About this stotra
Composed by Adi Shankaracharya. This ashtakam is a descriptive salutation of the different attributes of Shiva. The great yogi who is referred to as Ardhanarishwara (the one who has included the feminine as a part of himself), the fair-bodied one, and who beats a steady rhythm on his damaru.
Shiva Ashtakam lyrics and meaning
॥ १ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 1
तस्मै नमः परमकारणकारणाय
दीप्तोज्ज्वलज्ज्वलितपिङ्गललोचनाय ।
नागेन्द्रहारकृतकुण्डलभूषणाय
ब्रह्मेन्द्रविष्णुवरदाय नमः शिवाय ॥१॥
tasmai namaḥ paramakāraṇakāraṇāya
dīptojjvalajjvalitapiṅgalalocanāya .
nāgendrahārakṛtakuṇḍalabhūṣaṇāya
brahmendraviṣṇuvaradāya namaḥ śivāya ..1..
I salute that Shiva, who is the real cause of causes,
Who has reddish brown eyes which shine like light,
Who wears garlands and ear drops made of the king of snakes,
And who is the one who gives boons to Brahma and Vishnu.
Word by word
- तस्मै (tasmai)
- to him
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutation
- परमकारणकारणाय (paramakāraṇakāraṇāya)
- to the ultimate cause (parama:ultimate | kāraṇa:cause | kāraṇāya:to the cause)
- दीप्तोज्ज्वलज्ज्वलितपिङ्गललोचनाय (dīptojjvalajjvalitapiṅgalalocanāya)
- to the bright-eyed one (dīpta:bright | ujjvala:shining | jvalita:glowing | piṅgala:reddish brown | locanāya:to the eyed one)
- नागेन्द्रहारकृतकुण्डलभूषणाय (nāgendrahārakṛtakuṇḍalabhūṣaṇāya)
- to the one adorned with snake ornaments (nāgendra:king of snakes | hāra:garland | kṛta:made | kuṇḍala:earrings | bhūṣaṇāya:to the adorned one)
- ब्रह्मेन्द्रविष्णुवरदाय (brahmendraviṣṇuvaradāya)
- to the giver of boons to Brahma, Indra, and Vishnu (brahma:Brahma | indra:Indra | viṣṇu:Vishnu | varadāya:to the giver of boons)
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutation
- शिवाय (śivāya)
- to Shiva
॥ २ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 2
श्रीमत्प्रसन्नशशिपन्नगभूषणाय
शैलेन्द्रजावदनचुम्बितलोचनाय ।
कैलासमन्दरमहेन्द्रनिकेतनाय
लोकत्रयार्तिहरणाय नमः शिवाय ॥२॥
śrīmatprasannaśaśipannagabhūṣaṇāya
śailendrajāvadanacumbitalocanāya .
kailāsamandaramahendraniketanāya
lokatrayārtiharaṇāya namaḥ śivāya ..2..
I salute that Shiva, who always wears,
The clear moon and the snake as ornaments,
Whose eyes are kissed by the daughter of the mountain,
Who lives in the Kailasa peak and Mahendra mountain,
And who defeats the sorrow of the people of three worlds.
Word by word
- श्रीमत् (śrīmat)
- glorious
- प्रसन्न (prasanna)
- clear
- शशि (śaśi)
- moon
- पन्नग (pannaga)
- snake
- भूषणाय (bhūṣaṇāya)
- as an ornament
- शैलेन्द्रजा (śailendrajā)
- daughter of the mountain (śaila:mountain | indra:lord | jā:daughter)
- वदन (vadana)
- face
- चुम्बित (cumbita)
- kissed
- लोचनाय (locanāya)
- to the eyes
- कैलास (kailāsa)
- Kailasa
- मन्दर (mandara)
- Mandara
- महेन्द्र (mahendra)
- Mahendra
- निकेतनाय (niketanāya)
- abode
- लोकत्रय (lokatraya)
- three worlds (loka:world | traya:three)
- आर्ति (ārti)
- sorrow
- हरणाय (haraṇāya)
- removal
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutations
- शिवाय (śivāya)
- to Shiva
॥ ३ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 3
पद्मावदातमणिकुण्डलगोवृषाय
कृष्णागरुप्रचुरचन्दनचर्चिताय ।
भस्मानुषक्तविकचोत्पलमल्लिकाय
नीलाब्जकण्ठसदृशाय नमः शिवाय ॥३॥
padmāvadātamaṇikuṇḍalagovṛṣāya
kṛṣṇāgarupracuracandanacarcitāya .
bhasmānuṣaktavikacotpalamallikāya
nīlābjakaṇṭhasadṛśāya namaḥ śivāya ..3..
