About this stotra
The Rudrashtakam is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn dedicated to Lord Shiva, traditionally attributed to Sri Goswami Tulsidas. The hymn begins by describing Lord Shiva's transcendent, formless nature as the ultimate reality beyond attributes—the pure consciousness (nirvāṇa-rūpa, nirguṇa) that is the essence of Brahman and the Vedas. It presents the Lord as the primordial sound Om, existing in the turīya (fourth) state beyond the three ordinary states of consciousness, and as the destroyer of time itself (mahākāla).
The hymn then vividly describes Lord Shiva's iconic physical form: the sacred Ganga flowing from his matted locks, the crescent moon adorning his forehead, the serpent coiled around his blue throat (from drinking the cosmic poison), his third eye, the deer-skin garment, skull garland, and the trident in his hand. The concluding verses emphasize Lord Shiva's compassionate nature and make an urgent plea for his grace, stating that true peace and liberation from the cycle of birth and death cannot be achieved without devotion to his lotus feet. The phala-śruti (benedictory verse) promises that those who recite this hymn with devotion will receive Lord Shiva's blessings.
RudraAshtakam lyrics and meaning
॥ १ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 1
नमामीशमीशान निर्वाणरूपं
विभुं व्यापकं ब्रह्मवेदस्वरूपम् ।
निजं निर्गुणं निर्विकल्पं निरीहं
चिदाकाशमाकाशवासं भजेऽहम् ॥१॥
namāmīśamīśāna nirvāṇarūpaṃ
vibhuṃ vyāpakaṃ brahmavedasvarūpam .
nijaṃ nirguṇaṃ nirvikalpaṃ nirīhaṃ
cidākāśamākāśavāsaṃ bhaje'ham ..1..
Vibhu moksha personified, Veda incarnate, all-pervading Lord,
Lord, master of all, I pay obeisance to you, and am ever-worshipful,
Away from maya and the cycles of nature, of conscious desire,
I chant to you Lord Digambara, who wears the sky as a garment.
Word by word
- नमामि (namāmi)
- I bow
- ईशम् (īśam)
- Lord
- ईशान (īśāna)
- master of all
- निर्वाणरूपं (nirvāṇarūpaṃ)
- moksha personified (nirvāṇa:moksha | rūpaṃ:form)
- विभुं (vibhuṃ)
- all-pervading
- व्यापकं (vyāpakaṃ)
- pervading
- ब्रह्मवेदस्वरूपम् (brahmavedasvarūpam)
- Veda incarnate (brahma:Brahman | veda:Veda | svarūpam:incarnate)
- निजं (nijaṃ)
- own
- निर्गुणं (nirguṇaṃ)
- without qualities
- निर्विकल्पं (nirvikalpaṃ)
- without alternatives
- निर्मीहं (nirīhaṃ)
- without desire
- चिदाकाशम् (cidākāśam)
- consciousness space (cit:consciousness | ākāśam:space)
- आकाशवासं (ākāśavāsaṃ)
- sky-dwelling (ākāśa:sky | vāsaṃ:dwelling)
- भजे (bhaje)
- I worship
- अहम् (aham)
- I
॥ २ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 2
निराकारमोङ्करमूलं तुरीयं
गिराज्ञानगोतीतमीशं गिरीशम् ।
करालं महाकालकालं कृपालं
गुणागारसंसारपारं नतोऽहम् ॥२॥
nirākāramoṅkaramūlaṃ turīyaṃ
girājñānagotītamīśaṃ girīśam .
karālaṃ mahākālakālaṃ kṛpālaṃ
guṇāgārasaṃsārapāraṃ nato'ham ..2..
Who is formless, Aumkar's origin, beyond the three gunas,
Beyond speech, knowledge, senses, giver of grace,
Perfect One who brings awe and reverence within, Lord of Time,
Lord of Kailash, beyond this world, my obeisance to you.
Word by word
- निराकारम् (nirākāram)
- formless
- ओङ्करमूलं (oṅkaramūlaṃ)
- Aumkar's origin (oṅkara:Aumkar | mūlaṃ:origin)
- तुरीयं (turīyaṃ)
- beyond the three gunas
- गिराज्ञानगोतीतम् (girājñānagotītam)
- beyond speech, knowledge (gira:speech | jñāna:knowledge | gatam:beyond)
- ईशं (īśaṃ)
- Lord
- गिरीशम् (girīśam)
- Lord of Kailash
- करालं (karālaṃ)
- awe-inspiring
- महाकालकालं (mahākālakālaṃ)
- Lord of Time (mahākāla:Great Time | kālaṃ:time)
- कृपालं (kṛpālaṃ)
- giver of grace
- गुणागारसंसारपारं (guṇāgārasaṃsārapāraṃ)
- beyond this world (guṇa:qualities | āgara:repository | saṃsāra:world | pāraṃ:beyond)
- नतः (nataḥ)
- obeisance
- अहम् (aham)
- I
॥ ३ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 3
तुषाराद्रिसंकाशगौरं गभिरं
मनोभूतकोटिप्रभाश्री शरीरम् ।
स्फुरन्मौलिकल्लोलिनी चारुगङ्गा
लसद्भालबालेन्दु कण्ठे भुजङ्गा ॥३॥
tuṣārādrisaṅkāśagauraṃ gabhiraṃ
manobhūtakoṭiprabhāśrī śarīram .
