Shiva Shiromalika Stutih
शिवशिरोमालिकास्तुतिः
Sanskrit
पित्रोः पादाब्जसेवागतगिरितनयापुत्रपत्रातिभीतक्षुभ्यद्भूषाभुजङ्गश्वसनगुरुमरुद्दीप्तनेत्राग्नितापात् स्विद्यन्मौलीन्दुखण्डस्त्रुतबहुलसुधासेकसंजातजीवा पूर्वाधीतं पठन्ती ह्यवतु विधिशिरोमालिका शूलिनो वः ॥
Transliteration
pitroḥ pādābjasevāgatagiritanayāputrapatrātibhītakṣubhyadbhūṣābhujaṅgaśvasanagurumarudīptanetrāgnitāpāt svidyanmaulīndukhaṇḍastrutabahulasudhāsekasaṃjātajīvā pūrvādhītaṃ paṭhantī hy avatu vidhiśiromālikā śūlino vaḥ ||
Translation
May that garland of Brahma's skull, strung upon the neck of the trident-bearer, protect you, that garland which, because of the heat of the blazing fire of Shiva's eye, caused by the heavy breath of Girija's son's agitated, serpent ornaments, fully terrified as he comes to serve his parents' lotus feet, causes the crescent moon upon his head to sweat, and which, revived to life by that abundant stream of nectar trickling from that moon, recites the scriptures it had studied before.
Deep Meaning
When Parvati's son Kartikeya arrives mounted upon his vehicle to serve the lotus feet of his mother and father, the serpents that are the ornaments on Lord Shankara's body become agitated out of fear of his mount, the peacock, and draw long, deep breaths; from this, a fire-like heat rises in Lord Shankara's eye, which causes the piece of moon set in his matted locks to begin sweating. In that state, Shankara's garland of Brahma's skull, which hangs at his throat and which, being lifeless, is irrigated by the abundant stream of nectar flowing from that moon-piece, comes back to life again and begins to recite the scriptures it had studied in a former time. May that garland of Brahma's skull, present at the throat of trident-bearing Lord Shankara, protect you all.