Kalabhairava Ashtakam

Parashurama Ashtakam is the sacred hymn in praise of and as a prayer to Lord Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is also revered as Bhargava Rama, Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava, Renukanandana, and by many other divine names. This devotional hymn glorifies Lord Parashurama as the embodiment of righteousness, divine strength, unwavering discipline, and the destroyer of adharma.

Parashurama Ashtakam consists of eight beautiful verses, each describing the divine form, supreme valor, boundless grace, and glorious deeds of Bhagwan Parashurama. Every stanza inspires courage, devotion, and steadfast commitment to Dharma. The benefits of chanting this sacred hymn are traditionally cherished by devotees. It is believed that reciting Parashurama Ashtakam with devotion removes obstacles, grants strength, wisdom, protection, and bestows the divine blessings of Lord Parashurama.

This sacred hymn is widely recited during daily worship, Parashurama Jayanti, and other auspicious occasions dedicated to Lord Parashurama. It encourages devotees to cultivate righteousness, self-discipline, courage, and unwavering faith while seeking the Lord’s divine grace.

Parashurama Ashtakam is presented in Devanagari and English scripts along with a simple English translation, enabling devotees to understand its profound meaning and recite it with devotion and reverence.

॥ अथ श्रीकालभैरवाष्टकम् ॥

शिवरहस्यान्तर्गते महादेवाख्ये

शिवपार्वतीसंवादे

ईश्वर उवाच।

देवराजसेव्यमानपावनाङ्घ्रिपङ्कजंव्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम्।

नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगम्बरंकाशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥1॥

भुक्तिमुक्तिदायकं प्रशस्तचारुविग्रहंनितान्तभक्तवत्सलं समस्तलोकपालकम्।

निक्वणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणीलसत्कटिंकाशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥2॥

भानुकोटिभास्वरं भवाब्धितारकं परंनीलकण्ठनीप्सितार्थदायकं त्रिलोचनम्।

कालकालमम्बुजाक्षकन्धराहरं शिवंकाशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥3॥

शूलटङ्कपाशदण्डपाणिमादिकारणंश्यामकायमादिदेवमक्षरं निरामयम्।

भीमवक्रिमभ्रुवं विचित्रताण्डवप्रियंकाशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥4॥

रत्नपादुकाप्रभाविरामपादयुग्मकंनित्यमद्वितीयमिष्टदैवतं निरञ्जनम्।

मृत्युदर्पनाशनं करालं दंष्ट्रभीषणंकाशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥5॥

धर्मसेतुपालनमधर्ममार्गनाशनंकर्मपाशमोचनं सुकर्मदायकं प्रभुम्।

सुवर्णवर्णकेशपाशशोभिताङ्गनिर्मलंकाशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥6॥

अट्टहासभिन्नपद्द्मजाण्डकोटिसन्ततिंदृष्टिपातनष्टपापजालमुग्रशासनम्।

अष्टसिद्धिदायकं कपालमालिकाधरंकाशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥7॥

भूतसङ्घनायकं विशालकीर्तिदायकंकाशिवासकोकपुण्यपापशोधनप्रभुम्।

नीतिमार्गकोविदं पुरातनं जगत्प्रभुंकाशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥8॥

॥ फलश्रुतिः ॥

निक्वणन्मनोज्ञहेमकिङ्किणीलसत्कटिंकाशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे॥2॥

शोकमोहदैन्यलोभकोपतापनाशनंते प्रयान्ति कालभैरवादि सेवितं प्रभुं हरम्॥9॥

॥ इति शिवरहस्यान्तर्गते कालभैरवाष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥

(English Transliteration with Meaning)

Verse 1

Śubhra-dehaṁ sadā krodha-raktekṣaṇam।
Bhakta-pālaṁ kṛpāluṁ kṛpā-vāridhim।
Vipra-vaṁśāvataṁsaṁ dhanur-dhāriṇam।
Bhavya-yajñopavītaṁ kalā-kāriṇam।
Yasya haste kuṭhāraṁ mahā-tīkṣṇakam।
Reṇukānandanaṁ Jāmadagnyaṁ bhaje॥1॥

Meaning:
I worship Lord Parashurama, the beloved son of Mother Renuka and Sage Jamadagni, whose complexion is radiant and pure, whose eyes glow red with righteous anger against evil, who protects His devotees and is an ocean of compassion. He is the ornament of the Brahmin lineage, carries a mighty bow and the sharp divine axe, wears the sacred thread, and is the master of every noble art.

