Kālīstutiḥ
Hymn in Praise of Kālī
From the Venerable Kramasadbhāvaḥ
श्रीभैरव उवाच।
Śrībhairava uvāca|
The Honorable (śrī) Bhairava (bhairavaḥ) spoke (uvāca):
ॐ नमस्ते देवदेवेशि महाकालि नमोऽस्तु ते।
नमोऽस्तु परमानन्दे निरानन्दे नमोऽस्तु ते॥१॥
Oṃ namaste devadeveśi mahākāli namo'stu te |
Namo'stu paramānande nirānande namo'stu te|1|
Oṃ (Oṃ)! I bow to you with respect (namaste), Oh! Sovereign Mistress of the Gods of Gods (deva-deve-īśi)! Bowing (namas-astu) to You (te), Who is the Supreme Bliss (parama-ānande) or, who is the Bliss of Tranquility (nirānande)! Bowing (namas-astu) to You (te)! Oh! Mighty Kālī (mahā-kālī)! Bowing (namas-astu) to You (te)!
नमो नित्ये त्वनित्ये च नमः सदा महात्मिके।
नमः कुलेशि कौलेशि विज्ञानविभवे नमः॥२॥
Namo nitye tvanitye ca namaḥ sadā mahātmike|
Namaḥ kuleśi kauleśi vijñānavibhave namaḥ|2|
I bow to you with respect (namaḥ), Oh Aeonic or Ever-abiding (nitye), yet (tu) Evanishing (anitye)! And (ca) Bowing (namaḥ) to You always (sadā), O Golly Glorious Soul (mahā-ātmike)! Bowing to You! (namaḥ) Mistress of the Kula and Kaula (kuleśi kauleśi)! Oh! Splendor of Wisdom (vijñāna-vibhave)! Bowing to You (namaḥ)!
नमः कृतान्तदुर्दान्तकालस्य करणोद्यते।
नमो मायादिवैभव्यै विश्वजृम्भे रक्ष मे॥३॥
Namaḥ kṛtāntadurdāntakālasya karaṇodyate|
Namo māyādivaibhavyai viśvajṛmbhe rakṣa me|3|
I bow to you with respect (namaḥ)! Who is the Source of the relentless Time or, who causes the end that is, death (kṛta-anta-durdānta-kālasya karaṇaḥ). Bowing (namaḥ) to You! Protect me (rakṣa me), Who, becoming Māyā and the like appeared as the universe (viśva-jṛmbhe).
नमो हर्थान्तु तस्यैव मूलं संहरणे क्षमे।
नमोऽस्तु ते महारौद्रि सौम्यरूपे नमोऽस्तु ते॥४॥
Namo harthāntu tasyaiva mūlaṃ saṃharaṇe kṣame|
Namo'stu te mahāraudri saumyarūpe namo'stu te|4|
I bow to you with respect (namaḥ-astu te), Oh Glorious Mahāraudri (mahā-raudri)! Bowing (namaḥ-astu) to You (te), Who is of soft or gentle form (saumya-rūpe), the nature of Soma or, the nectar of the moon or perhaps the ‘sacrificial drink’! Bowing (namaḥ) to You, Whose sign is destruction (harthāntu), and whose essence lies in the endurance of destruction in the form of a single thread binding the beads together that which seems to be separated (saṃharaṇe kṣame).
अरूपे अस्वरे गर्भे षोडशान्ते व्यवस्थिते।
इच्छारूपस्वभावस्थे भैरवेशि नमोऽस्तु ते॥५॥
Arūpe asvare garbhe ṣoḍaśānte vyavasthite|
Icchārūpasvabhāvasthe bhairaveśi namo'stu te|5|
Oh Formlessness Itself (arūpe)! Unspeaking (asvare) Cradle of Life or Womb (garbhe)! Who stands at the end of the sixteen (ṣoḍaśānte) Syllabic cores (vyavasthite)! Oh Empress of Bhairava (bhairaveśi), Who dwells in the essential nature of the manifestation of will (icchā-rūpa-svabhāva-sthe), Bowing (namaḥ-astu) to You (te)!
