Shiva Tandava Stotram
शिवताण्डवस्तोत्रम्
Sanskrit
जटाटवीगलज्जलप्रवाहपावितस्थले गलेऽवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजङ्गतुङ्गमालिकाम् । डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनादवड्डमर्वयं चकार चण्डताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिवः शिवम् ॥ १ ॥
Transliteration
jaṭāṭavīgalajjalapravāhapāvitasthale valambya lambitāṃ bhujaṅgatuṅgamālikām | ḍamaḍḍamaḍḍamaḍḍamanninādavaḍḍamarvayaṃ cakāra caṇḍatāṇḍavaṃ tanotu naḥ śivaḥ śivam || 1 ||
Translation
At the place purified by the stream of water falling from the forest of his matted locks, letting hang a lofty garland of serpents, with the resounding damaru making the sound "ḍama-ḍama-ḍama-ḍama" - he performed the fierce Tandava; may that Shiva extend auspiciousness to us.
Deep Meaning
May Shiva, who performed the fierce tandava dance, wearing a long garland of serpents around the neck purified by the falling streams of the Ganga that flows out of the forest of his matted locks, and resounding with the beat of the damaru, spread auspiciousness for us.
Sanskrit
जटाकटाहसम्भ्रमभ्रमन्निलिम्पनिर्झरीविलोलवीचिवल्लरीविराजमानमूर्द्धनि धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल्ललाटपट्टपावके किशोरचन्द्रशेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration
jaṭākaṭāhasambhramabhramanilimpanirjharīvilolavīcivallarīvirājamānamūrddhani dhagaddhagaddhagajjvalallalāṭapaṭṭapāvake kiśoracandraśekhare ratiḥ pratikṣaṇaṃ mama || 2 ||
Translation
On his head, shining with the restless, trembling wave-vines of the heavenly river whirling in agitation within the cauldron of his matted locks, on whose forehead-altar the fire blazes "dhagad-dhagad-dhagad," wearing the young crescent moon - on him, my love, moment after moment.
Deep Meaning
My mind takes constant delight in him whose head is adorned by the Ganga's playful waves whirling in the cauldron of his matted locks, whose forehead fire blazes, and on whose head rests the young crescent moon.
Sanskrit
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीविलासबन्धुबन्धुरस्फुरद्दिगन्तसन्ततिप्रमोदमानमानसे कृपाकटाक्षधोरणीनिरुद्धदुर्धरापदि क्वचिद्दिगम्बरे मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि ॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration
dharādharendranandinīvilāsabandhubandhuraspuraddigantasantatipramodamānamānase kṛpākaṭākṣadhoraṇīniruddhadurdharāpadi kvacid digambare mano vinodam etu vastuni || 3 ||
Translation
May my mind find delight in that unclothed reality, whose mind rejoices at the splendour, companion of the mountain-king's daughter's play, that shines spreading to the horizons, and by whose unbroken chain of merciful side-glances even the most unbearable calamity is checked.
Deep Meaning
My mind is delighted when it sees all the directions lit by the ornament on the head of the mountain king's daughter Parvati, used in her playful moments. May my mind find joy in the one who wears the sky as his garment, the Digambara, who removes hard calamities by his constant grace.
Sanskrit
जटाभुजङ्गपिङ्गलस्फुरत्फणामणिप्रभाकदम्बकुङ्कुमद्रवप्रलिप्तदिग्वधूमुखे मदान्धसिन्धुरस्फुरत्त्वगुत्तरीयमेदुरे मनो विनोदमद्भुतं बिभर्तु भूतभर्तरि ॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration
jaṭābhujaṅgapiṅgalasphuratphaṇāmaṇiprabhākadambakuṅkumadravapraliptadigvadhūmukhe madāndhasindhurasphurattvaguttarīyameddhure mano vinodam adbhutaṃ bibhartu bhūtabhartari || 4 ||
Translation
May my mind bear wondrous delight in that lord of beings, on whose account the faces of the maiden-directions are smeared with a flood of saffron by the tawny radiance of the jewelled hoods of the serpents in his matted locks, and who is thick with the quivering skin of a mad elephant worn as his upper garment.
Deep Meaning
May the Lord of beings, whose radiant yellow splendour from the jewels on the hoods of the serpents in his matted locks colours the faces of the directions with saffron, and who wears the elephant hide as a wrap, make my mind marvel with delight.
