Shree bhadrakaal'yasht'akam'
Ghore sam'saaravahnau pral'ayamupagate yaa hi kri'tvaa shmashaane
Nri'tyatyanyoonashaktirjagadidamakhilam' mund'amaalaabhiraamaa |
Bhidyadbrahmaand'abhaand'am' pat'utaraninadairat't'ahaasairudaaraih'
Saasmaakam' vairivargam' shamayatu tarasaa bhadradaa bhadrakaal'ee || 1 ||
Magne loke'mburaashau nalinabhavanutaa vishnunaa kaarayitvaa
Chakrotkri'ttorukant'ham' madhumapi bhayadam' kait'abham' chaatibheemam |
Padmotpatteh' prabhootam' bhayamuta riputoyaaharatsaanukampaa
Saasmaakam' vairivargam' shamayatu tarasaa bhadradaa bhadrakaal'ee || 2 ||
Vishvatraanam' vidhaatum' mahishamatha raane yaa'suram' bheemaroopam'
Shoolenaahatya vakshasyamarapatinutaa paatayantee cha bhoomau |
Tasyaasri'gvaahineebhirjalanidhimakhilam' shonitaabham' cha chakre
Saasmaakam' vairivargam' shamayatu tarasaa bhadradaa bhadrakaal'ee || 3 ||
Yaa devee chand'amund'au tribhuvananal'ineevaaranau devashatroo
Dri'sht'vaa yuddhotsave tau drutataramabhiyaataasinaa kri'ttakant'hau |
Kri'tvaa tadraktapaanodbhavamadamuditaa saat't'ahaasaatibheemaa
Saasmaakam' vairivargam' shamayatu tarasaa bhadradaa bhadrakaal'ee || 4 ||
Sadyastam' raktabeejam' samarabhuvi nataa ghoraroopaanasankhyaan
Raaktodbhootairasankhyairgajaturagarathaih' saarthamanyaam'shcha daityaan |
Vaktre nikshipya dri'sht'vaa gurutaradashanairaapapau shonitaugham'
Saasmaakam' vairivargam' shamayatu tarasaa bhadradaa bhadrakaal'ee || 5 ||
Sthaanaadbhrasht'aishcha devaistuhinagiritat'e sangataih' sam'stutaa yaa
Sankhyaaheenaih' sametam' tridasharipuganaih' syandanebhaashvayuktaih' |
Yuddhe shumbham' nishumbham' tribhuvanavipadam' naashayantee cha jaghne
Saasmaakam' vairivargam' shamayatu tarasaa bhadradaa bhadrakaal'ee || 6 ||
Shambhornetraanale yaa jananamapi jagattraanahetorayaaseet
Bhooyasteekshnaatidhaaraavidalitadanujaa daarukam' chaapi hatvaa |
Tasyaasri'kpaanatusht'aa muhurapi kri'tavatyat't'ahaasam' kat'horam'
Saasmaakam' vairivargam' shamayatu tarasaa bhadradaa bhadrakaal'ee || 7 ||
Yaa devee kaalaraatree tuhinagirasutaa lokamaataa dharitree
Vaanee nidraa cha maayaa manasijadayitaa ghoraroopaatisaumyaa |
Chaamund'aa khad'gahastaa ripuhananaparaa shonitaasvaadakaamaa
Saa hanyaadvishvavandyaa mama ripunivahaa bhadradaa bhadrakaal'ee || 8 ||
Bhadrakaal'yasht'akam' japyam' shatrusankshayakaankshinaa |
Svargaapavargadam' punyam' dusht'agrahanivaaranam || 9 ||
Iti shreebhadrakaal'yasht'akam |
Meaning
The Sri Bhadrakali Ashtakam is a Sanskrit hymn of eight verses, followed by a ninth that states its fruit. The text does not name its author. Each of the first seven verses recalls one battle of the Goddess and closes with the same prayer: saasmaakam vairivargam shamayatu tarasaa bhadradaa Bhadrakaali, may Bhadrakali, who grants what is good, quickly subdue the crowd of our enemies.
Verses 1 to 4
The opening verse pictures the Goddess at the time of dissolution, dancing in a cremation ground that is the whole world, adorned with a garland of heads (mundamaalaabhiraamaa), her laughter loud enough to crack the shell of the cosmos. Verse two goes back to the waters before creation, where she has Vishnu kill Madhu and Kaitabha and so frees Brahma, the lotus-born, from fear. Verse three describes Mahishasura struck in the chest with her trident until the ocean runs red. Verse four is about Chanda and Munda, beheaded with her sword.
Verses 5 to 8
In verse five she swallows the blood of Raktabija so that no new demons can rise from it. Verse six tells how the gods, driven from their places, praise her on the Himalayan slopes before she kills Shumbha and Nishumbha. Verse seven gives her birth from the fire of Shiva's eye and her slaying of Daruka. The eighth verse gathers her names, Kalaratri, daughter of the snow mountain, Vani, Nidra, Maya and Chamunda, calling her both terrible and very gentle.
The closing verse
Verse nine says the Ashtakam is to be chanted by those seeking to end hostility, and that it grants heaven and liberation and wards off malefic planets. Devotees often read it on Tuesdays, Fridays and in Navaratri.
Frequently asked questions
What refrain closes the verses of Sri Bhadrakali Ashtakam?
Which demons does the Bhadrakali Ashtakam recall, in order?
How is Bhadrakali born in the seventh verse of the Ashtakam?
What does the phala shruti of Sri Bhadrakali Ashtakam promise?
How long does Sri Bhadrakali Ashtakam take, and when is it read?
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