On the day of Vralakṣmī Vrata several years ago, our Guru Brahmaśrī K P Shankara śāStrī initiated me into Vanadurgā Mahāvidyā. Gurunātha was also proficient in the prayōga of Vanadurgā Saptaśatī and had assisted the late Maharaja of Mysore when times were dire for the royal family, through the invincible prayōga of Vanadurgā Mahāvidyā Saptaśatī. Several years later, Anantaśrīvibhūṣita Chinmudrānandanātha blessed me with initiation into a different form of Vanadurgā along with Her aṅga and pratyaṅgas. While the purvāṅga included the Gurutrayam, Mahāgaṇapati, Vaṭuka, and Kirātavārāhī, the uttarāṅga consisted of Bālā Tripurasundarī (who is considered absolutely necessary for Japa-śānti), Bagalāmukhī, and Kirāta mūrti. The worship of Kirāta mūrti, which I thus learned, was of particular importance to the familial tradition of our Guru.
Lord Mahādēva assumed the form of Kirāta to bless Arjuna with Pāśupatāstra. The mantrakalpa for Kirāta is said to be from Umāyāmaḷa. The mūla mantra of Kirāta mūrti is of five different kinds, followed by the popular mālā mantra. One is allowed to undertake Japa of this form after successful puraścaraṇa of Laghu Pāśupatāstra mantra. After the worship of Kirātēśvara in the maṇḍala, Kirāta-pañcaka stuti is used to offer puṣpāñjali to the Lord. Finally one offers eight prostrations to the Lord while reciting the Kirātāṣṭaka. The Kirātāṣṭaka presented here is that same hymn. This should not be confused with another Kirātāṣṭaka (on the lines of Vārāhī Nigrahāṣṭaka) which is used along with sampuṭa of Kirāta-pañcaka mantras and mālā-mantra for various nigraha prayogas. The worship of Kirāta mūrti protects one from various calamities and enemies.
तापिञ्छनीलाभकलेबराय
पिञ्छावतम्साय महेश्वराय |
भक्तप्रियायामरपूजिताय
किरातरूपाय नमः शिवाय || १ ||
त्रयीमायार्तिविनाशनाय
त्रैलोक्यनाथाय दयापराय |
योगीन्द्रचित्ताम्बुजसंस्थिताय
किरातरूपाय नमः शिवाय || २ ||
समस्तलोकोद्भवकारणाय
भवाब्धिपोताय भयापहाय |
भूतेश्वरायाखिलभूतिदाय
किरातरूपाय नमः शिवाय || ३ ||
कल्याणदायामलविग्रहाय
ज्ञानस्वरूपाय गुणालयाय |
विख्यातवीराय विशारदाय
किरातरूपाय नमः शिवाय || ४ ||
अपारदुःखार्णवनाविकाय
क्षिप्रप्रसादाय वरप्रदाय |
वीराय नानामुनिसेविताय
किरातरूपाय नमः शिवाय || ५ ||
महानुभावाय महाभुजाय
महीपरित्राणसमुत्थिताय |
चोरारिदुष्टग्रहनाशनाय
किरातरूपाय नमः शिवाय || ६ ||
कोदण्डबाणच्छुरिका विराजत्
कराय ते वैरिकुलान्तकाय |
भक्तार्तिहन्त्रे परदैवताय
किरातरूपाय नमः शिवाय || ७ ||
आद्यन्तहीनाय निरामयाय
सर्वात्मने कल्मषनाशनाय |
तापत्रयव्याधिभिषग्वराय
किरातरूपाय नमः शिवाय || ८ ||
tāpinchanīlābhakalebarāya
pinchāvatamsāya maheśvarāya |
bhaktapriyāyāmarapūjitāya
kirātarūpāya namaḥ śivāya || 1 ||
trayīmāyārtivināśanāya
trailokyanāthāya dayāparāya |
yogīndracittāmbujasaṃsthitāya
kirātarūpāya namaḥ śivāya || 2 ||
samastalokodbhavakāraṇāya
bhavābdhipotāya bhayāpahāya |
bhūteśvarāyākhilabhūtidāya
kirātarūpāya namaḥ śivāya || 3 ||
kalyāṇadāyāmalavigrahāya
j¤ānasvarūpāya guṇālayāya |
vikhyātavīrāya viśāradāya
kirātarūpāya namaḥ śivāya || 4 ||
apāraduḥkhārṇavanāvikāya
kṣipraprasādāya varapradāya |
vīrāya nānāmunisevitāya
kirātarūpāya namaḥ śivāya || 5 ||
mahānubhāvāya mahābhujāya
mahīparitrāṇasamutthitāya |
corāriduṣṭagrahanāśanāya
kirātarūpāya namaḥ śivāya || 6 ||
kodaṇḍabāṇacchurikā virājat
karāya te vairikulāntakāya |
bhaktārtihantre paradaivatāya
kirātarūpāya namaḥ śivāya || 7 ||
ādyantahīnāya nirāmayāya
sarvātmane kalmaṣanāśanāya |
tāpatrayavyādhibhiṣagvarāya
kirātarūpāya namaḥ śivāya || 8 ||