I salute that Shiva, who has neck of the colour of blue lotus,
Who wears ear rings made of Padma raga, who rides on a bull,
Who applies fragrance of aloe and coats himself with plenty of sandal paste,
And who applies ash on his body and wears a garland of opened lotus flowers.
Word by word
- पद्मावदातमणिकुण्डलगोवृषाय (padmāvadātamaṇikuṇḍalagovṛṣāya)
- to the one with lotus-like earrings and bull (padma:lotus | avadāta:pure, bright | maṇi:jewel | kuṇḍala:earrings | go:bull | vṛṣa:bull)
- कृष्णागरुप्रचुरचन्दनचर्चिताय (kṛṣṇāgarupracuracandanacarcitāya)
- anointed with aloe and sandalwood (kṛṣṇa:black | aguru:aloe | pracura:abundant | candana:sandalwood | carcita:anointed)
- भस्मानुषक्तविकचोत्पलमल्लिकाय (bhasmānuṣaktavikacotpalamallikāya)
- adorned with ash and blooming lotuses (bhasma:ash | anuṣakta:attached | vikaca:blooming | utpala:lotus | mallikā:jasmine)
- नीलाब्जकण्ठसदृशाय (nīlābjakaṇṭhasadṛśāya)
- to the one with a neck like a blue lotus (nīla:blue | abja:lotus | kaṇṭha:neck | sadṛśa:like)
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutations
- शिवाय (śivāya)
- to Shiva
॥ ४ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 4
लम्बत्सपिङ्गलजटामुकुटोत्कटाय
दंष्ट्राकरालविकटोत्कटभैरवाय ।
व्याघ्राजिनाम्बरधराय मनोहराय
त्रैलोक्यनाथनमिताय नमः शिवाय ॥४॥
lambatsapiṅgalajaṭāmukuṭotkaṭāya
daṃṣṭrākarālavikaṭotkaṭabhairavāya .
vyāghrājināmbaradharāya manoharāya
trailokyanāthanamitāya namaḥ śivāya ..4..
I salute that Shiva who is saluted by lords of the three worlds,
Who has large matted crown of hair of reddish brown colour,
Who appears fierce and fearful due to his pointed teeth,
And who is very pretty wearing the hide of a tiger.
Word by word
- लम्बत्सपिङ्गलजटामुकुटोत्कटाय (lambatsapiṅgalajaṭāmukuṭotkaṭāya)
- to the fierce one with reddish-brown matted hair (lambat:hanging | sapiṅgala:reddish-brown | jaṭā:matted hair | mukuṭa:crown | utkaṭa:fierce)
- दंष्ट्राकरालविकटोत्कटभैरवाय (daṃṣṭrākarālavikaṭotkaṭabhairavāya)
- to the fierce and terrifying Bhairava (daṃṣṭrā:teeth | karāla:fierce | vikaṭa:terrifying | utkaṭa:fierce | bhairava:Bhairava)
- व्याघ्राजिनाम्बरधराय (vyāghrājināmbaradharāya)
- to the one wearing tiger skin (vyāghra:tiger | ajina:skin | ambara:cloth | dhara:wearing)
- मनोहराय (manoharāya)
- to the enchanting one
- त्रैलोक्यनाथनमिताय (trailokyanāthanamitāya)
- saluted by lords of three worlds (trai:three | lokya:worlds | nātha:lord | namita:saluted)
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutations
- शिवाय (śivāya)
- to Shiva
॥ ५ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 5
दक्षप्रजापतिमहामखनाशनाय
क्षिप्रं महात्रिपुरदानवघातनाय ।
ब्रह्मोर्जितोर्ध्वगकरोटिनिकृन्तनाय
योगाय योगनमिताय नमः शिवाय ॥५॥
dakṣaprajāpatimahāmakhanāśanāya
kṣipraṃ mahātripuradānavaghātanāya .
brahmorjitordhvagakaroṭinikṛntanāya
yogāya yoganamitāya namaḥ śivāya ..5..
