The Bhairav Chalisa - the forty-verse hymn to Bhagwan Kaal Bhairav, the fierce guardian form of Shiva, recited for protection from fear and enemies.
श्री गणपति गुरु पद कमल, सुमिरि करत अरदास।
भैरव नाथ कृपा करहु, पूरण होय सब आस॥
जय जय श्री काल भैरव देवा। करत सदा संतन की सेवा॥
अरि दल नाशन संकट हारी। भक्तन के तुम हो रखवारी॥
श्याम वरण विकराल शरीरा। कर त्रिशूल डमरू गहि वीरा॥
श्वान वाहन शोभा अति भारी। गल मुण्डन की माल सँवारी॥
काशी पुर के कोतवाल कहाये। भक्तन के सब कष्ट मिटाये॥
तीन लोक में नाम तुम्हारा। संकट हरण भक्त रखवारा॥
शिव स्वरूप तुम जग में जाने। बटुक रूप सब बालक माने॥
दुष्ट दलन तुम सुजस बखाना। दीन दुखी के तुम हो त्राना॥
भूत प्रेत सब निकट न आवे। नाम तुम्हारो जो जन गावे॥
रोग शोक संकट सब टारे। भैरव नाथ शरण जो धारे॥
अष्ट सिद्धि नव निधि के दाता। भक्तन को तुम हो सुखदाता॥
जो जन तुमको शीश नवावे। मनवांछित फल सो जन पावे॥
कलियुग में महिमा अति भारी। पूजत नर नारी सब प्यारी॥
रविवार मंगल को ध्यावे। धूप दीप नैवेद्य चढ़ावे॥
सरसों तेल चढ़ाय जो कोई। ता पर कृपा तुम्हारी होई॥
उड़द जलेबी भोग लगावे। सकल मनोरथ सो जन पावे॥
शत्रु नाश तुम तुरत करावो। भक्तन के सब विघ्न नशावो॥
दुर्जन दुष्ट सबहिं भय खावे। भैरव नाम सुनत थर्रावे॥
जो यह पाठ करे चालीसा। पूरण आस करे जगदीशा॥
भैरव कृपा सदा जिय धारे। सो नर भव सागर से तारे॥
काल भैरव चालीसा, पढ़े सुने जो कोय।
संकट सब दूर हों, मंगल मंगल होय॥
Shri Ganpati guru pad kamal, sumiri karat ardaas.
Bhairav Naath kripa karahu, pooran hoy sab aas.
Jai jai Shri Kaal Bhairav deva. Karat sada santan ki seva.
Ari dal naashan sankat haari. Bhaktan ke tum ho rakhvaari.
Shyaam varan vikraal shareera. Kar trishool damru gahi veera.
Shwaan vaahan shobha ati bhaari. Gal mundan ki maal sanvaari.
Kaashi pur ke kotwaal kahaaye. Bhaktan ke sab kasht mitaaye.
Teen lok me naam tumhaara. Sankat haran bhakt rakhvaara.
Shiv swaroop tum jag me jaane. Batuk roop sab baalak maane.
Dusht dalan tum sujas bakhaana. Deen dukhi ke tum ho traana.
Bhoot pret sab nikat na aave. Naam tumhaaro jo jan gaave.
Rog shok sankat sab taare. Bhairav naath sharan jo dhaare.
Asht siddhi nav nidhi ke daata. Bhaktan ko tum ho sukhdaata.
Jo jan tumko sheesh navaave. Manvaanchhit phal so jan paave.
Kaliyug me mahima ati bhaari. Poojat nar naari sab pyaari.
Ravivaar mangal ko dhyaave. Dhoop deep naivedya chadhaave.
Sarso tel chadhaay jo koi. Ta par kripa tumhaari hoi.
Urad jalebi bhog lagaave. Sakal manorath so jan paave.
Shatru naash tum turat karaavo. Bhaktan ke sab vighna nashaavo.
Durjan dusht sabahi bhay khaave. Bhairav naam sunat tharraave.
Jo yah paath kare Chalisa. Pooran aas kare jagdeesha.
Bhairav kripa sada jiy dhaare. So nar bhav saagar se taare.
Kaal Bhairav Chalisa, padhe sune jo koy.
Sankat sab door ho, mangal mangal hoy.
Frequently asked questions about Bhairav Chalisa
Who is Kaal Bhairav?
The fierce guardian form of Shiva - dark of body, trishul and damru in hand, the dog as his mount, as the Chalisa describes him. He is the kshetrapal, the protector of a sacred place, which is why his shrine stands beside so many Shiva and Devi temples.
When is the Chalisa recited?
On Kaal Bhairav Jayanti in Margashirsha, on the monthly Kalashtami, and on Sundays and Tuesdays. Devotees facing fear, litigation or hostility read it for a set count of days as a sankalpa.
What is offered to Bhairav?
A mustard-oil lamp, black til, urad, a coconut and a red or black flower, and food for a dog, since the shvan is his vahana. Feeding a dog on his day is considered the offering he accepts most readily.
Is his worship dangerous or only for tantriks?
The elaborate tantric upasana with its own rules is for those initiated into it. The Chalisa and a lamp are household devotion, freely done, and nothing in the text requires anything beyond that. Treat the fierce form with respect, not with fear.
What is read after it?
The Bhairon Nath aarti with the lamp. Where a Devi darshan is being made, Bhairav is visited afterwards - the sequence kept at Vaishno Devi.
About the Bhairav Chalisa
The Bhairav Chalisa - the forty-verse hymn to Bhagwan Kaal Bhairav, the fierce guardian form of Shiva, recited for protection from fear and enemies.
A chalisa is a devotional hymn of forty (chalis) verses (chaupais), framed by opening and closing dohas (couplets). The Bhairav Chalisa above is given in both Hindi (Devanagari) and English (Hinglish, Roman script) so you can read it in whichever script you are most comfortable with - switch between the two using the buttons above. It is traditionally recited with devotion, often after a bath and before the deity, especially on the day associated with the deity.
A chalisa is forty verses. It is not the short lamp-song (that is an aarti) and not a longer Sanskrit stotram. Other forty-verse hymns are on the Chalisa index. For japa of a compact formula use a mantra. If you are keeping a fast, the story is under Vrat Katha.