Sanskrit
सहस्रलोचनप्रभृत्यशेषलेखशेखरप्रसूनधूलिधोरणीविधूसराङ्घ्रिपीठभूः । भुजङ्गराजमालया निबद्धजाटजूटकः श्रियै चिराय जायतां चकोरबन्धुशेखरः ॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration
sahasralocanaprabhṛtyaśeṣalekhaśekharaprasūnadhūlidhoraṇīvidhūsarāṅghripīṭhabhūḥ | bhujaṅgarājamālayā nibaddhajāṭajūṭakaḥ śriyai cirāya jāyatāṃ cakorabandhuśekharaḥ || 5 ||
Translation
Whose footstool is grayed with the unbroken dust of flowers from the crowns of thousand-eyed Indra and all the other gods bowing before him, whose matted locks are bound with a garland of the king of serpents - may that moon-crested one arise for my lasting prosperity.
Deep Meaning
May Chandrashekhara, whose sandals are dusted with the flowers from the heads of Indra and all the gods when they bow, and whose matted locks are bound by the king of serpents, Shesha, grant me lasting prosperity.
Sanskrit
ललाटचत्वरज्वलद्धनञ्जयस्फुलिङ्गभानिपीतपञ्चसायकं नमन्निलिम्पनायकम् । सुधामयूखलेखया विराजमानशेखरं महाकपालिसम्पदे शिरोजटालमस्तु नः ॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration
lalāṭacatvarajvaladdhanañjayasphuliṅgabhānipītapañcasāyakaṃ namannilimpanāyakam | sudhāmayūkhalekhayā virājamānaśekharaṃ mahākapālisampade śirojaṭālam astu naḥ || 6 ||
Translation
By whose fire's sparks, blazing on the forehead's altar, the five-arrowed one was consumed, to whom the lord of the gods bows, whose crown shines with the digit of the moon's rays - may that matted head be for us the attainment of the great kapalin's fortune.
Deep Meaning
May the lofty, broad forehead of Shiva, whose matted head shines with the great skull, adorned by the digit of the moon, and who burned Kama with the sparks of the fire on his terrible forehead, bring us prosperity.
Sanskrit
करालभालपट्टिकाधगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलद्धनञ्जयाहुतीकृतप्रचण्डपञ्चसायके धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीकुचाग्रचित्रपत्रकप्रकल्पनैकशिल्पिनि त्रिलोचने रतिर्मम ॥ ७ ॥
Transliteration
karālabhālapaṭṭikādhagaddhagaddhagajjvaladdhanañjayāhutīkṛtapracaṇḍapañcasāyake dharādharendranandinīkucāgracitrapatrakaprakalpanaikaśilpini trilocane ratir mama || 7 ||
Translation
In whom the fierce five-arrowed one was offered as oblation into the fire blazing "dhagad-dhagad" on his terrible forehead's ridge, who is the sole artisan devising the painted leaf-patterns on the breast-tips of the mountain-king's daughter - on that three-eyed one, my love.
Deep Meaning
May my mind be devoted to the three-eyed Lord, who alone skilfully carves patterns on the breasts of the daughter of the mountain king, and who burned Kama in the fire blazing on his fearsome forehead.
Sanskrit
नवीनमेघमण्डलीनिरुद्धदुर्धरस्फुरत्कुहूनिशीथिनीतमः प्रबन्धबद्धकन्धरः निलिम्पनिर्झरीधरस्तनोतु कृत्तिसिन्धुरः कलानिधानबन्धुरः श्रियं जगद्धुरन्धरः ॥ ८ ॥
Transliteration
navīnameghamaṇḍalīniruddhadurdharasphuratkuhūniśīthinītamaḥ prabandhabaddhakandharaḥ nilimpanirjharīdharas tanotu kṛttisindhuraḥ kalānidhānabandhuraḥ śriyaṃ jagaddhurandharaḥ || 8 ||
Translation
Whose neck bears the unrelenting mark of the darkness of a new-moon midnight, checked within a ring of fresh clouds; bearer of the heavenly river, clothed in elephant-hide, lovely with the storehouse of the moon's digit, bearer of the world's burden - may he extend prosperity.
