Bhairava Tandava Stotram (Kashtahara Bhairava Ashtakam)
श्रीभैरवताण्डवस्तोत्रम् / कष्टहरं श्रीभैरवाष्टकस्तोत्रम्
Sanskrit
ॐ चण्डं प्रतिचण्डं करधृतदण्डं कृतरिपुखण्डं सौख्यकरं लोकं सुखयन्तं विलसितसन्तं प्रकटितदन्तं नृत्यकरम् । डमरुध्वनिशङ्खं तरलवतंसं मधुरहसन्तं लोकभरं भज भज भूतेशं प्रकटमहेशं भैरववेषं कष्टहरम् ॥१॥
Transliteration
oṃ caṇḍaṃ praticaṇḍaṃ karadhṛtadaṇḍaṃ kṛtaripukhaṇḍaṃ saukhyakaraṃ lokaṃ sukhayantaṃ vilasitasantaṃ prakaṭitadantaṃ nṛtyakaram | ḍamarudhvaniśaṅkhaṃ taralavataṃsaṃ madhurahasantaṃ lokabharaṃ bhaja bhaja bhūteśaṃ prakaṭamaheśaṃ bhairavaveṣaṃ kaṣṭaharam ||1||
Translation
Fierce and fiercer than fierce, holding the staff in his hand, who has cut the enemies to pieces, giver of happiness; delighting the world, radiantly serene, showing his teeth, ever-dancing; with the sound of the damaru and conch, with swaying earrings, sweetly smiling, bearing the burden of the world, worship, worship the Lord of beings, the manifest Maheśa in Bhairava-form, the remover of suffering.
Deep Meaning
The opening verse establishes Bhairava as Kaṣṭahara, the remover of all difficulty. Though caṇḍa-praticaṇḍa (fierce beyond fierce) and staff-wielding destroyer of enemies, he is saukhya-kara (giver of joy) and the delight of the world. The damaru and conch are the primal sound; the sweet smile amid fierce fangs is the paradox of Bhairava, terror and tenderness together.
Sanskrit
चर्चितसिन्दूरं रणभूविदूरं दुष्टविदूरं श्रीनिकरं किङ्किणिगणरावं त्रिभुवनपावं खर्प्परसावं पुण्यभरम् । करुणामयवेषं सकलसुरेशं मुक्तसुकेशं पापहरं भज भज भूतेशं प्रकटमहेशं भैरववेषं कष्टहरम् ॥२॥
Transliteration
carcitasindūraṃ raṇabhūvidūraṃ duṣṭavidūraṃ śrīnikaraṃ kiṅkiṇigaṇarāvaṃ tribhuvanapāvaṃ kharpparasāvaṃ puṇyabharam | karuṇāmayaveṣaṃ sakalasureśaṃ muktasukeśaṃ pāpaharaṃ bhaja bhaja bhūteśaṃ prakaṭamaheśaṃ bhairavaveṣaṃ kaṣṭaharam ||2||
Translation
Smeared with vermilion, far from the battlefield yet keeping the wicked far away, a mass of splendour; with the ringing of a cluster of tiny bells, purifier of the three worlds, holding the skull-bowl, laden with merit; of compassion-filled form, lord of all the gods, with loosened beautiful locks, remover of sin, worship, worship the Lord of beings, the manifest Maheśa in Bhairava-form, the remover of suffering.
Deep Meaning
Bhairava adorned with sindūra (vermilion) and ringing anklet-bells purifies the three worlds (tribhuvana-pāva). Holding the kharpara (skull-bowl), he is puṇya-bhara (laden with merit) and pāpa-hara (remover of sin), fierce to the wicked, compassionate (karuṇāmaya) to devotees.
Sanskrit
कलिमलसंहारं मदनविहारं फणिपतिहारं शीघ्रकरं कलुषं शमयन्तं परिभृतसन्तं मत्तदृगन्तं शुद्धतरम् । गतिनिन्दितकेशं नर्तनदेशं स्वच्छकशं सन्मुण्डकरं भज भज भूतेशं प्रकटमहेशं भैरववेषं कष्टहरम् ॥३॥
Transliteration
kalimalasaṃhāraṃ madanavihāraṃ phaṇipatihāraṃ śīghrakaraṃ kaluṣaṃ śamayantaṃ paribhṛtasantaṃ mattadṛgantaṃ śuddhataram | gatininditakeśaṃ nartanadeśaṃ svacchakaśaṃ sanmuṇḍakaraṃ bhaja bhaja bhūteśaṃ prakaṭamaheśaṃ bhairavaveṣaṃ kaṣṭaharam ||3||
Translation
Destroyer of the impurity of the Kali age, sporting like the god of love, wearing the lord of serpents as a garland, swift to act; quelling all defilement, sustaining the good, with intoxicated glances, utterly pure; whose flowing hair shames all motion, at home in the dance, pure-bodied, bearing an auspicious skull, worship, worship the Lord of beings, the manifest Maheśa in Bhairava-form, the remover of suffering.