sphuranmaulikallolinī cārugaṅgā
lasadbhālabālendu kaṇṭhe bhujaṅgā ..3..
Fair-skinned like Himanchal, serene, unmoved,
Of beauty and grace greater than a million Kamadevas, ever glowing,
Upon whose head resides the sacred Goddess Ganga,
Upon whose head is the crescent moon, whose neck is adorned by a snake.
Word by word
- तुषाराद्रिसंकाशगौरं (tuṣārādrisaṅkāśagauraṃ)
- fair-skinned like Himanchal (tuṣāra:snow | adri:mountain | saṅkāśa:like | gauraṃ:fair-skinned)
- गभिरं (gabhiraṃ)
- serene, unmoved
- मनोभूतकोटिप्रभाश्री (manobhūtakoṭiprabhāśrī)
- beauty greater than a million Kamadevas (manobhūta:Kamadeva | koṭi:million | prabhā:glow | śrī:beauty)
- शरीरम् (śarīram)
- body
- स्फुरन्मौलिकल्लोलिनी (sphuranmaulikallolinī)
- upon whose head resides (sphuran:glowing | mauli:head | kallolinī:residing)
- चारुगङ्गा (cārugaṅgā)
- sacred Goddess Ganga (cāru:beautiful | gaṅgā:Ganga)
- लसद्भालबालेन्दु (lasadbhālabālendu)
- crescent moon on forehead (lasat:shining | bhāla:forehead | bāla:young | indu:moon)
- कण्ठे (kaṇṭhe)
- on the neck
- भुजङ्गा (bhujaṅgā)
- snake
॥ ४ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 4
चलत्कुण्डलं भ्रूसुनेत्रं विशालं
प्रसन्नाननं नीलकण्ठं दयालम् ।
मृगाधीशचर्माम्बरं मुण्डमालं
प्रियं शङ्करं सर्वनाथं भजामि ॥४॥
calatkuṇḍalaṃ bhrūsunetraṃ viśālaṃ
prasannānanaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaṃ dayālam .
mṛgādhīśacarmāmbaraṃ muṇḍamālaṃ
priyaṃ śaṅkaraṃ sarvanāthaṃ bhajāmi ..4..
In his ears are kundalas, whose eyes and eyebrows are beautiful,
Cheerful, blue necked, kind, compassionate, understanding,
Wrapped in animal skin, wearing a garland of skulls,
Dearest to all, Lord of all, I chant his name – Shankara.
Word by word
- चलत्कुण्डलं (calatkuṇḍalam)
- with moving earrings (calat:moving | kuṇḍalam:earrings)
- भ्रूसुनेत्रं (bhrūsunetraṃ)
- beautiful eyes and eyebrows (bhrū:eyebrows | su:beautiful | netraṃ:eyes)
- विशालं (viśālam)
- vast
- प्रसन्नाननं (prasannānanaṃ)
- cheerful face (prasanna:cheerful | ānanaṃ:face)
- नीलकण्ठं (nīlakaṇṭham)
- blue-necked (nīla:blue | kaṇṭham:neck)
- दयालम् (dayālam)
- kind
- मृगाधीशचर्माम्बरं (mṛgādhīśacarmāmbaraṃ)
- wrapped in animal skin (mṛga:animal | adhīśa:lord | carma:skin | ambaraṃ:clothing)
- मुण्डमालं (muṇḍamālaṃ)
- garland of skulls (muṇḍa:skull | mālaṃ:garland)
- प्रियं (priyaṃ)
- dearest
- शङ्करं (śaṅkaraṃ)
- Shankara
- सर्वनाथं (sarvanāthaṃ)
- Lord of all (sarva:all | nāthaṃ:lord)
- भजामि (bhajāmi)
- I chant
॥ ५ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 5
प्रचण्डं प्रकृष्टं प्रगल्भं परेशं
अखण्डं अजं भानुकोटिप्रकाशं ।
त्र्यःशूलनिर्मूलनं शूलपाणिं
भजेऽहं भवानीपतिं भावगम्यम् ॥५॥
pracaṇḍaṃ prakṛṣṭaṃ pragalbhaṃ pareśaṃ
akhaṇḍaṃ ajaṃ bhānukoṭiprakāśaṃ .
tryaḥśūlanirmūlanaṃ śūlapāṇiṃ
bhaje'haṃ bhavānīpatiṃ bhāvagamyam ..5..