ज्ञानोपास्ये महाज्ञाने ज्ञेयरूपे नमोऽस्तु ते।
क्रियारूपे महारूपे विश्वरूपे नमोऽस्तु ते॥६॥
Jñānopāsye mahājñāne jñeyarūpe namo'stu te|
Kriyārūpe mahārūpe viśvarūpe namo'stu te|6|
O Glorious Unlimited Knowledge (mahā-jñāne)! Who is the nature of the knowable objects (jñeya-rūpe) and worthy of worship through knowledge (jñāna-upāsye)! Bowing (namaḥ-astu) to You (te)! Oh Whose great form (mahā-rūpe) is the form of action (kriyārūpe) and the active form of the universe (viśvarūpe)! Bowing (namaḥ-astu) to You (te)!
भावाभावविरामान्ते सर्वाभावे नमोऽस्तु ते॥७॥
Bhāvābhāvavirāmānte sarvābhāve namo'stu te|7|
Oh You, at the end of the cessation of existence and non-existence (bhāva-abhāva-virāmānte), non-existence of all (sarva-abhāve), Bowing (namaḥ-astu) to You (te)!
आनन्दपदमध्यस्थे आभासान्ते नमोऽस्तु ते।
आह्लादपदगर्भे तु व्याप्तिरूपे नमोऽस्तु ते॥८॥
Ānandapadamadhyasthe ābhāsānte namo'stu te|
Āhlādapadagarbhe tu vyāptirūpe namo'stu te|8|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te), Who stands at the gap or center of the state of bliss (ānanda-pada-madhya-sthe) and beyond all appearances (ābhāsa-ante)! Who is the birth place and source or womb of the state of joy (āhlāda-pada-garbhe) and the nature of pervasiveness (vyāpti-rūpe), Bowing (namaḥ-astu) to You (te)!
विसर्गान्तपदावस्थे सर्वेश्वरि नमोऽस्तु ते।
नादरूपे महानादे सादाख्यायै नमोऽस्तु ते॥९॥
Visargāntapadāvasthe sarveśvari namo'stu te|
Nādarūpe mahānāde sādākhyāyai namo'stu te|9|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Who is in the state of the end of emanation or when the outpouring is finished, You remain the Concealed Source of it and revelation as outpouring itself (visarga-anta-pada-avasthe), Oh! Empress of the Universe (sarva-īśvari)! Oh! In the Glorious form of Nāda or Sound (nāda-rūpe) and the Enormous Nāda Herself (mahā-nāde), the Power belonging to Sadākhya which is Sadāśiva, the Source of emanation (sādākhyāyai), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
बिन्दुस्वभावगे रसबिन्द्वाख्ये च नमोऽस्तु ते।
शक्तिरूपे तु देहस्थे सर्वावस्थे नमोऽस्तु ते॥१०॥
Bindusvabhāvage rasabindvākhye ca namo'stu te|
Śaktirūpe tu dehasthe sarvāvasthe namo'stu te|10|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Who penetrates the very tingling quintessence or nature of Bindu (bindu-sva-bhāva-ge), and (ca) Whose inherent quality is the Unbroken taste of Nectarized Self (rasa-bindu-ākhye) and Who is Śakti (śakti-rūpe), residing in the body (deha-sthe), but (tu) present in all states (sarva-avasthe), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
अव्यक्ते व्यक्तिभावस्थे व्याप्तिरूपे नमोऽस्तु ते।
शिवरूपे महाशान्ते शान्तातीते नमोऽस्तु ते॥११॥
Avyakte vyaktibhāvasthe vyāptirūpe namo'stu te|
Śivarūpe mahāśānte śāntātīte namo'stu te|11|
Who is transcendental (avyakte) and embedded in the immanent entities (vyakti-bhāva-sthe), because You have a pervading nature (vyāpti-rūpe), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! In the form of Śiva (śiva-rūpe), the Precious Peace (mahā-śānte) indeed Transcending Peace (śānta-atīte), Oh! Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
