Kalika Ashtakam

ध्यान
गलद्रक्तमुण्डावलीकण्ठमाला
महोघोररावा सुदंष्ट्रा कराला ।
विवस्त्रा श्मशानालया मुक्तकेशी
महाकालकामाकुला कालिकेयम् ॥१॥

dhyāna
galadraktamuṇḍāvalīkaṇṭhamālā
mahoghorarāvā sudaṃṣṭrā karālā .
vivastrā śmaśānālayā muktakeśī
mahākālakāmākulā kālikeyam ..1..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) from her neck is hanging a garland of (severed) heads from which blood is dripping down,
she is making a very terrific sound revealing her large teeth, and her appearance is extremely dreadful to look at,
she is without any clothes and residing in the cremation ground; her hair is let loose and free (as is her entire appearance),
her entire being is manifesting the great yearning to merge with mahakala (to take the devotees beyond samsara); she is Kalika, the great dark goddess.

भुजेवामयुग्मे शिरोऽसिं दधाना
वरं दक्षयुग्मेऽभयं वै तथैव ।
सुमध्याऽपि तुङ्गस्तना भारनम्रा
लसद्रक्तसृक्कद्वया सुस्मितास्या ॥२॥

bhujevāmayugme śiro’siṃ dadhānā
varaṃ dakṣayugme’bhayaṃ vai tathaiva .
sumadhyā’pi tuṅgastanā bhāranamrā
lasadraktasṛkkadvayā susmitāsyā ..2..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) with her left pair of hands, she is holding a head and a sword (symbols of death), …
and in like manner with her right pair of hands, she is depicting the vara (boon-giving) and abhaya (fearlessness) mudras (gestures) (assurance of taking the devotees to the world beyond death),
her well-built middle torso is slightly bent with the weight of her lofty breasts,
her pair of lips are shining with redness (the colour of blood), at the corner of which is playing a beautiful smile (of death).

शवद्वन्द्वकर्णावतंसा सुकेशी
लसत्प्रेतपाणिं प्रयुक्तैककाञ्ची ।
शवाकारमञ्चाधिरूढा शिवाभिश्_
चतुर्दिक्षुशब्दायमानाऽभिरेजे ॥३॥

śavadvandvakarṇāvataṃsā sukeśī
lasatpretapāṇiṃ prayuktaikakāñcī .
śavākāramañcādhirūḍhā śivābhiś_
caturdikṣuśabdāyamānā’bhireje ..3..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) her pair of ear rings are displaying the symbols of corpse (death) and she is having a beautiful long hair,
her shining girdle in the waist is made up of the (severed) joined hands of the dead,
she is mounted on the platform of corpses; .. and jackals …
from all four directions are making howling sounds (of terror); … and in the midst of all these is reigning Kalika, the great dark goddess.

स्तुतिः
विरञ्च्यादिदेवास्त्रयस्ते गुणास्त्रीन्
समाराध्य कालीं प्रधाना बभूबुः ।
अनादिं सुरादिं मखादिं भवादिं
स्वरूपं त्वदीयं न विन्दन्ति देवाः ॥१॥

stutiḥ
virañcyādidevāstrayaste guṇāstrīn
samārādhya kālīṃ pradhānā babhūbuḥ .
anādiṃ surādiṃ makhādiṃ bhavādiṃ
svarūpaṃ tvadīyaṃ na vindanti devāḥ ..1..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) viranchi (sri brahma) and the other devas of the trinity, by taking recourse to your three gunas, …
and equally considering Kali as their aradhya (worshippable), have become the chief among the devas,
you are without any beginning, you are the beginning of all devas (i.e. the primordial power giving birth to the devas), you are the beginning of all sacrifices (i.e. the primordial power to which all sacrificial oblations go), you are the beginning of all the worlds (i.e. the primordial power giving birth to the worlds),
even the devas do not know your transcendental nature.

जगन्मोहनीयं तु वाग्वादिनीयं
सुहृत्पोषिणीशत्रुसंहारणीयम् ।
वचस्तम्भनीयं किमुच्चाटनीयं
स्वरूपं त्वदीयं न विन्दन्ति देवाः ॥२॥

jaganmohanīyaṃ tu vāgvādinīyaṃ
suhṛtpoṣiṇīśatrusaṃhāraṇīyam .
vacastambhanīyaṃ kimuccāṭanīyaṃ
svarūpaṃ tvadīyaṃ na vindanti devāḥ ..2..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) you are the power enchanting the worlds, and (what more), you are the power proclaiming speech itself,
you are the power which nourish the good-hearted, and you are the power which destroy the enemies (i.e. evil hearted),
you are the power which can supress the speech, and what more, you are the power which can eradicate speech itself (i.e. destroy the vain pride of enemies),
even the devas do not know your transcendental nature.

इयं स्वर्गदात्री पुनः कल्पवल्ली
मनोजास्तु कामान् यथार्थं प्रकुर्यात् ।
तथा ते कृतार्था भवन्तीति नित्यं
स्वरूपं त्वदीयं न विन्दन्ति देवाः ॥३॥

iyaṃ svargadātrī punaḥ kalpavallī
manojāstu kāmān yathārthaṃ prakuryāt .
tathā te kṛtārthā bhavantīti nityaṃ
svarūpaṃ tvadīyaṃ na vindanti devāḥ ..3..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) you can give heaven itself (i.e. great prosperity), and again like a wish-fulfilling creeper …
fulfill the mind-born wishes uttered with true devotion,
thus, to you the world is always grateful,
even the devas do not know your transcendental nature.