Rudrarup, best, perfect, eternal, unborn, the opulent one,
With the effulgence of a million suns, with a trident in hand,
Who uproots the three kinds of griefs, who by love can be gained,
I chant Bhavani's husband's name – Shankar – to you I pray.
Word by word
- प्रचण्डं (pracaṇḍaṃ)
- fierce
- प्रकृष्टं (prakṛṣṭaṃ)
- excellent
- प्रगल्भं (pragalbhaṃ)
- bold
- परेशं (pareśaṃ)
- supreme lord
- अखण्डं (akhaṇḍaṃ)
- indivisible
- अजं (ajaṃ)
- unborn
- भानुकोटिप्रकाशं (bhānukoṭiprakāśaṃ)
- effulgent as a million suns (bhānu:sun | koṭi:million | prakāśaṃ:effulgent)
- त्र्यःशूलनिर्मूलनं (tryaḥśūlanirmūlanaṃ)
- uprooting three kinds of griefs (tryaḥ:three | śūla:griefs | nirmūlanaṃ:uprooting)
- शूलपाणिं (śūlapāṇiṃ)
- trident in hand (śūla:trident | pāṇiṃ:in hand)
- भजे (bhaje)
- I chant
- अहं (ahaṃ)
- I
- भवानीपतिं (bhavānīpatiṃ)
- Bhavani's husband (bhavānī:Bhavani | patiṃ:husband)
- भावगम्यम् (bhāvagamyam)
- attainable by love (bhāva:love | gamyam:attainable)
॥ ६ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 6
कलातीतकल्याण कल्पान्तकारी
सदा सज्जनानन्ददाता पुरारी ।
चिदानन्दसंदोह मोहापहारी
प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो मन्मथारी ॥६॥
kalātītakalyāṇa kalpāntakārī
sadā sajjanānandadātā purārī .
cidānandasandoha mohāpahārī
prasīda prasīda prabho manmathārī ..6..
Beyond time, timeless, welfare incarnate, the creation's end,
Enemy of Tripura, who gives pleasure and happiness to the worthy,
Giver of eternal bliss, who removes worldly entanglements,
Kamadeva's destroyer, bless me, you churn my heart.
Word by word
- कलातीतकल्याण (kalātītakalyāṇa)
- beyond time, welfare incarnate (kalātīta:beyond time | kalyāṇa:welfare incarnate)
- कल्पान्तकारी (kalpāntakārī)
- creation's end (kalpa:creation | anta:end | kārī:doer)
- सदा (sadā)
- always
- सज्जनानन्ददाता (sajjanānandadātā)
- giver of pleasure to the worthy (sajjana:worthy | ānanda:pleasure | dātā:giver)
- पुरारी (purārī)
- enemy of Tripura (pura:Tripura | arī:enemy)
- चिदानन्दसंदोह (cidānandasandoha)
- giver of eternal bliss (cit:consciousness | ānanda:bliss | sandoha:collection)
- मोहापहारी (mohāpahārī)
- remover of delusion (moha:delusion | apahārī:remover)
- प्रसीद (prasīda)
- be pleased
- प्रसीद (prasīda)
- be pleased
- प्रभो (prabho)
- O Lord
- मन्मथारी (manmathārī)
- Kamadeva's destroyer (manmatha:Kamadeva | arī:destroyer)
॥ ७ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 7
न यावद् उमानाथपादारविन्दं
भजन्तीह लोके परे वा नराणाम् ।
न तावत्सुखं शान्ति सन्तापनाशं
प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वभूताधिवासं ॥७॥
na yāvad umānāthapādāravindaṃ
bhajantīha loke pare vā narāṇām .
na tāvatsukhaṃ śānti santāpanāśaṃ
prasīda prabho sarvabhūtādhivāsaṃ ..7..
Husband of Parvati, till we worship your lotus feet,
We can never attain peace and joy in this world or in heaven,
Or mitigate or lessen our suffering,
Lord who resides in the heart of all, be pleased with me and my offering.