द्वादशान्ते नवान्ते च षट्त्रिंशान्ते नमोऽस्तु ते।
हृत्पद्मकर्णिकान्तस्थे ज्वालारूपे नमोऽस्तु ते॥१२॥
Dvādaśānte navānte ca ṣaṭtriṃśānte namo'stu te|
Hṛtpadmakarṇikāntasthe jvālārūpe namo'stu te|12|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Who stands at the end of the twelve syllabic sounds (dvā-daśa-ante) and (ca) the nine principles from Śiva to Prakṛti (nava-ante), and the universal revelation at the end of the thirty-six principles (ṣaṭ-triṃśa-ante)! Oh! At the end of the heart lotus petal (hṛt-padma-karṇika-anta-sthe), You are the Radiant glow of consciousness (jvālā-rūpe), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
कण्ठदेशे तु नित्यस्थे क्षुधाहर्ति नमो’स्तु ते।
तालुस्थे तु महाकालि सर्वभक्ष्ये नमोऽस्तु ते॥१३॥
Kaṇṭhadeśe tu nityasthe kṣudhāharti namo’stu te|
Tālusthe tu mahākāli sarvabhakṣye namo'stu te|13
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Who always (nitya-sthe) dwells in the throat region (kaṇṭha-deśe), but (tu) delights in hunger that devours all (kṣudhā-harti)! Standing on the palate (tālu-sthe tu) Oh! Glorious Kāli (mahā-kāli), the Devourer of All (sarva-bhakṣye), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
कोदण्डद्वयमध्यस्थे बिन्द्वन्ते च नमोऽस्तु ते।
ब्रह्मद्वारे स्थिते कालि वस्तुरूपे नमोऽस्तु ते॥१४॥
Kodaṇḍadvayamadhyasthe bindvante ca namo'stu te|
Brahmadvāre sthite kāli vasturūpe namo'stu te|14|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Who rests between the gap of eyebrows (kodaṇḍa-dvaya-madhya-sthe) and (ca) at the end of Bindu (bindu-ante)! Firmly standing (sthite) at the gate of Brahma (brahma-dvāre), Oh! Kāli (kāli), in the form of the essence of reality (vastu-rūpe), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
संहारक्रमगे नित्यं सृष्टिरूपे नमो’स्तु ते।
कन्दस्थानगते नित्यं कौण्डल्याख्ये नमोऽस्तु ते॥१५॥
Saṃhārakramage nityaṃ sṛṣṭirūpe namo’stu te|
Kandasthānagate nityaṃ kauṇḍalyākhye namo'stu te|15|
Oh! You manifest as the form of creation (sṛṣṭi-rūpe), and You eternally (nityam) pervade the process of dissolution (saṃhāra-krama-ge), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Oh! Who eternally (nityam) rises from the act of standing in the Kanda (kanda-sthāna-gate) and Who is Kuṇḍalinī Herself (kauṇḍalya-ākhye), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
मत्तगन्धकवाहस्थेऽपानरूपे नमोऽस्तु ते।
षट्चक्रवर्जिते कालि चक्रान्तेशि नमोऽस्तु ते॥१६॥
Mattagandhakavāhasthe'pānarūpe namo'stu te|
Ṣaṭcakravarjite kāli cakrānteśi namo'stu te|16|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Who rests in the flow of the Fragrance of Ecstasy (matta-gandhaka-vāha-sthe) and takes the form of Inhalation — inhalation here is connected with Delight — (apāna-rūpe)! Oh! Kālī (kāli), free from the six chakras (ṣaṭ-cakra-varjite), You are the Owner of the ends of the Chakras (cakra-anta-īśi), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
षोडशाधारनिर्मुक्ते चाधारान्ते नमोऽस्तु ते।
त्रिलक्षान्ते अलक्षस्थे निर्लक्षे च नमोऽस्तु ते॥१७॥
Ṣoḍaśādhāranirmukte cādhārānte namo'stu te|