सुरापानमत्ता सुभक्तानुरक्ता
लसत्पूतचित्ते सदाविर्भवत्ते ।
जपध्यानपूजासुधाधौतपङ्का
स्वरूपं त्वदीयं न विन्दन्ति देवाः ॥४॥

surāpānamattā subhaktānuraktā
lasatpūtacitte sadāvirbhavatte .
japadhyānapūjāsudhādhautapaṅkā
svarūpaṃ tvadīyaṃ na vindanti devāḥ ..4..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) you take great delight drinking the sura (liquor signifying transcendental bliss) and you are pleased with sincere devotees,
within the heart shining with purity, you always manifest yourself, …
the heart which is cleansed of impurities by the nectar of japa (repetition of god’s name), dhyana (meditation) and puja (worshipping god),
even the devas do not know your transcendental nature.

चिदानन्दकन्दं हसन् मन्दमन्दं
शरच्चन्द्रकोटिप्रभापुञ्जबिम्बम् ।
मुनीनां कवीनां हृदि द्योतयन्तं
स्वरूपं त्वदीयं न विन्दन्ति देवाः ॥५॥

cidānandakandaṃ hasan mandamandaṃ
śaraccandrakoṭiprabhāpuñjabimbam .
munīnāṃ kavīnāṃ hṛdi dyotayantaṃ
svarūpaṃ tvadīyaṃ na vindanti devāḥ ..5..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) you are a form within the sky of consciousness of spiritual bliss and you make your presence felt by smiling gently (deep within),
your form is like the moon in the autumn sky (of spiritual consciousness) which reflects the million rays contained within it,
the sages and the enlightened feel your presence within the caves of their hearts,
even the devas do not know your transcendental nature.

महामेघकाली सुरक्तापि शुभ्रा
कदाचिद् विचित्राकृतिर्योगमाया ।
न बाला न वृद्धा न कामातुरापि
स्वरूपं त्वदीयं न विन्दन्ति देवाः ॥६॥

mahāmeghakālī suraktāpi śubhrā
kadācid vicitrākṛtiryogamāyā .
na bālā na vṛddhā na kāmāturāpi
svarūpaṃ tvadīyaṃ na vindanti devāḥ ..6..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) you are black like the great cloud and also deep red, and again white,
sometimes you assume various forms through your yogamaya,
you are neither a small girl, nor an old woman, and also not of any age filled with love desires (i.e. youth),
even the devas do not know your transcendental nature.

क्षमस्वापराधं महागुप्तभावं
मया लोकमध्ये प्रकाशिकृतं यत् ।
तव ध्यानपूतेन चापल्यभावात्
स्वरूपं त्वदीयं न विन्दन्ति देवाः ॥७॥

kṣamasvāparādhaṃ mahāguptabhāvaṃ
mayā lokamadhye prakāśikṛtaṃ yat .
tava dhyānapūtena cāpalyabhāvāt
svarūpaṃ tvadīyaṃ na vindanti devāḥ ..7..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) please forgive my mistake (if any), (because) your great hidden nature …
has been revealed by me in the midst of the world,
it has been revealed by the childlike nature (within me) which has been made pure by meditation on you,
even the devas do not know your transcendental nature.

यदि ध्यानयुक्तं पठेद् यो मनुष्यस्_
तदा सर्वलोके विशालो भवेच्च ।
गृहे चाष्टसिद्धिर्मृते चापि मुक्तिः
स्वरूपं त्वदीयं न विन्दन्ति देवाः ॥८॥

yadi dhyānayuktaṃ paṭhed yo manuṣyas_
tadā sarvaloke viśālo bhavecca .
gṛhe cāṣṭasiddhirmṛte cāpi muktiḥ
svarūpaṃ tvadīyaṃ na vindanti devāḥ ..8..

(Salutations to devi Kalika) if any person reads this with meditative devotion, …
then he will become great in all the worlds,
in the house (i.e. while living in this world) he will get the eight siddhis, and after death he will attain liberation,
even the devas do not know your transcendental nature.

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॥ इति श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्यविरचितं श्रीकालिकाष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥

.. iti śrīmacchaṅkarācāryaviracitaṃ śrīkālikāṣṭakaṃ sampūrṇam ..

Kalika Ashtakam – Introduction

The Kalika Ashtakam is a Sanskrit hymn of eight verses dedicated to Goddess Kali, the fierce and protective form of the Divine Mother. This devotional text focuses on Kali’s powerful aspects as the destroyer of evil and protector of devotees. Unlike prayers to gentler goddess forms, this ashtakam addresses Kali’s dark and terrifying appearance, understanding that her fierce nature represents divine protection and the destruction of negative forces.

The eight verses describe Kali’s distinctive iconography – her dark complexion, wild flowing hair, garland of heads, and her dance on Shiva’s chest. These dramatic images carry deep symbolic meaning about overcoming death, time, and spiritual ignorance. The hymn progresses through different aspects of her power, from her physical appearance to her role as the cosmic destroyer of demons and evil forces. Each verse emphasizes both her terrifying strength and her compassionate protection of sincere devotees who seek her help.

The Kalika Ashtakam is especially popular in Bengal, Assam, and other regions where Kali worship is strong. Devotees recite it during Kali Puja, on new moon nights, and when facing difficulties or seeking protection from enemies. The hymn appeals to those who need the goddess’s fierce intervention in their lives – whether for removing obstacles, destroying negative influences, or gaining the courage to face challenges. The ashtakam serves as both a prayer for protection and a means of connecting with the transformative power of the Dark Mother who helps devotees overcome fear and spiritual obstacles.