Kirata Ashtakam In English
Kirata Ashtakam is a Sanskrit hymn dedicated to Lord Shiva in his Kirata (hunter) form. This form of Shiva is associated with the story from the Mahabharata, where he appears as a hunter to test Arjuna’s devotion and warrior skills. The hymn consists of eight verses (hence the name Ashtakam) and glorifies Shiva’s divine attributes, his role as a protector, and his supreme power.
Kirata Ashtakam
Śrīgaṇeśāya Namaḥ . Kirātaśāstre Namaḥ
atha kirātāṣṭakam .
pratyarthi-vrāta-vakṣaḥsthala-rudhirasurāpānamattā pṛṣatkaṃ
cāpe sandhāya tiṣṭhan hṛdayasarasije māmake tāpahaṃ tam .
pimbhottaṃsaḥ śaraṇyaḥ paśupatitanayo nīradābhaḥ prasanno
devaḥ pāyādapāyāt śabaravapurasau sāvadhānaḥ sadā naḥ 1
ākheṭāya vanecarasya girijāsaktasya śambhoḥ sutaḥ
trātuṃ yo bhuvanaṃ purā samajani khyātaḥ kirātākṛtiḥ .
kodaṇḍakṣurikādharo ghanaravaḥ piñchāvataṃsojjvalaḥ
sa tvaṃ māmava sarvadā ripugaṇatrastaṃ dayāvāridhe 2
yo māṃ pīḍayati prasahya satataṃ dehītyananyāśrayaṃ
bhitvā tasya riporuraḥ kṣurikayā śātāgrayā durmateḥ .
deva tvatkarapaṅkajollasitayā śrīmatkirātākṛteḥ
tatprāṇān vitarāntakāya bhagavan kālāriputrāñjasā 3
viddho marmasu durvacobhirasatāṃ santaptaśalyopamaiḥ
dṛptānāṃ dviṣatāmaśāntamanasāṃ khinno’smi yāvadbhṛśam .
tāvattvaṃ kṣurikāśarāsanadharaścitte mamāvirbhavan
svāmin deva kirātarūpa śamaya pratyarthigarvaṃ kṣaṇāt 4
hartuṃ vittamadharmato mama ratāścorāśca ye durjanāḥ
teṣāṃ marmasu tāḍayāśu viśikhaistvatkārmukānniḥsṛtaiḥ .
śāstāraṃ dviṣatāṃ kirātavapuṣaṃ sarvārthadaṃ tvāmṛte
paśyāmyatra purāriputra śaraṇaṃ nānyaṃ prapanno’smyaham 5
yakṣapretapiśācabhūtanivahā duḥkhapradā bhīṣaṇāḥ
bādhante naraśoṇitotsukadhiyo ye māṃ ripupreritāḥ .
cāpa-jyā-ninadaistvamīśa sakalān saṃhṛtya duṣṭagrahān
gaurīśātmaja daivateśvara kirātākāra saṃrakṣa mām 6
drogdhuṃ ye niratāḥ tvamadya padapadmaikāntabhaktāya me
māyāchannakal̤ebarāśruviṣadānādyaiḥ sadā karmabhiḥ .
vaśyastambhanamāraṇādikuśalaprārambhadakṣānarīn
duṣṭān saṃhara devadeva śabarākāra trilokeśvara 7
tanvā vā manasā girāpi satataṃ doṣaṃ cikīrṣatyalaṃ
tvatpādapraṇatasya niraparādhasyāpi ye mānavāḥ .
sarvān saṃhara tān girīśasuta me tāpatrayaughānapi
tvāmekaṃ śabarākṛte bhayaharaṃ nāthaṃ prapanno’smyaham 8
kliṣṭo rājabhaṭaistadāpi paribhūto’haṃ khalairvyaribhiḥ
cānyairghoratarairvipajjalanidhau magno’smi duḥkhāturam .
hā hā kiṅkaravai vibho śabaraveṣaṃ tvāmabhīṣṭārthadaṃ
vande’haṃ paradaivataṃ kuru kṛpānāthārtabandho mayi 9
stotraṃ yaḥ prajapet praśāntakaraṇairnityaṃ kirātāṣṭakaṃ
sa kṣipraṃ vaśagān karoti nṛpatīnābaddhavairānapi .
saṃhṛtyātmavirodhinaḥ khalajanān duṣṭagrahānapyasau
yātyante yamadūtabhītirahito divyāṃ gatiṃ śāśvatīm 10
iti kirātāṣṭakaṃ sampūrṇam
Significance of Kirata Ashtakam
- Spiritual Benefits: Chanting or reciting Kirata Ashtakam is believed to bring courage, strength, and divine blessings.
- Devotion & Bhakti: It helps devotees connect deeply with Lord Shiva’s warrior and ascetic aspects.
- Protection & Power: Worshipping Shiva in his Kirata form is said to grant victory over obstacles and adversities.