Trilakṣānte alakṣasthe nirlakṣe ca namo'stu te|17|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Oh! Who is free from the sixteen cradles represented by syllabic sounds, of inner nature (ṣoḍaśa-ādhāra-nirmukte), and at the end of cradles— such as breath, body, mind, etc. — (ādhāra-ante)! You are at the end of the three signs (tri-lakṣānte), even standing in the state without signs (alakṣa-sthe) and also without any signs at all (nirlakṣe), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
व्योमभावकलातीते अव्यक्तेशि नमोऽस्तु ते।
खण्डरूपपदातीते रूपान्तेशि नमोऽस्तु ते॥१८॥
Vyomabhāvakalātīte avyakteśi namo'stu te|
Khaṇḍarūpapadātīte rūpānteśi namo'stu te|18|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Oh! Who dwells beyond the realm of entities in the Paramount Sky (vyoma-bhāva-kalā-ātīte), the Empress of the Undifferentiated (avyakta-īśi)! Transcending the state of the Broken Wheel (khaṇḍa-rūpa-pada-ātīte), You are the Empress of the end of all forms (rūpa-anta-īśi), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्त्यन्ते तूर्यान्तेशि नमोऽस्तु ते।
सर्वे सर्वेश्वरेश्यन्ते निराधारे निरामये॥१९॥
Jāgratsvapnasuṣuptyante tūryānteśi namo'stu te|
Sarve sarveśvareśyante nirādhāre nirāmaye|19|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Who is at or Transcending the end of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep (jāgrat-svapna-suṣupti-ante), Oh! Empress Transcending Turya (tūrya-anta-īśi)! Oh! Who is Transcending all (sarve), even Transcending the Lord of all (sarva-īśvara-īśi-ante), free from support (nirādhāre) and free from disease (nirāmaye), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
अव्यक्ते अच्युते ब्रह्मे परमे विश्वरूपके।
साकारे तु निराकारे सर्वाकारे नमोऽस्तु ते॥२०॥
Avyakte acyute brahme parame viśvarūpake|
Sākāre tu nirākāre sarvākāre namo'stu te|20|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Oh! Formlessness (avyakte), Who never falls from the Essential Nature (acyute), Ultimate (parame) Brahma (brahme), the manifestation of the universe (viśva-rūpake), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Bestows all forms (sākāre), yet formless (nirākāre), and present in all forms (sarvākāre), Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)!
नमोऽस्तु देवि आदौ च मध्ये तुभ्यं नमोऽस्तु ते।
एतत्स्तुतिपदं कृत्वा तथेदं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥२१॥
Namo'stu devi ādau ca madhye tubhyaṃ namo'stu te|
Etatstutipadaṃ kṛtvā tathedaṃ vākyamabravīt|21|
Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! Exclusively to You (tubhyaṃ)! Oh Devī (devi)! at the opening and middle of all states (ādau ca madhye)! Bowing (namaḥ astu) to You (te)! After composing this hymn of praise (etat stuti-padam kṛtvā), this speech (vākyam) is spoken (abravīt) having created this hymn, I begin my speech or series of questions to You!
॥इति श्रीकालीक्रमक्रमसद्भावे कालीस्तुतिः॥
||Iti śrīkālīkramakramasadbhāve kālīstutiḥ||
This (iti) is the Kālīstutiḥ in the praise of Kālī belonging to the revered Kālīkrama Kramasadbhāvaḥ (śrī-kālī-krama-krama-sadbhāve)
— Translated by Nāgkumār.