Kalika Ashtakam in Sanskrit, English with Meaning

Kalika Ashtakam

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

ġalad-ṟakta-ṃunnddāvalī-k͟hannttha-ṃālā
ṃaho-ġhora-ṟāvā Su-ḍamssttrā k͟harālā |
Vivastrā ṣmaśāna-[ā]alayā ṃukta-k͟heśī
ṃahākāla-k͟hāma-[ā]akulā k͟hālikeyam ||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॥

Bhuje-Vāma-ẏugme ṣiro[a-ā]sim ḍadhānā
Varam ḍakssa-ẏugme-ābhayam Vai ṭathai-[ā-ĕ]va |
Su-ṃadhya-āpi ṭungga-Stanā Bhāra-ṇamrā
l̤asad-ṟakta-Srkka-ḍvayā Susmita-[ā]asyā ||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॥

ṣava-ḍvandva-k͟harnna-āvatamsā Su-k͟heśī
l̤asat-Preta-Pānnim Prayuktai(a-ĕ)ka-k͟hān.cī |
ṣava-[ā]akāra-ṃan.ca-ādhi-ṟūddhā ṣivābhiś_
Catur-ḍikssu-ṣabdāyamāna-ābhireje ||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॥

Viran.cya[i-ā]adi-ḍevās-ṭrayas-ṭe ġunns-ṭrīn
Sama-[ā]arādhya k͟hālīm Pradhānā Babhūbuh |
ānādim Surādim ṃakhādim Bhavādim
Svarūpam ṭvadīyam ṇa Vindanti ḍevāh ||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॥

Jagan-ṃohanīyam ṭu Vāg-Vādinīyam
Suhrt-Possinnī-ṣatru-Samhārannīyam |
Vaca-Stambhanīyam k͟him-ūccāttanīyam
Svarūpam ṭvadīyam ṇa Vindanti ḍevāh ||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॥

īyam Svarga-ḍātrī Punah k͟halpa-Vallī
ṃano-Jāstu k͟hāmān ẏathārtham Prakuryāt |
ṭathā ṭe k͟hrtārthā Bhavanti-īti ṇityam
Svarūpam ṭvadīyam ṇa Vindanti ḍevāh ||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॥

Surā-Pāna-ṃattā Su-Bhakta-ānuraktā
l̤asat-Pūta-Citte Sada[a-ā]avirbhavat-ṭe |
Japa-ḍhyāna-Pūjā-Sudhā-ḍhauta-Pangkā
Svarūpam ṭvadīyam ṇa Vindanti ḍevāh ||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॥

Cid-āananda-k͟handam ḥasan ṃanda-ṃandam
ṣarac-Candra-k͟hotti-Prabhā-Pun.ja-Bimbam |
ṃunīnām k͟havīnām ḥrdi ḍyotayantam
Svarūpam ṭvadīyam ṇa Vindanti ḍevāh ||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॥

ṃahā-ṃegha-k͟hālī Su-ṟakta-āpi ṣubhrā
k͟hadācid Vicitrā-k͟hrtir-ẏogamāyā |
ṇa Bālā ṇa Vrddhā ṇa k͟hāmātura-āpi
Svarūpam ṭvadīyam ṇa Vindanti ḍevāh ||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॥

k͟hssama-Sva-āparādham ṃahā-ġupta-Bhāvam
ṃayā l̤oka-ṃadhye Prakāśi-k͟hrtam ẏat |
ṭava ḍhyāna-Pūtena Cāpalya-Bhāvāt
Svarūpam ṭvadīyam ṇa Vindanti ḍevāh ||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॥

ẏadi ḍhyāna-ẏuktam Patthed ẏo ṃanussyas_
ṭadā Sarva-l̤oke Viśālo Bhavec-Ca |
ġrhe Ca-āsstta-Siddhir-ṃrte Ca-āpi ṃuktih
Svarūpam ṭvadīyam ṇa Vindanti ḍevāh ||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.

॥ इति श्रीमच्छङ्कराचार्यविरचितं श्रीकालिकाष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥

.. iti śrīmacchaṅkarācāryaviracitaṃ śrīkālikāṣṭakaṃ sampūrṇam ..

Description

Composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya on devi Kalika. The Goddess Kali is the guardian, also known as Kalika. The protectors, the Mother, Kali is Dharma and eternal time. Kali shines with the brilliance of a million black fires of dissolution and her body is bathed in the sacred ash. Kali is revered as Bhavtirine i.e the redeemer of the universe. Kali is the Goddess of time and change. Chanting the Kali Ashtakam will provide you with all the material comfort and would remove any difficulties in life.

Other Durga Shlokams

Kalika Ashtakam – Durga – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Translation and Meaning. Commentary for selected Shlokams.