Shiva Tandava Stutih
शिवताण्डवस्तुतिः
Sanskrit
देवा दिक्पतयः प्रयात परतः खं मुञ्चताम्भोमुचः पातालं व्रज मेदिनि प्रविशत क्षोणीतलं भूधराः । ब्रह्मन्नुन्नय दूरमात्मभुवनं नाथस्य नो नृत्यतः शम्भोः संकटमेतदित्यवतु वः प्रोत्सारणा नन्दिनः ॥
Transliteration
devā dikpatayaḥ prayāta parataḥ khaṃ muñcatāmbhomucaḥ pātālaṃ vraja medini praviśata kṣoṇītalaṃ bhūdharāḥ | brahmann unnaya dūram ātmabhuvanaṃ nāthasya no nṛtyataḥ śambhoḥ saṃkaṭam etad ity avatu vaḥ protsāraṇā nandinaḥ ||
Translation
"O gods and guardians of directions, depart far away; rain-clouds, clear the sky; earth, go to netherworld; mountains, enter beneath the earth; Brahma, raise your realm far above; all this is a hindrance to our Lord Shambhu as he dances" - may this proclamation of Nandi protect you all!
Deep Meaning
Nandi, speaking to clear the way for Shiva's tandava dance, said: O gods, O lords of the quarters, go away from here and far off. O clouds that pour water, leave the sky. O earth, go down to the nether world. O mountains, enter the unmoving part of the earth. O Brahma, carry your world far away and up, because during the dance of my Lord Shankara all of you become a danger. May this call of Nandi, made to keep people away, protect you all.
Sanskrit
दोर्दण्डद्वयलीलयाचलगिरिभ्राम्यत्तदुच्चै रवध्वानोद्भीतजगद्भ्रमत्पदभरालोलत्फणाग्रयोरगम् । भृङ्गापिङ्गजटाटवीपरिसरोद्गङ्गोर्मिमालाचलच्चन्द्रं चारु महेश्वरस्य भवतान्नः श्रेयसे ताण्डवम् ॥
Transliteration
dordaṇḍadvayalīlayācalagiribhrāmyattaduccai ravadhvānodbhītajagadbhramatpadabharālolatphaṇāgrayoragam | bhṛṅgāpiṅgajaṭāṭavīparisarodgaṅgormimālācalaccandraṃ cāru maheśvarasya bhavatān naḥ śreyase tāṇḍavam ||
Translation
From the playful whirling of his two staff-like arms the immovable mountains spin, the world is frightened by the loud noise, and the serpent's top hood sways under his stamping feet; may the beautiful Tandava of Maheshwara - whose moon sways amid Ganga's waves in his bee-dark tawny matted hair - be for our supreme welfare!
Deep Meaning
At the time of the tandava, when Shiva turned his two arms with playful strength, the mountains too began to whirl. The sound made by this was very high, and the world was frightened. When he placed his foot down, the top hood of the serpent Shesha trembled under the weight. May the tandava of the auspicious Mahesvara, with the moon moving on the matted locks of Gangā's waves, which are as dark and tawny as a bee, be for our highest good.
Sanskrit
संध्याताण्डवडम्बरव्यसनिनो भर्गस्य चण्डभ्रमिव्यानृत्यद्भुजदण्डमण्डलभुवो झञ्झानिलाः पान्तु वः । येषामुच्छलतां जवेन झटिति व्यूहेषु भूमीभृतामुड्डीनेषु विडौजसा पुनरसौ दम्भोलिरालोकिता ॥
Transliteration
saṃdhyātāṇḍavaḍambaravyasanino bhargasya caṇḍabhramivyānṛtyadbhujadaṇḍamaṇḍalabhuvo jhañjhānilāḥ pāntu vaḥ | yeṣām ucchalatāṃ javena jhaṭiti vyūheṣu bhūmībhṛtām uḍḍīneṣu viḍojasā punar asau dambholir ālokitā ||
Translation
May the gale winds arising from the circle of dancing staff-like arms of Bharga - addicted to the pomp of evening Tandava and whirling fiercely - protect you all; from the force of which mountains flew up in arrays so that Indra again looked to his thunderbolt!
Deep Meaning
When Bhargas, who delights in the tumult of the evening tandava, turned his arms in fierce circles and danced, the storm winds swept, and by their violent rising the sound of the mountains taking flight was heard. Indra looked again at his thunderbolt, as if to hurl it. May those storm winds of the arms of the dancer protect you.
Sanskrit
शर्वाणीपाणितालैश्चलवलयझणत्कारिभिः श्लाघ्यमानं स्थाने सम्भाव्यमानं पुलकितवपुषा शम्भुना प्रेक्षकेण । खेलत्पिच्छालिकेकाकलकलकलितं क्रौञ्चभिद्बर्हियूनो हेरम्बाकाण्डबृंहातरलितमनसस्ताण्डवं त्वा धुनोतु ॥
Transliteration
śarvāṇīpāṇitālaiś calavalayajhaṇatkāribhiḥ ślāghyamānaṃ sthāne sambhāvyamānaṃ pulakitavapuṣā śambhunā prekṣakeṇa | khelatpicchālikekākalakalakalitaṃ krauñchabhidbarhiyūno herambākāṇḍabṛṃhātaralitamanasas tāṇḍavaṃ tvā dhunotu ||
Translation
Praised by Parvati's palm-clapping with jingling bangles, honoured in proper turn by Shambhu as a spectator with thrilled body - may the dancing of young Kartikeya's peacock, its mind thrilled by Ganesha's sudden trumpeting, fill you with joy!
Deep Meaning
Sharvani praised the dance with the jingling of the bangles on her clapping hands, and Shambhu, watching with a body thrilled with joy, rightly honoured it. The peacock of Kartikeya, rider of the youthful slayer of Krauncha, danced with its cries, its mind stirred by the trumpeting of Ganesha. May that tandava of Shiva delight you.
Sanskrit
देवस्त्रैगुण्यभेदात् सृजति वितनुते संहरत्येष लोकानस्यैव व्यापिनीभिस्तनुभिरपि जगद्व्याप्तमष्टाभिरेव । वन्द्यो नास्येति पश्यन्निव चरणगतः पातु पुष्पाञ्जलिर्वः शम्भोर्नृत्यावतारे वलयफणिफणाफूत्कृतैर्विप्रकीर्णः ॥
Transliteration
devas traiguṇyabhedāt sṛjati vitanute saṃharatyeṣa lokān asyaiva vyāpinībhis tanubhir api jagad vyāptam aṣṭābhir eva | vandyo nāsyeti paśyann iva caraṇagataḥ pātu puṣpāñjalir vaḥ śambhor nṛtyāvatāre valayaphaṇiphaṇāphūtkṛtair viprakīrṇaḥ ||
Translation
This God through the three gunas creates, expands and destroys worlds; by his eight all-pervading forms this universe is pervaded; may the flower-offering made at Shiva's feet before his dance - scattered by the hissing of serpent-bangles as if seeing none else is more worshipful - protect you!
Deep Meaning
The god who creates, sustains and destroys the worlds through his three gunas, pervades the world with his eight forms, and is worshipped by all. A flower-offering at his feet was scattered by the hissing of the serpents on his bangles during the dance of Shambhu. May that offering of flowers protect you.