Shiva Raksha Stotram
शिवरक्षास्तोत्रम्
Sanskrit
चरितं देवदेवस्य महादेवस्य पावनम् । अपारं परमोदारं चतुर्वर्गस्य साधनम् ॥
Transliteration
caritaṃ devadevasya mahādevasya pāvanam | apāraṃ paramodāraṃ caturvargasya sādhanam ||
Translation
This supremely sacred life-story of Mahadeva, the god of gods, is the means of attaining the four aims of life, dharma, artha, kama and moksha; it is exceedingly generous, there is no end to its generosity.
Deep Meaning
This most sacred life and deeds of Mahadeva, the god of gods, is the means to attain the four aims of life, dharma, artha, kama and moksha; it is exceedingly generous, there is no limit to its generosity.
Sanskrit
गौरीविनायकोपेतं पञ्चवक्त्रं त्रिनेत्रकम् । शिवं ध्यात्वा दशभुजं शिवरक्षां पठेन्नरः ॥
Transliteration
gaurīvināyakopetaṃ pañcavaktraṃ trinetrakam | śivaṃ dhyātvā daśabhujaṃ śivarakṣāṃ paṭhen naraḥ ||
Translation
The practitioner should meditate upon the five-faced, ten-armed Lord Tryambaka Shiva, accompanied by Gauri and Vinayaka, Ganesha, and then recite the Shiva-raksha-stotra.
Deep Meaning
The practitioner should meditate on Lord Shiva, three-eyed, accompanied by Gauri and Vinayaka, five-faced and ten-armed, and then recite the Shiva Raksha.
Sanskrit
गङ्गाधरः शिरः पातु भालमर्धेन्दुशेखरः । नयने मदनध्वंसी कर्णौ सर्पविभूषणः ॥
Transliteration
gaṅgādharaḥ śiraḥ pātu bhālam ardhenduśekharaḥ | nayane madanadhvaṃsī karṇau sarpavibhūṣaṇaḥ ||
Translation
May Gangadhara Shiva, who bears the Ganga in his matted locks, protect my head; may Ardhendushekhara, who wears the half-moon as his head-ornament, protect my forehead; may Madanadhvamsi, the destroyer of Kamadeva, protect both my eyes; may Sarpavibhushana Shiva, who wears a serpent as his ornament, protect my ears.
Deep Meaning
May Gangadhara Shiva, who bears the Ganga in his matted locks, protect my head; may Ardhendushekhara, who bears the half-moon as his crest-ornament, protect my forehead; may the destroyer of Kama protect both my eyes; may Sarpavibhushana, who wears a serpent as ornament, protect my ears.
Sanskrit
घ्राणं पातु पुरारातिर्मुखं पातु जगत्पतिः । जिह्वां वागीश्वरः पातु कन्धरां शितिकन्धरः ॥
Transliteration
ghrāṇaṃ pātu purārātir mukhaṃ pātu jagatpatiḥ | jihvāṃ vāgīśvaraḥ pātu kandharāṃ śitikandharaḥ ||
Translation
May Purarati, the destroyer of the demon Tripura, protect my nose; may Jagatpati, the protector of the universe, protect my mouth; may Vagishwara, the lord of speech, protect my tongue; may Shitikandhara, Nilakantha, protect my neck.
Deep Meaning
May Purarati, the destroyer of Tripura, protect my nose; may Jagatpati, protector of the world, protect my mouth; may Vagishwara, lord of speech, protect my tongue; may Shitikandhara protect my throat.
Sanskrit
श्रीकण्ठः पातु मे कण्ठं स्कन्धौ विश्वधुरन्धरः । भुजौ भूभारसंहर्ता करौ पातु पिनाकधृक् ॥
Transliteration
śrīkaṇṭhaḥ pātu me kaṇṭhaṃ skandhau viśvadhurandharaḥ | bhujau bhūbhārasaṃhartā karau pātu pinākadhṛk ||
Translation
May Shrikantha, he in whose throat Shri, that is Sarasvati, that is speech, dwells, protect my throat; may Vishwadhurandhara Shiva, who bears the axis of the universe, protect both my shoulders; may Bhubharasamharta Shiva, the destroyer of the demons who were a burden upon the earth, protect both my arms; may Pinakadhrik, the bearer of the Pinaka bow, protect both my hands.
Deep Meaning
May Shrikantha, in whose throat Shri, that is Sarasvati, that is speech, dwells, protect my throat; may Vishwadhurandhara, who bears the axis of the universe, protect both my shoulders; may Bhubharasamharta, destroyer of the demons who were a burden on the earth, protect both my arms; may Pinakadhrik, bearer of the Pinaka, protect both my hands.
