Kalika Ashtakam

Dhyāna
galadraktamuṇḍāvalīkaṇṭhamālā mahoghorarāvā sudaṁṣṭrā karālā 
vivastrā śmaśānālayā muktakeśī mahākālakāmākulā kālikeyam ||1||
Salutations to Kalika Devi. 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 very terrible.She is without any clothes and residing in the cremation ground; Her hair is let loose and free. Her entire being is manifesting the great yearning to merge with Mahakala; She is Kalika, the Great Dark Goddess.

bhujevāmayugme śiro'siṁ dadhānā varaṁ dakṣayugme'bhayaṁ vai tathaiva |
sumadhyā'pi tuṅgastanā bhāranamrā lasadraktasṛkkadvayā susmitāsyā ||2||
With Her left pair of hands, She is holding a head and a sword, and in like manner with her right pair of hands She is depicting the Vara and Abhaya Mudras (gestures of blessing and courage). Her well-built middle torso is slightly bent with the weight of Her lofty breasts. Her lips shine with the color of blood sketching a slight smile.

śavadvandvakarṇāvataṁsā sukeśī lasatpretapāṇiṁ prayuktaikakāñcī |
śavākāramañcādhirūḍhā śivābhiś̮ caturdikṣuśabdāyamānā'bhireje ||3||
Her earrings are displaying the symbols of death and She is having a beautiful long hair. Her shiny waist belt is made of severed arms. She is mounted on the platform of corpses; and jackals from all four directions are making howling terrific sounds; and in the midst of all these are reigning Kalika, the Great Dark Goddess.

stutiḥ
virañcyādidevāstrayaste guṇāstrīn samārādhya kālīṁ pradhānā babhūbuḥ |
anādiṁ surādiṁ makhādiṁ bhavādiṁ svarūpaṁ tvadīyaṁ na vindanti devāḥ ||1||
Salutations to Kalika Devi. Viranchi (Brahma) and the other Devas of the Trinity, by taking recourse to Your Three Gunas, and considering Kali as their Aradhya (worshipable), have become the Chief among the Devas. You are without any beginning, You are the beginning of all Devas, You are the beginning of all sacrifices, You are the beginning of all the worlds. Even the Devas do not know Your transcendental nature.

jaganmohanīyaṁ tu vāgvādinīyaṁ suhṛtpoṣiṇīśatrusaṁhāraṇīyam |
vacastambhanīyaṁ kimuccāṭanīyaṁ svarūpaṁ tvadīyaṁ na vindanti devāḥ ||2||
You are the power enchanting the worlds. You are the power proclaiming Speech itself. You are the power which nourishes the good-hearted, and you are the power which destroys the enemies. You are the power which can suppress the speech. You are the power which destroys the pride of enemies. Even the devas do not know your transcendental nature.

iyaṁ svargadātrī punaḥ kalpavallī manojāstu kāmān yathārthaṁ prakuryāt |
tathā te kṛtārthā bhavantīti nityaṁ svarūpaṁ tvadīyaṁ na vindanti devāḥ ||3||
You can give Heaven itself, and like a Wish-Fulfilling Creeper, You fulfill the wishes uttered with true devotion. Thus, to You the World is always grateful. Even the Devas do not know your transcendental nature.

surāpānamattā subhaktānuraktā lasatpūtacitte sadāvirbhavatte |
japadhyānapūjāsudhādhautapaṅkā svarūpaṁ tvadīyaṁ na vindanti devāḥ ||4||
You take great delight drinking the Sura and You are pleased with sincere devotees. You always manifest Yourself in a pure heart, the heart which is cleansed of impurities by Japa, Dhyana and Puja. Even the Devas do not know your transcendental nature.

cidānandakandaṁ hasan mandamandaṁ śaraccandrakoṭiprabhāpuñjabimbam |
munīnāṁ kavīnāṁ hṛdi dyotayantaṁ svarūpaṁ tvadīyaṁ na vindanti devāḥ ||5||
You are the root of consciousness and spiritual bliss and You gently smile. You are like the autumn moon which reflects ten million rays. You shine In the hearts of the sages and the enlightened. Even the Devas do not know your transcendental nature.

mahāmeghakālī suraktāpi śubhrā kadācid vicitrākṛtiryogamāyā |
na bālā na vṛddhā na kāmāturāpi svarūpaṁ tvadīyaṁ na vindanti devāḥ ||6||
You are black like the great cloud, red like the blood and also white. Sometimes You assume various forms through your Yogamaya (the illusionary divine power). You are neither a small girl, nor an old woman, and also not of any age filled with love desires. Even the Devas do not know your transcendental nature.

kṣamasvāparādhaṁ mahāguptabhāvaṁ mayā lokamadhye prakāśikṛtaṁ yat |
tava dhyānapūtena cāpalyabhāvāt svarūpaṁ tvadīyaṁ na vindanti devāḥ ||7||
Please forgive my mistakes in describing the very secret form of yours in the midst of the world.
Please forgive this very unstable conduct of mine. Even the Devas do not know your transcendental nature.

yadi dhyānayuktaṁ paṭhed yo manuṣyas tadā sarvaloke viśālo bhavecca |
gṛhe cāṣṭasiddhirmṛte cāpi muktiḥ svarūpaṁ tvadīyaṁ na vindanti devāḥ ||8||
Who reads this with devotion will become great in all the worlds. He will get the Eight Siddhis, and after death he will attain liberation. Even the Devas do not know Your Transcendental Nature.