Verse 2

Saumya-rūpaṁ manojñaṁ surair-vanditam।
Janmataḥ brahmacāri-vrate susthiram।
Pūrṇa-tejasvinaṁ yoga-yogīśvaram।
Pāpa-santāpa-rogādi-saṁhāriṇam।
Divya-bhavyātmakaṁ śatru-saṁhārakam।
Reṇukānandanaṁ Jāmadagnyaṁ bhaje॥2॥

Meaning:
I worship Lord Parashurama, whose gentle and enchanting form is adored by the gods. From birth He remained firmly established in the vow of celibacy. He is filled with divine radiance, the supreme master of Yoga, the destroyer of sins, suffering, diseases, and evil enemies, and the embodiment of divine greatness.

Verse 3

Ṛddhi-siddhi-pradātā vidhātā bhuvo।
Jñāna-vijñāna-dātā pradātā sukham।
Viśva-dhātā sutrātā’khilaṁ viṣṭapam।
Tattva-jñātā sadā pātu mām nirbalam।
Pūjyamānaṁ niśānātha-bhāsaṁ vibhum।
Reṇukānandanaṁ Jāmadagnyaṁ bhaje॥3॥

Meaning:
I worship Lord Parashurama, who grants prosperity, spiritual attainments, true knowledge, wisdom, and happiness. He sustains and protects the entire universe, knows the highest truth, protects the weak, and shines with brilliance like the full moon while being worshipped by all.

Verse 4

Duḥkha-dāridrya-dāvāgnaye toyadam।
Buddhi-jāḍyaṁ vināśāya caitanya-dam।
Vittam-aiśvarya-dānāya vitteśvaram।
Sarva-śakti-pradānāya Lakṣmī-patim।
Maṅgalaṁ jñāna-gamyaṁ jagat-pālakam।
Reṇukānandanaṁ Jāmadagnyaṁ bhaje॥4॥

Meaning:
I worship Lord Parashurama, who is like life-giving rain that extinguishes the wildfire of sorrow and poverty, removes ignorance, awakens wisdom, grants wealth, prosperity, strength, auspiciousness, and protects the entire world.

Verse 5

Yaś ca hantā Sahasrārjunaṁ Haihayam।
Traiguṇaṁ sapta-kṛtvā mahā-krodhanaiḥ।
Duṣṭa-śūnyā dharā yena satyaṁ kṛtā।
Divya-dehaṁ dayā-dāna-devaṁ bhaje।
Ghora-rūpaṁ mahā-tejasaṁ vīrakam।
Reṇukānandanaṁ Jāmadagnyaṁ bhaje॥5॥

Meaning:
I worship Lord Parashurama, the heroic destroyer of the mighty Haihaya king Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna). Through His righteous wrath He removed the wicked from the earth many times, restored righteousness, and though fierce in battle, remained compassionate and supremely radiant.

Verse 6

Mārayitvā mahā-duṣṭa bhūpālakān।
Yena śoṇena kuṇḍe kṛtaṁ tarpaṇam।
Yena śoṇīkṛtā Śoṇa-nāmnī nadī।
Svasya deśasya mūḍhā hatā drohiṇaḥ।
Svasya rāṣṭrasya śuddhiḥ kṛtā śobhanā।
Reṇukānandanaṁ Jāmadagnyaṁ bhaje॥6॥

Meaning:
I worship Lord Parashurama, who destroyed cruel and unrighteous kings, performed sacred offerings after fulfilling His divine duty, punished traitors who harmed the land, and restored purity, justice, and righteousness throughout the nation.

Verse 7

Dīna-trātā prabho pāhi mām pālaka!
Rakṣa saṁsāra-rakṣā-vidhau dakṣaka!
Dehi saṁmohanī bhāvinī pāvanī।
Svīya-pādāravindasya sevā parā।
Pūrṇa-māruṇya-rūpaṁ paraṁ mañjulam।
Reṇukānandanaṁ Jāmadagnyaṁ bhaje॥7॥

Meaning:
O compassionate protector of the helpless, please protect and preserve me. Guard me in this worldly life and grant me purity, devotion, and the privilege of serving Your divine lotus feet. O beautiful and supremely compassionate Lord Parashurama, I bow before You.

Verse 8

Ye jayodghoṣakāḥ pāda-sampūjakāḥ।
Satvaraṁ vāñchitaṁ te labhante narāḥ।
Deha-gehādi-saukhyaṁ paraṁ prāpya vai।
Divya-lokaṁ tathānte priyaṁ yānti te।
Bhakta-saṁrakṣakaṁ viśva-sampālakam।
Reṇukānandanaṁ Jāmadagnyaṁ bhaje॥8॥

Meaning:
Those who joyfully glorify Lord Parashurama and worship His lotus feet quickly obtain their righteous desires, enjoy peace and prosperity in this life, and ultimately attain the divine abode. I worship Lord Parashurama, the protector of devotees and the guardian of the entire universe.

॥ Thus Ends the Sacred Shri Parashurama Ashtakam ॥