LORD SHIVA &ME

SHIVASHTAKAM

Prabhum prananatham vibhum vishvanatham
jagannathanatham sadanandabhajamh
Bhavadbhavyabhuteshvaram bhutanatham
shivamshankaram shambhumishanamide 1

Gale rundamalam tanau sarpajalam
mahakalakalam ganeshadhipalamh
Jatajutabhangottarangairvishalam shivam
shankaram shambhumishanamide 2

Mudamakaram mandanam mandayantam
mahamandala bhasmabhushhadharamtam
Anadihyaparam mahamohaharam
shivam shankaram shambhumishanamide 3

Vatadho nivasam mahattattahasam
mahapapanasham sadasuprakashamh
Girishamganesham sureshammahesham
shivamshankaram shambhumishanamide 4

Girindratmajasangrahitardhadeham
girau sansthitam sarvada sannageham
Parabrahmabrahmadibhirvandhyamanam
shivam shankaram shambhumishanamide 5

Kapalam trishulam karabhyam dadhanam
padambhojanamraya kamam dadanam
Balivardayanam suranam pradhanam
shivam shankaram shambhumishanamide 6

Sharachchandragatram gunananda patram
trinetram pavitram dhaneshasya mitram
Aparnakalatram charitram vichitram
shivam shankaram shambhumishanamide 7

Haramsarpaharam chitabhuviharam
bhavamvedasaram sadanirvikaram
Smashaanevadantam manojamdahantam
shivamshankaram shambhumishanamide 8

Stavam yah prabhate narah shulapane
patheth stotraratnam vhaprapyaratnam
Sputram sudhyanam sumitram kalatram
vichitrai samaradya moksham prayati 9

Śivāṣṭakam MEANING:

I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who is the Lord, Who is the Lord of our lives, Who is Vibhu, Who is the Lord of the world, Who is the Lord of Viṣṇu (Jagannātha), Who is always dwelling in happiness, Who imparts light or shine to everything, Who is the Lord of living beings, Who is the Lord of ghosts, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||1||

I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who has a garland of skull around the neck, Who has a net of snakes around His body, Who is the destroyer of the immense-destroyer Kāla, Who is the lord of Gaṇeśa, Whose matted-hair are spread-out by the presence of the waves of Gańgā falling on His head, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||2||

I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who scatters happiness [in the world], Who is ornating the universe, Who is the immense universe Himself, Who is possessing the adornment of ashes, Who is without a beginning, Who is without a measure, Who removes the greatest attachments, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||3||

I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who resides below a Vaṭa (Banyan) tree, Who possesses an immense laughter, Who destroys the greatest sins, Who is always resplendent, Who is the Lord of Himālaya, various tormentor-groups (Gaṇa) and the demi-gods, Who is the great Lord, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||4||

I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who shares half of His body with the daughter of Himālaya¹, Who is situated in a mountain (Kailāsa), Who is always a resort for the depressed, Who is the Ātman, Who is reverred by (or Who is worthy of reverence by) Brahma and others, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||5||

I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who holds a skull and a trident in the hands, Who endows the desires of those who are humble to His lotus-feet, Who uses an Ox as a vehicle², Who is supreme and above various demi-gods, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||6||

I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who has a face like the Winter-moon, Who is the subject of happiness of Gaṇa (tormentor groups), Who has three eyes, Who is pure, Who is the friend of Kubera (controller of wealth), Who is the consort of Aparṇā (Pārvatī), Who has eternal characteristics, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||7||

I pray You, Śiva, Śańkara, Śambhu, Who is known as Hara, Who has a garland of snakes, Who roams around the cremation grounds, Who is the universe, Who is the summary of the Veda (or the One discussed by Veda), Who is always dispassionate, Who is living in the cremation grounds, Who is burning desires born in the mind, and Who is the Lord of everyone.||8||

Those who study this prayer every morning with effulgence and emotions for Trident-holding Śiva, achieve Mokṣa, after having attained a dutiful son, wealth, friends, wife, and a colorful life.||9||

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This Shivashtakam sings the glory of Shiva as the Lord of Universe, the Lord of time and Lord of all deities.

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Notes:

¹ The Ardhanārīśvara form of Śiva consists of half Śiva and half Pārvatī, the daughter of Himalaya.

² Thanks to Nandini Sivakumar and Arjun Kanagal for shedding light on the meaning of the phrase balīvardayānaḿ.