I salute that Shiva, who is Yoga and is saluted by yogis,
Who destroyed fire sacrifice conducted by Daksha prajapathi,
Who quickly killed the great asura called Tripurasura,
And who cut off the fifth head of Brahma, who was proud.
Word by word
- दक्षप्रजापतिमहामखनाशनाय (dakṣaprajāpatimahāmakhanāśanāya)
- to the destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice (dakṣa:Daksha | prajāpati:lord of creatures | mahāmakha:great sacrifice | nāśanāya:to the destroyer)
- क्षिप्रं (kṣipraṃ)
- quickly
- महात्रिपुरदानवघातनाय (mahātripuradānavaghātanāya)
- to the slayer of Tripurasura (mahā:great | tripura:Tripura | dānava:asura | ghātanāya:to the slayer)
- ब्रह्मोर्जितोर्ध्वगकरोटिनिकृन्तनाय (brahmorjitordhvagakaroṭinikṛntanāya)
- to the cutter of Brahma's head (brahma:Brahma | urjita:proud | ūrdhvaga:upper | karoṭi:head | nikṛntanāya:to the cutter)
- योगाय (yogāya)
- to Yoga
- योगनमिताय (yoganamitāya)
- saluted by yogis (yoga:yoga | namitāya:saluted by)
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutations
- शिवाय (śivāya)
- to Shiva
॥ ६ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 6
संसारसृष्टिघटनापरिवर्तनाय
रक्षः पिशाचगणसिद्धसमाकुलाय ।
सिद्धोरगग्रहगणेन्द्रनिषेविताय
शार्दूलचर्मवसनाय नमः शिवाय ॥६॥
saṃsārasṛṣṭighaṭanāparivartanāya
rakṣaḥ piśācagaṇasiddhasamākulāya .
siddhoragagrahagaṇendraniṣevitāya
śārdūlacarmavasanāya namaḥ śivāya ..6..
I salute that Shiva, who wears the skin of a tiger,
Who keeps on destroying and creating the world,
Who takes care of the different demons and crowds of sidhas,
And who is served by sidhas, serpents, planets and chiefs of ganas.
Word by word
- संसारसृष्टिघटनापरिवर्तनाय (saṃsārasṛṣṭighaṭanāparivartanāya)
- for the transformation of creation (saṃsāra:world | sṛṣṭi:creation | ghaṭanā:formation | parivartanāya:for transformation)
- रक्षः (rakṣaḥ)
- demons
- पिशाचगणसिद्धसमाकुलाय (piśācagaṇasiddhasamākulāya)
- surrounded by ghosts and siddhas (piśāca:ghosts | gaṇa:group | siddha:siddhas | samākulāya:surrounded by)
- सिद्ध (siddha)
- siddhas
- उरग (uraga)
- serpents
- ग्रह (graha)
- planets
- गण (gaṇa)
- group
- इन्द्र (indra)
- chief
- निषेविताय (niṣevitāya)
- served by
- शार्दूलचर्मवसनाय (śārdūlacarmavasanāya)
- wearing a tiger skin (śārdūla:tiger | carma:skin | vasanāya:wearing)
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutations
- शिवाय (śivāya)
- to Shiva
॥ ७ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 7
भस्माङ्गरागकृतरूपमनोहराय
सौम्यावदातवनमाश्रितमाश्रिताय ।
गौरीकटाक्षनयनार्धनिरीक्षनाय
गोक्षीरधारधवलाय नमः शिवाय ॥७॥
bhasmāṅgarāgakṛtarūpamanoharāya
saumyāvadātavanamāśritamāśritāya .
gaurīkaṭākṣanayanārdhanirīkṣanāya
gokṣīradhāradhavalāya namaḥ śivāya ..7..
