Sri Kala Bhairava Panchratna Stuti
श्रीकालभैरवपञ्चरत्नस्तुतिः
Sanskrit
खड्गं कपालं डमरुं त्रिशूलं हस्ताम्बुजे सन्दधतं त्रिणेत्रम् । दिगम्बरं भस्मविभूषिताङ्गं नमाम्यहं भैरवमिन्दुचूडम् ॥१॥
Transliteration
khaḍgaṃ kapālaṃ ḍamaruṃ triśūlaṃ hastāmbuje sandadhataṃ triṇetram | digambaraṃ bhasma-vibhūṣitāṅgaṃ namāmyahaṃ bhairavam-inducūḍam ||1||
Translation
I bow to Bhairava who holds a sword, skull-cup, damaru drum, and trident in his lotus-like hands, who is three-eyed, sky-clad, with body adorned with sacred ash, and who wears the crescent moon as his crown.
Deep Meaning
The opening verse establishes the iconic form of Kala Bhairava: the four implements represent his powers over time (khadga/sword), ego-death (kapala/skull), creation-rhythm (damaru/drum), and cosmic law (trishula/trident). Being digambara (sky-clad) symbolizes transcendence of all coverings of maya. The moon-crown indicates mastery over the mind and time-cycles.
Sanskrit
कवित्वदं सत्वरमेव मोदान्नतालये शम्भुमनोऽभिरामम् । नमामि यानीकृतसारमेयं भवाब्धिपारं गमयन्तमाशु ॥२॥
Transliteration
kavitvadaṃ sattvaram-eva modān-natālaye śambhu-mano'bhirāmam | namāmi yānīkṛta-sārameyaṃ bhavābdhi-pāraṃ gamayantam-āśu ||2||
Translation
I bow to Him who swiftly grants poetic genius and joy to those who prostrate, who delights the heart of Lord Shambhu, who has made the dog His vehicle, and who quickly ferries devotees across the ocean of worldly existence.
Deep Meaning
Bhairava bestows kavitva (poetic brilliance/wisdom) rapidly (satvaram) to the devoted. He delights even Shiva himself. The dog (sarameya) as vahana represents loyalty, innocence, and the ability to sense subtle energies. He is the swift ferryman across the ocean of samsara.
Sanskrit
जरादिदुःखौघविभेददक्षं विरागिसंसेव्यपदारविन्दम् । नराधिपत्वप्रदमाशु नन्त्रे सुराधिपं भैरवमानतोऽस्मि ॥३॥
Transliteration
jarādi-duḥkhaugha-vibheda-dakṣaṃ virāgi-saṃsevya-padāravindam | narādhipatva-pradam-āśu nantre surādhipaṃ bhairavam-ānato'smi ||3||
Translation
I prostrate before Bhairava, the lord of the gods, who is skilled at destroying the flood of sufferings beginning with old age, whose lotus feet are served by the dispassionate, and who swiftly grants sovereignty to those who bow to Him.
Deep Meaning
Bhairava destroys not just old age (jara) but the entire cascade of sufferings that accompany embodiment. The viragi (renunciants/dispassionate ones) worship his feet, yet paradoxically he also grants naradhipatva (lordship/sovereignty), showing that true power comes through surrender.
Sanskrit
शमादिसम्पत्प्रदमानतेभ्यो रमाधवाद्यर्चितपादपद्मम् । समाधिनिष्ठैस्तरसाधिगम्यं नमाम्यहं भैरवमादिनाथम् ॥४॥
Transliteration
śamādi-sampat-pradam-ānatebhyo ramādhavādyarcita-pāda-padmam | samādhi-niṣṭhais-tarasādhigamyaṃ namāmyahaṃ bhairavam-ādinātham ||4||
Translation
I bow to Bhairava, the Primordial Lord, who grants the wealth of tranquility and other virtues to those who bow, whose lotus feet are worshipped by Vishnu and other gods, and who is quickly attainable by those established in samadhi.
Deep Meaning
Bhairava grants the "shad-sampat" (six treasures of spiritual discipline) starting with shama (tranquility). Even Vishnu (Ramadhava = husband of Rama/Lakshmi) worships his feet. He is accessible through deep meditation (samadhi), establishing Bhairava as the ultimate reality beyond even the trimurtic gods.
Sanskrit
गिरामगम्यं मनसोऽपि दूरं चराचरस्य प्रभवादिहेतुम् । कराक्षिपच्छून्यमथापि रम्यं परावरं भैरवमानतोऽस्मि ॥५॥
Transliteration
girām-agamyaṃ manaso'pi dūraṃ carācarasya prabhavādi-hetum | karākṣipac-chūnyam-athāpi ramyaṃ parāvaraṃ bhairavam-ānato'smi ||5||
Translation
I prostrate before Bhairava, who is beyond the reach of speech, far even from the mind, who is the cause of creation and more of all that moves and does not move, who casts everything into the void yet is beautiful, who is both the highest and the lowest.
Deep Meaning
The culminating verse reaches the philosophical apex: Bhairava transcends language (giram-agamya) and even mental conception (manaso'pi duram). He is the primordial cause of all creation, paradoxically destroying everything into shunya (void) while remaining infinitely beautiful (ramya). He is para (supreme) and avara (immanent), the non-dual reality pervading all levels of existence.
Benefits of Recitation
- ✦Grants poetic genius and wisdom (kavitva)
- ✦Destroys sufferings of old age, disease, and worldly bondage
- ✦Bestows sovereignty and leadership qualities
- ✦Grants the six treasures of spiritual discipline (shad-sampat)
- ✦Facilitates deep meditation (samadhi)
- ✦Composed by a great Shankaracharya, carries lineage blessing
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