Liberator form the bonds of karma,
The all-pervading giver of welfare to all,
Whose golden body is adorned with serpent coils.
Kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavam bhaje.

I worship Kālabhairava, Lord of the city of Kāśī
Whose feet are beautiful with the lustre of the gems thereon —
The stainless, eternal Iṣṭadevatā,
Second to none,
Destroyer of pride, and liberator from the gaping jaw of the God of Death.
Kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavam bhaje.

I worship Kālabhairava, Lord of the city of Kāśī,
Whose loud laughter broke the shell of many an egg of the lotus-born;
A strong ruler, at whose glance the net of sin is broken;
Bestower of the eight powers,
Whose shoulders are garlanded by serpents.
Kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavam bhaje.

I worship Kālabhairava, Lord of the city of Kāśī,
The Saviour of all, giver of great fame,
The all-pervading, one purifies of both sin and virtue the people of Kāśī;
The ancient Lord of the world,
Wise in the wisdom of all moralities.
Kāśikāpurādhinātha kālabhairavam bhaje.

Source: Hymns to the Goddess by John Woodroffe 1913

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