Deep Meaning
May Gangadhara, whose neck is marked with the darkness of a moonless midnight, wrapped in the elephant hide, the bearer of the burden of the world and beautified by the contact of the moon, expand our prosperity.
Sanskrit
प्रफुल्लनीलपङ्कजप्रपञ्चकालिमप्रभावलम्बिकण्ठकन्दलीरुचिप्रबद्धकन्धरम् । स्मरच्छिदं पुरच्छिदं भवच्छिदं मखच्छिदं गजच्छिदान्धकच्छिदं तमन्तकच्छिदं भजे ॥ ९ ॥
Transliteration
praphullanīlapaṅkajaprapañcakālimaprabhāvalambikaṇṭhakandalīruciprabaddhakandharam | smaracchidaṃ puracchidaṃ bhavacchidaṃ makhacchidaṃ gajacchidāndhakacchidaṃ tam antakacchidaṃ bhaje || 9 ||
Translation
Whose neck is bound with the beauty of a throat-mark whose dark radiance imitates a whole array of fully-bloomed blue lotuses - I worship him, the cleaver of Kama, cleaver of the triple city, cleaver of worldly existence, cleaver of the sacrifice, cleaver of the elephant and of Andhaka, that very cleaver of death.
Deep Meaning
I worship Shiva, who is adorned by a mark like a doe's glimpse on his neck, the colour of the blue lotuses, who destroys Kama, the three cities, worldly existence, Daksha's sacrifice, the elephant, Andhaka and Yama.
Sanskrit
अखर्वसर्वमङ्गलाकलाकदम्बमञ्जरीरसप्रवाहमाधुरीविजृम्भणामधुव्रतम् स्मरान्तकं पुरान्तकं भवान्तकं मखान्तकं गजान्तकान्धकान्तकं तमन्तकान्तकं भजे ॥ १० ॥
Transliteration
akharvasarvamaṅgalākalākadambamañjarīrasapravāhamādhurīvijṛmbhaṇāmadhuvratam smarāntakaṃ purāntakaṃ bhavāntakaṃ makhāntakaṃ gajāntakāndhakāntakaṃ tam antakāntakaṃ bhaje || 10 ||
Translation
Who is the bee swelling with the sweetness flowing in a stream from the kadamba-blossom that is the undiminished, all-auspicious art of Parvati - I worship him, the ender of Kama, ender of the triple city, ender of worldly existence, ender of the sacrifice, ender of the elephant and of Andhaka, that very ender of death itself.
Deep Meaning
I worship him who is the bee drinking the honey of the flowing nectar of the kadamba blossom, the art of Parvati, and who ends Kama, the three cities, worldly existence, Daksha's sacrifice, the elephant, Andhaka and Yama.
Sanskrit
जयत्वदभ्रविभ्रमभ्रमद्भुजङ्गमश्वसद्विनिर्गमत्क्रमस्फुरत्करालभालहव्यवाट् । धिमिद्धिमिद्धिमिध्वनन्मृदङ्गतुङ्गमङ्गलध्वनिक्रमप्रवर्तितप्रचण्डताण्डवः शिवः ॥ ११ ॥
Transliteration
jayatv adabhravibhramabhramadbhujaṅgamaśvasadvinirgamatkramasphuratkarālabhālahavyavāṭ | dhimiddhimiddhimidhvanan mṛdaṅgatuṅgamaṅgaladhvanikramapravartitapracaṇḍatāṇḍavaḥ śivaḥ || 11 ||
Translation
Victory to the fire blazing upon the terrible forehead, flaring in rhythm with the hissing breath of the serpents whirling about in boundless agitation; victory to that Shiva whose fierce Tandava proceeds in rhythm with the lofty, auspicious sound of the mridanga resounding "dhimi-dhimi-dhimi."
Deep Meaning
Victory to Shiva, whose tandava dance rages fiercely in the rhythm set by the sounds of the drums, as the hissing of the serpents whirling on his head and the fire of his forehead spread in turn.
