About this stotra
Sharabhesha Ashtakam means: The eight verses in praise of Lord Shiva in the form of Sharabha. Lord Shiva is one of the principal deities of Hinduism, known as the destroyer and transformer within the Trimurti, the Hindu trinity that includes Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu. In the form of Sharabha, Lord Shiva is depicted as a part-lion and part-bird being, symbolizing his power to subdue even the fiercest of beings, including Narasimha, an avatar of Lord Vishnu.
The Sharabhesha Ashtakam is a devotional hymn that extols the attributes and powers of Lord Shiva in his Sharabha form. The verses praise Lord Shiva as the supreme deity, the one who embodies the universe and possesses a lotus-like face. He is addressed as the formidable and peaceful one, beloved of Lord Vishnu, and the ultimate reality beyond all. The hymn highlights his role as the creator, preserver, and destroyer of the universe, adorned with the crescent moon and clad in the directions as his garment. Lord Shiva is revered as the embodiment of time, the essence of the Vedas, and the cause of auspiciousness. The hymn also acknowledges his five-faced form, his association with the elements like wind and sun, and his connection to the sacred five-syllable mantra. Devotees seek his blessings for the welfare of the world, recognizing his supreme authority and benevolence. Through these verses, the hymn seeks to invoke Lord Shiva's protection and grace, emphasizing his unparalleled power and compassionate nature.
Sharabhesha Ashtakam lyrics and meaning
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Verse 1
देवादिदेवाय जगन्मयाय शिवाय नालीकनिभाननाय ।
शर्वाय भीमाय शराधिपाय नमोऽस्तु तुभ्यं शरभेश्वराय ॥ 1 ॥
dēvādidēvāya jaganmayāya śivāya nālīkanibhānanāya ।
śarvāya bhīmāya śarādhipāya namō'stu tubhyaṃ śarabhēśvarāya ॥ 1 ॥
O lord of all gods (dēvādidēva), pervading the entire universe (jaganmaya), the auspicious Śiva, whose face is beautiful as the lotus (nālīkanibhānana), the destroyer (śarva), the awesome and terrible one (bhīma), lord of sacred arrows (śarādhipa) — salutations to you, O Śarabhēśvara!
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Verse 2
हराय भीमाय हरिप्रियाय भवाय शान्ताय परात्पराय ।
मृडाय रुद्राय विलोचनाय नमोऽस्तु तुभ्यं शरभेश्वराय ॥ 2 ॥
harāya bhīmāya haripriyāya bhavāya śāntāya parātparāya ।
mṛḍāya rudrāya vilōchanāya namō'stu tubhyaṃ śarabhēśvarāya ॥ 2 ॥
O destroyer (hara), the awesome (bhīma), dear to Hari (haripriya — for the Śarabha form overcame even Narasiṃha), the ever-existent (bhava), the supremely tranquil (śānta), beyond even the beyond (parātpara), the compassionate one (mṛḍa), Rudra (the weeping and fierce), the third-eyed (vilōchana) — salutations to you, O Śarabhēśvara!
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Verse 3
शीतांशुचूडाय दिगम्बराय सृष्टिस्थितिध्वंसनकारणाय ।
जटाकलापाय जितेन्द्रियाय नमोऽस्तु तुभ्यं शरभेश्वराय ॥ 3 ॥
śītāṃśuchūḍāya digambarāya sṛṣṭisthitidhvaṃsanakāraṇāya ।
jaṭākalāpāya jitēndriyāya namō'stu tubhyaṃ śarabhēśvarāya ॥ 3 ॥
O wearer of the cool moon as crown (śītāṃśuchūḍa), sky-clad — wearing the sky as garment (digambara), the cause of all creation, preservation and dissolution (sṛṣṭisthitidhvaṃsanakāraṇa), with flowing matted locks (jaṭākalāpa), master of all the senses (jitēndriya) — salutations to you, O Śarabhēśvara!