Word by word
- न (na)
- not
- यावत् (yāvat)
- as long as
- उमानाथपादारविन्दं (umānāthapādāravindaṃ)
- Uma's lord's lotus feet (umā:Uma | nātha:lord | pāda:feet | aravindaṃ:lotus)
- भजन्ति (bhajanti)
- worship
- इह (iha)
- here
- लोके (loke)
- in the world
- परे (pare)
- in the other
- वा (vā)
- or
- नराणाम् (narāṇām)
- of men
- न (na)
- not
- तावत् (tāvat)
- then
- सुखं (sukhaṃ)
- happiness
- शान्ति (śānti)
- peace
- सन्तापनाशं (santāpanāśaṃ)
- end of suffering (santāpa:suffering | nāśaṃ:end)
- प्रसीद (prasīda)
- be pleased
- प्रभो (prabho)
- O Lord
- सर्वभूताधिवासं (sarvabhūtādhivāsaṃ)
- residing in all beings (sarva:all | bhūta:beings | adhivāsaṃ:residing)
॥ ८ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 8
न जानामि योगं जपं नैव पूजां
नतोऽहं सदा सर्वदा शम्भुतुभ्यम् ।
जराजन्मदुःखौघ तातप्यमानं
प्रभो पाहि आपन्नमामीश शंभो ॥८॥
na jānāmi yogaṃ japaṃ naiva pūjāṃ
nato'haṃ sadā sarvadā śambhutubhyam .
jarājanmaduḥkhaugha tātapyamānaṃ
prabho pāhi āpannamāmīśa śambho ..8..
Oh Shambho, I know not yoga, or penance or worship or prayer,
But I always honor you, Oh my Lord, always be my savior,
Suffering the cycle of death, birth and old age, I burn,
Lord, protect this pained one from grief, I offer you my devotion.
Word by word
- न (na)
- not
- जानामि (jānāmi)
- I know
- योगं (yogaṃ)
- yoga
- जपं (japaṃ)
- chanting
- नैव (naiva)
- nor
- पूजां (pūjāṃ)
- worship
- नतः (nataḥ)
- bowed
- अहम् (aham)
- I
- सदा (sadā)
- always
- सर्वदा (sarvadā)
- at all times
- शम्भुतुभ्यम् (śambhutubhyam)
- to you, Shambhu (śambhu:Shambhu | tubhyam:to you)
- जराजन्मदुःखौघ (jarājanmaduḥkhaugha)
- the mass of birth and old age suffering (jarā:old age | janma:birth | duḥkha:suffering | augha:mass)
- तातप्यमानं (tātapyamānaṃ)
- burning
- प्रभो (prabho)
- O Lord
- पाहि (pāhi)
- protect
- आपन्नम् (āpannam)
- distressed
- आमि (āmī)
- I
- ईश (īśa)
- Lord
- शंभो (śambho)
- O Shambhu
॥ ९ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 9
रुद्राष्टकमिदं प्रोक्तं विप्रेण हरतोषये
ये पठन्ति नरा भक्त्या तेषां शम्भुः प्रसीदति ॥९॥
rudrāṣṭakamidaṃ proktaṃ vipreṇa haratoṣaye
ye paṭhanti narā bhaktyā teṣāṃ śambhuḥ prasīdati ..9..
This Rudrashtaka (eight verses in praise of Rudra) has been said (i.e. composed) by the wise for pleasing Hara (another name of Sri Shiva),
Those who recite this with devotion, with them Sri Shambhu will always be pleased.
Word by word
- रुद्राष्टकम् (rudrāṣṭakam)
- eight verses for Rudra (rudra:Rudra | aṣṭakam:eight verses)
- इदं (idaṃ)
- this
- प्रोक्तं (proktaṃ)
- has been said
- विप्रेण (vipreṇa)
- by the wise
- हरतोषये (haratoṣaye)
- for pleasing Hara (hara:Hara | toṣaye:for pleasing)
- ये (ye)
- those who
- पठन्ति (paṭhanti)
- recite
- नराः (narāḥ)
- men
- भक्त्या (bhaktyā)
- with devotion
- तेषां (teṣāṃ)
- with them
- शम्भुः (śambhuḥ)
- Shambhu
- प्रसीदति (prasīdati)
- is pleased
॥ १० ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 10
इति श्रीगोस्वामितुलसीदासकृतं श्रीरुद्राष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ।
iti śrīgosvāmitulasīdāsakṛtaṃ śrīrudrāṣṭakaṃ sampūrṇam .
Thus ends Rudrashtakam composed by Sri Goswami Tulsidas.
Word by word
- इति (iti)
- thus
- श्रीगोस्वामितुलसीदासकृतं (śrīgosvāmitulasīdāsakṛtaṃ)
- composed by Sri Goswami Tulsidas (śrī:honorific | gosvāmi:Goswami | tulasīdāsa:Tulsidas | kṛtaṃ:composed)
- श्रीरुद्राष्टकं (śrīrudrāṣṭakaṃ)
- Sri Rudrashtakam (śrī:honorific | rudra:Rudra | aṣṭakaṃ:octet)
- सम्पूर्णम् (sampūrṇam)
- complete
ॐ