Deep Meaning
Bhairava is kali-mala-saṃhāra, destroyer of the moral filth of the dark age, swift (śīghra-kara) to answer devotees. Serpent-garlanded, dancing, intoxicated yet supremely pure (śuddhatara), he sustains the good (paribhṛta-santa) and quells all defilement.
Sanskrit
कठिनस्तनकुम्भं सुकृतसुलम्भं कालीडिम्भं खड्गधरं वृतभूतपिशाचं स्फुटमृदुवाचं स्निग्धसुकाचं भक्तभरम् । तनुभाजितशेषं विलमसुदेशं सर्वसुरेशं प्रीतिनरं भज भज भूतेशं प्रकटमहेशं भैरववेषं कष्टहरम् ॥४॥
Transliteration
kaṭhinastanakumbhaṃ sukṛtasulambhaṃ kālīḍimbhaṃ khaḍgadharaṃ vṛtabhūtapiśācaṃ sphuṭamṛduvācaṃ snigdhasukācaṃ bhaktabharam | tanubhājitaśeṣaṃ vilamasudeśaṃ sarvasureśaṃ prītinaraṃ bhaja bhaja bhūteśaṃ prakaṭamaheśaṃ bhairavaveṣaṃ kaṣṭaharam ||4||
Translation
Firm-breasted like pots (his Shakti aspect), easily won by good deeds, joined with Kali, sword-bearer; surrounded by ghosts and goblins, of clearly gentle speech, of smooth radiance, sustainer of devotees; adorned with the Shesha serpent on his body, of a lovely realm, lord of all the gods, delighting in men, worship, worship the Lord of beings, the manifest Maheśa in Bhairava-form, the remover of suffering.
Deep Meaning
This verse reveals Bhairava's inseparable union with Kali (kālī-ḍimbha). Fierce to the ghosts and goblins that attend him, his speech to devotees is sphuṭa-mṛdu (clearly gentle). He is easily attained by sukṛta (good deeds), not complex ritual, and delights in his human devotees (prīti-nara).
Sanskrit
ललिताननचन्द्रं सुमनवितन्द्रं बोधितमन्द्रं श्रेष्ठवरं सुखिताखिललोकं परिहृतशोकं शुद्धविलोकं पुष्टिकरं । वरदाभयहारं तरलिततारं क्षुद्रविदारं तुष्टिकरं भज भज भूतेशं प्रकटमहेशं भैरववेषं कष्टहरम् ॥५॥
Transliteration
lalitānanacandraṃ sumanavitandraṃ bodhitamandraṃ śreṣṭhavaraṃ sukhitākhilalokaṃ parihṛtaśokaṃ śuddhavilokaṃ puṣṭikaraṃ | varadābhayahāraṃ taralitatāraṃ kṣudravidāraṃ tuṣṭikaraṃ bhaja bhaja bhūteśaṃ prakaṭamaheśaṃ bhairavaveṣaṃ kaṣṭaharam ||5||
Translation
Whose lovely face is like the moon, free of dullness with a bright mind, awakening with his deep sound, supreme boon-giver; who makes all worlds happy, removes sorrow, whose gaze is pure, who nourishes; wearing boons and fearlessness as a garland, swiftly ferrying across, tearing apart the petty, giving contentment, worship, worship the Lord of beings, the manifest Maheśa in Bhairava-form, the remover of suffering.
Deep Meaning
The mood turns serene: Bhairava's moon-like face (lalitānana-candra) cools the fever of saṃsāra. Wearing varada (boons) and abhaya (fearlessness) as ornaments, he swiftly ferries devotees across (taralita-tāra), tears apart the petty (kṣudra-vidāra), and grants deep contentment (tuṣṭikara).
Sanskrit
सकलायुधभारं विजनविहारं सुश्रविशारं भ्रष्टमलं शरणागतपालं मृगमदभालं सञ्जितकालं स्वेष्टबलम् । पदनूपूरशिञ्जं त्रिनयनकञ्जं गुणिजनरञ्जं कुष्ठहरं भज भज भूतेशं प्रकटमहेशं भैरववेषं कष्टहरम् ॥६॥
Transliteration
sakalāyudhabhāraṃ vijanavihāraṃ suśraviśāraṃ bhraṣṭamalaṃ śaraṇāgatapālaṃ mṛgamadabhālaṃ sañjitakālaṃ sveṣṭabalam | padanūpūraśiñjaṃ trinayanakañjaṃ guṇijanarañjaṃ kuṣṭhaharaṃ bhaja bhaja bhūteśaṃ prakaṭamaheśaṃ bhairavaveṣaṃ kaṣṭaharam ||6||
Translation
Bearing the load of all weapons, wandering in solitary places, of wide fame, free of all impurity; protector of those who take refuge, with musk upon his brow, conqueror of Time, the strength of the beloved; with tinkling anklets on his feet, lotus-like three eyes, delighting the virtuous, remover of leprosy and disease, worship, worship the Lord of beings, the manifest Maheśa in Bhairava-form, the remover of suffering.