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Verse 4
कलङ्ककण्ठाय भवान्तकाय कपालशूलात्तकराम्बुजाय ।
भुजङ्गभूषाय पुरान्तकाय नमोऽस्तु तुभ्यं शरभेश्वराय ॥ 4 ॥
kalaṅkakaṇṭhāya bhavāntakāya kapālaśūlāttakarāmbujāya ।
bhujaṅgabhūṣāya purāntakāya namō'stu tubhyaṃ śarabhēśvarāya ॥ 4 ॥
O blue-throated one — the one with the darkened neck (kalaṅkakaṇṭha), destroyer of all worldly existence (bhavāntaka), whose lotus-hands hold both a skull and a trident (kapālaśūlāttakarāmbuja), adorned with serpents as ornaments (bhujaṅgabhūṣa), destroyer of the triple-citied demons (purāntaka) — salutations to you, O Śarabhēśvara!
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Verse 5
शमादिषट्काय यमान्तकाय यमादियोगाष्टकसिद्धिदाय ।
उमाधिनाथाय पुरातनाय नमोऽस्तु तुभ्यं शरभेश्वराय ॥ 5 ॥
śamādiṣaṭkāya yamāntakāya yamādiyōgāṣṭakasiddhidāya ।
umādhināthāya purātanāya namō'stu tubhyaṃ śarabhēśvarāya ॥ 5 ॥
O embodiment of the six virtues beginning with inner tranquility (śamādiṣaṭka), the death of Yama himself (yamāntaka), granter of the eight perfections of yoga beginning with yama and niyama (yamādiyōgāṣṭakasiddhida), the lord who is Umā's husband (umādhināthaḥ), the most ancient of all (purātana) — salutations to you, O Śarabhēśvara!
॥ ६ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 6
घृणादिपाशाष्टकवर्जिताय खिलीकृतास्मत्पथि पूर्वगाय ।
गुणादिहीनाय गुणत्रयाय नमोऽस्तु तुभ्यं शरभेश्वराय ॥ 6 ॥
ghṛṇādipāśāṣṭakavarjitāya khilīkṛtāsmatpathi pūrvagāya ।
guṇādihīnāya guṇatrayāya namō'stu tubhyaṃ śarabhēśvarāya ॥ 6 ॥
O one who is completely free from the eight bonds of emotion beginning with hatred and disgust (ghṛṇādipāśāṣṭakavarjita), who has gone before all on the path to liberation (khilīkṛtāsmatpathi pūrvaga), who is beyond all qualities and yet is their source (guṇādihīna), yet consisting of the three guṇas (guṇatraya) — salutations to you, O Śarabhēśvara!
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Verse 7
कालाय वेदामृतकन्दलाय कल्याणकौतूहलकारणाय ।
स्थूलाय सूक्ष्माय स्वरूपगाय नमोऽस्तु तुभ्यं शरभेश्वराय ॥ 7 ॥
kālāya vēdāmṛtakandalāya kalyāṇakautūhalakāraṇāya ।
sthūlāya sūkṣmāya svarūpagāya namō'stu tubhyaṃ śarabhēśvarāya ॥ 7 ॥
O Time itself (kāla), the living root-bulb of the nectar hidden within the Vedas (vēdāmṛtakandala), the cause of all auspicious wonder in this world (kalyāṇakautūhalakāraṇa), the gross (sthūla), the subtle (sūkṣma), who abides eternally in his own true nature (svarūpaga) — salutations to you, O Śarabhēśvara!
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Verse 8
पञ्चाननायानिलभास्कराय पञ्चाशदर्णाद्यपराक्षयाय ।
पञ्चाक्षरेशाय जगद्धिताय नमोऽस्तु तुभ्यं शरभेश्वराय ॥ 8 ॥
pañchānanāyānilabhāskarāya pañchāśadarṇādyaparākṣayāya ।
pañchākṣarēśāya jagaddhitāya namō'stu tubhyaṃ śarabhēśvarāya ॥ 8 ॥
O five-faced one (pañchānana), who combines sun and wind — both blazing and moving (anilabhāskara), destroyer of the primordial powers concealed within all fifty letters of the sacred alphabet (pañchāśadarṇādyaparākṣaya), lord of the five-syllable mantra Namaḥ Śivāya (pañchākṣarēśa), the benefactor of all worlds (jagaddhita) — salutations to you, O Śarabhēśvara!
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