Sanskrit
हृदयं शङ्करः पातु जठरं गिरिजापतिः । नाभिं मृत्युञ्जयः पातु कटी व्याघ्राजिनाम्बरः ॥
Transliteration
hṛdayaṃ śaṅkaraḥ pātu jaṭharaṃ girijāpatiḥ | nābhiṃ mṛtyuñjayaḥ pātu kaṭī vyāghrājināmbaraḥ ||
Translation
May Lord Shankara protect my heart, and Girijapati protect my belly. May Lord Mrityunjaya protect my navel, and Lord Shiva, who wears the tiger's hide as a garment, protect my waist.
Deep Meaning
May Lord Shankara protect my heart and Girijapati my belly. May Lord Mrityunjaya protect my navel, and Lord Shiva, who wears tiger-hide as a garment, protect my waist.
Sanskrit
सक्थिनी पातु दीनार्तशरणागतवत्सलः । ऊरू महेश्वरः पातु जानुनी जगदीश्वरः ॥
Transliteration
sakthinī pātu dīnārtaśaraṇāgatavatsalaḥ | ūrū maheśvaraḥ pātu jānunī jagadīśvaraḥ ||
Translation
May Dinartasharanagatavatsala, the lover of the wretched, the afflicted, and those who seek refuge, protect all my bones; may Maheshwara protect my thighs, and Jagadishwara protect my knees.
Deep Meaning
May Dinartasharanagatavatsala, lover of the wretched, the afflicted and those who seek refuge, protect all my bones; may Maheshwara protect my thighs and Jagadishwara my knees.
Sanskrit
जङ्घे पातु जगत्कर्ता गुल्फौ पातु गणाधिपः । चरणौ करुणासिन्धुः सर्वाङ्गानि सदाशिवः ॥
Transliteration
jaṅghe pātu jagatkartā gulphau pātu gaṇādhipaḥ | caraṇau karuṇāsindhuḥ sarvāṅgāni sadāśivaḥ ||
Translation
May Jagatkarta protect my shins, and Ganadhipa protect both my ankles; may the ocean of compassion protect both my feet, and Sadashiva protect all my limbs.
Deep Meaning
May Jagatkarta protect my shins, Ganadhipa both my ankles, the ocean of compassion both my feet, and Lord Sadashiva all my limbs.
Sanskrit
एतां शिवबलोपेतां रक्षां यः सुकृती पठेत् । स भुक्त्वा सकलान् कामान् शिवसायुज्यमाप्नुयात् ॥
Transliteration
etāṃ śivabalopetāṃ rakṣāṃ yaḥ sukṛtī paṭhet | sa bhuktvā sakalān kāmān śivasāyujyam āpnuyāt ||
Translation
Whoever, being virtuous, recites this armour endowed with Shiva's power enjoys all his desires and, in the end, attains union with Shiva, Shiva-sayujya.
Deep Meaning
Whichever virtuous practitioner recites this auspicious, Shiva-empowered protection enjoys all his desires and in the end attains union with Shiva.
Sanskrit
ग्रहभूतपिशाचाद्यास्त्रैलोक्ये विचरन्ति ये । दूरादाशु पलायन्ते शिवनामाभिरक्षणात् ॥
Transliteration
grahabhūtapiśācādyās trailokye caranti ye | dūrād āśu palāyante śivanāmābhirakṣaṇāt ||
Translation
Whatever planetary spirits, ghosts, goblins and the like roam the three worlds, all of them instantly flee far away merely from the recitation of this Shiva-raksha-stotra.
Deep Meaning
Whatever planetary spirits, ghosts, goblins and such wander in the three worlds, all of them flee far away at once merely from the recitation of this Shiva Raksha Stotra.
Sanskrit
अभयङ्करनामेदं कवचं पार्वतीपतेः । भक्त्या बिभर्ति यः कण्ठे तस्य वश्यं जगत्त्रयम् ॥
Transliteration
abhayaṅkaranāmedaṃ kavacaṃ pārvatīpateḥ | bhaktyā bibharti yaḥ kaṇṭhe tasya vaśyaṃ jagattrayam ||
Translation
Whoever, as a devotee, wears this armour named "Abhayakara," the fear-dispeller, of Parvati's husband around his neck, the three worlds become subject to him.
Deep Meaning
Whichever devotee wears this armour of Parvati's husband, named Abhayankara, around his neck with devotion, the three worlds come under his control.
Sanskrit
इमां नारायणः स्वप्ने शिवरक्षां यथाऽऽदिशत् । प्रातरुत्थाय योगीन्द्रो याज्ञवल्क्यस्तथाऽलिखत् ॥
Transliteration
imāṃ nārāyaṇaḥ svapne śivarakṣāṃ yathādiśat | prātar utthāya yogīndro yājñavalkyas tathālikhat ||
Translation
In the very manner that Lord Narayana taught this "Shiva-raksha" in a dream, the great sage-king Yajnavalkya, rising at dawn, wrote down this hymn in just that way.
Deep Meaning
In the very way Lord Narayana taught this Shiva Raksha in a dream, the great sage Yajnavalkya rose at dawn and wrote down this hymn exactly so.