I salute that Shiva, who is as white as a stream of cow’s milk,
Who applies ash all over him but is bewitchingly handsome,
Who is the support for those pious people who take shelter in forests,
Who with half closed eyes sees the side long glance of Gowri.
Word by word
- भस्माङ्गरागकृतरूपमनोहराय (bhasmāṅgarāgakṛtarūpamanoharāya)
- to the one with ash-beautified form (bhasma:ash | aṅga:body | rāga:color | kṛta:made | rūpa:form | manohara:enchanting)
- सौम्यावदातवनमाश्रितमाश्रिताय (saumyāvadātavanamāśritamāśritāya)
- to the refuge of serene forest dwellers (saumya:serene | avadāta:pure | vana:forest | āśrita:sheltered | āśrita:refuge)
- गौरीकटाक्षनयनार्धनिरीक्षनाय (gaurīkaṭākṣanayanārdhanirīkṣanāya)
- to the one half-seeing Gauri's glance (gaurī:Gauri | kaṭākṣa:glance | nayana:eye | ardha:half | nirīkṣaṇa:seeing)
- गोक्षीरधारधवलाय (gokṣīradhāradhavalāya)
- to the one white as cow's milk (go:cow | kṣīra:milk | dhāra:stream | dhavala:white)
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutations
- शिवाय (śivāya)
- to Shiva
॥ ८ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 8
आदित्यसोमवरुणानिलसेविताय
यज्ञाग्निहोत्रवरधूमनिकेतनाय ।
ऋक्सामवेदमुनिभिः स्तुतिसंयुताय
गोपाय गोपनमिताय नमः शिवाय ॥८॥
ādityasomavaruṇānilasevitāya
yajñāgnihotravaradhūmaniketanāya .
ṛksāmavedamunibhiḥ stutisaṃyutāya
gopāya gopanamitāya namaḥ śivāya ..8..
I salute that Shiva, who takes care of a bull and is venerated by it,
Who is served by Sun, moon, The god of rain and the god of fire,
Who lives in places sanctified by the smoke of fire sacrifices,
And who is sung by sages well learned in Rik and Sama Veda.
Word by word
- आदित्य (āditya)
- Sun
- सोम (soma)
- moon
- वरुण (varuṇa)
- god of rain
- अनिल (anila)
- wind
- सेविताय (sevitāya)
- served by
- यज्ञ (yajña)
- sacrifice
- अग्निहोत्र (agnihotra)
- fire offering
- वर (vara)
- excellent
- धूम (dhūma)
- smoke
- निकेतनाय (niketanāya)
- abode of
- ऋक (ṛk)
- Rig Veda
- साम (sāma)
- Sama Veda
- वेद (veda)
- Veda
- मुनिभिः (munibhiḥ)
- by sages
- स्तुति (stuti)
- praise
- संयुताय (saṃyutāya)
- endowed with
- गोपाय (gopāya)
- protector
- गोप (gopa)
- bull
- नमिताय (namitāya)
- bowed to
- नमः (namaḥ)
- salutations
- शिवाय (śivāya)
- to Shiva
॥ ९ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 9
शिवाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेच्छिवसन्निधौ ।
शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते ॥९॥
śivāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhecchivasannidhau .
śivalokamavāpnoti śivena saha modate ..9..
He who reads this octet on Shiva,
In front of the temple of Shiva,
Would reach the world of Shiva,
And would be happy along with Shiva.
Word by word
- शिवाष्टकम् (śivāṣṭakam)
- octet on Shiva (śiva:Shiva | aṣṭakam:octet)
- इदं (idaṃ)
- this
- पुण्यम् (puṇyam)
- auspicious
- यः (yaḥ)
- who
- पठेत् (paṭhet)
- reads
- शिवसन्निधौ (śivasannidhau)
- in front of Shiva (śiva:Shiva | sannidhau:in front of)
- शिवलोकम् (śivalokam)
- world of Shiva (śiva:Shiva | lokam:world)
- अवाप्नोति (avāpnoti)
- reaches
- शिवेन (śivena)
- with Shiva
- सह (saha)
- along with
- मोदते (modate)
- is happy
ॐ