Deep Meaning
Armed with all weapons yet wandering the solitary cremation-places, Bhairava is śaraṇāgata-pāla (protector of the surrendered) and sañjita-kāla (conqueror of Time itself). He delights the virtuous (guṇijana-rañja) and removes even disease (kuṣṭha-hara).
Sanskrit
मदयुतसंरावं प्रकटितभावं विश्वसुभावं ज्ञानपदं रक्तांशुकजोषं परिकृततोषं नाशितदोषं सन्मतिदम् । कुटिलभ्रुकुटीकं ज्वरधननीकं विसरन्ध्रीकं प्रेमभरं भज भज भूतेशं प्रकटमहेशं भैरववेषं कष्टहरम् ॥७॥
Transliteration
madayutasaṃrāvaṃ prakaṭitabhāvaṃ viśvasubhāvaṃ jñānapadaṃ raktāṃśukajoṣaṃ parikṛtatoṣaṃ nāśitadoṣaṃ sanmatidam | kuṭilabhrukuṭīkaṃ jvaradhananīkaṃ visarandhrīkaṃ premabharaṃ bhaja bhaja bhūteśaṃ prakaṭamaheśaṃ bhairavaveṣaṃ kaṣṭaharam ||7||
Translation
Roaring with intoxication, of manifest feeling, of universal good-nature, the seat of knowledge; fond of red garments, fully contented, destroyer of all faults, giver of right understanding; with curved, knitted brows, an army that routs fever and disease, all-pervading, laden with love, worship, worship the Lord of beings, the manifest Maheśa in Bhairava-form, the remover of suffering.
Deep Meaning
Ecstatic and roaring (mada-yuta-saṃrāva), yet the very seat of knowledge (jñāna-pada), Bhairava destroys all faults (nāśita-doṣa) and grants right discernment (sanmati-da). His knitted brow routs disease like an army; underneath, he is premabhara, laden with love.
Sanskrit
परिनिर्जितकामं विलसितवामं योगिजनाभं योगेशं बहुमद्यपनाथं गीतसुगाथं कृष्टसुनाथं वीरेशम् । कलयन्तमशेषं भृतजनदेशं नृत्यसुरेशं दत्तवरं भज भज भूतेशं प्रकटमहेशं भैरववेषं कष्टहरम् ॥८॥
Transliteration
parinirjitakāmaṃ vilasitavāmaṃ yogijanābhaṃ yogeśaṃ bahumadyapanāthaṃ gītasugāthaṃ kṛṣṭasunāthaṃ vīreśam | kalayantamaśeṣaṃ bhṛtajanadeśaṃ nṛtyasureśaṃ dattavaraṃ bhaja bhaja bhūteśaṃ prakaṭamaheśaṃ bhairavaveṣaṃ kaṣṭaharam ||8||
Translation
Who has wholly conquered desire, sporting with his consort on the left, the radiance of yogis, lord of yoga; lord of many who partake of the sacred draught, sweetly sung in song, the noble lord drawn near, lord of heroes; measuring out all things, sustaining the realm of his people, lord of the dancing gods, giver of boons, worship, worship the Lord of beings, the manifest Maheśa in Bhairava-form, the remover of suffering.
Deep Meaning
The closing verse: having conquered desire (parinirjita-kāma), Bhairava is yogeśa (lord of yoga) and vīreśa (lord of the heroic vīra-sādhakas). As nṛtya-sureśa, lord of the dancing gods, and datta-vara (boon-giver), the Tāṇḍava reaches its resolution: the fierce cosmic dance is itself the outpouring of grace.
Benefits of Recitation
- ✦Complete removal of all difficulties and suffering (kashtahara)
- ✦The powerful "Bhaja bhaja bhuteśam" refrain builds devotional momentum
- ✦Union with Shakti (Kali), awakening of the divine feminine
- ✦Protection from inner enemies and worldly obstacles
- ✦Purification of sins and the impurities of the Kali age
- ✦Contentment, nourishment, and fearlessness (varada-abhaya)
- ✦Even disease and fever are said to be removed
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