Sanskrit
दृषद्विचित्रतल्पयोर्भुजङ्गमौक्तिकस्रजोर्गरिष्ठरत्नलोष्ठयोः सुहृद्विपक्षपक्षयोः । तृणारविन्दचक्षुषोः प्रजामहीमहेन्द्रयोः समप्रवृत्तिकः कदा सदाशिवं भजाम्यहम् ॥ १२ ॥
Transliteration
dṛṣadvicitratalpayor bhujaṅgamauktikasrajor gariṣṭharatnaloṣṭhayoḥ suhṛdvipakṣapakṣayoḥ | tṛṇāravindacakṣuṣoḥ prajāmahīmahendrayoḥ samapravṛttikaḥ kadā sadāśivaṃ bhajāmy aham || 12 ||
Translation
Of equal disposition toward a stone and a beautiful bed, toward a serpent and a pearl-necklace, toward a precious jewel and a lump of clay, toward friend and enemy, toward a blade of grass and a lotus-eyed one, toward the subject and the great king of the earth - when shall I worship Sadashiva?
Deep Meaning
When will I worship Sadashiva with a mind equal toward stone and a soft bed, a serpent and a pearl garland, precious gems and a clod of earth, friend and foe, grass and a lotus-eyed woman, subjects and the great kings of the earth?
Sanskrit
कदा निलिम्पनिर्झरीनिकुञ्जकोटरे वसन् विमुक्तदुर्मतिः सदा शिरः स्थमञ्जलिं वहन् । विलोललोललोचनो ललामभाललग्नकः शिवेति मन्त्रमुच्चरन् कदा सुखी भवाम्यहम् ॥ १३ ॥
Transliteration
kadā nilimpanirjharīnikuñjakoṭare vasan vimuktadurmatiḥ sadā śiraḥstham añjaliṃ vahan | vilolalolalocano lalāmabhālalagnakaḥ śiveti mantram uccaran kadā sukhī bhavāmy aham || 13 ||
Translation
When, dwelling in a bower-hollow on the bank of the heavenly river, freed of evil thought, ever bearing joined palms raised to my head, my restless eyes rolling, my gaze fixed on that beautiful forehead, uttering the mantra "Shiva" - when shall I become happy?
Deep Meaning
When will I be happy, living in a bower on the banks of the Ganga, with my bad thoughts abandoned, with folded hands on my head, my eyes overflowing and trembling, my mind set on the lovely-foreheaded Chandrashekhara, chanting the mantra Shiva?
Sanskrit
इमं हि नित्यमेवमुक्तमुत्तमोत्तमं स्तवं पठन् स्मरन् ब्रुवन्नरो विशुद्धिमेति सन्ततम् । हरे गुरौ सुभक्तिमाशु याति नान्यथा गतिं विमोहनं हि देहिनां सुशङ्करस्य चिन्तनम् ॥ १४ ॥
Transliteration
imaṃ hi nityam evam uktam uttamottamaṃ stavaṃ paṭhan smaran bruvan naro viśuddhim eti santatam | hare gurau subhaktim āśu yāti nānyathā gatiṃ vimohanaṃ hi dehināṃ suśaṅkarasya cintanam || 14 ||
Translation
A man who constantly recites, remembers and recounts this excellent hymn, thus spoken, attains unbroken purity; he swiftly attains true devotion to Hara, the guru, and comes to no other end - for right contemplation of Shankara is what destroys the delusion of embodied beings.
Deep Meaning
A person who constantly recites, remembers and describes this excellent hymn becomes pure at all times and quickly attains good devotion to Shankara, the guru of the gods. He does not fall into a contrary course, because constant reflection on Shiva destroys the delusion of living beings.
Sanskrit
पूजावसानसमये दशवक्त्रगीतं यः शम्भुपूजनपरं पठति प्रदोषे । तस्य स्थिरां रथगजेन्द्रतुरङ्गयुक्तां लक्ष्मीं सदैव सुमुखीं प्रददाति शम्भुः ॥ १५ ॥
Transliteration
pūjāvasānasamaye daśavaktragītaṃ yaḥ śambhupūjanaparaṃ paṭhati pradoṣe | tasya sthirāṃ rathagajendraturaṅgayuktāṃ lakṣmīṃ sadaiva sumukhīṃ pradadāti śambhuḥ || 15 ||
Translation
At the close of worship, in the evening, whoever recites this ten-faced one's song devoted to the worship of Shambhu - to him Shambhu ever gives steady, gracious fortune, endowed with chariots, lordly elephants and horses.
Deep Meaning
The Lord Shambhu always grants steady and favourable prosperity, with chariots, elephants and horses, to the one who recites this hymn to Shambhu, sung by Ravana, at the end of the evening worship.