Shiva Tandava Stotram

Verse 1

जटाटवीगलज्जलप्रवाहपावितस्थले गलेऽवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजङ्गतुङ्गमालिकाम्।
डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनादवड्डमर्वयं चकार चण्डताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिवः शिवम् ॥१॥

Jataataveegalajjalapravaahapaavitasthale galevalambya lambitaam bhujangatungamaalikaam
Damaddamaddamaddamanninaadavaddamarvayam chakaara chandataandavam tanotu nah shivah shivam

On ground made holy by the stream flowing from the forest of his hair, hanging a garland of great serpents at his neck, with his damaru sounding damat damat, he danced the fierce tandava: may Shiva bless us.

Verse 2

जटाकटाहसम्भ्रमभ्रमन्निलिम्पनिर्झरीविलोलवीचिवल्लरीविराजमानमूर्धनि।
धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल्ललाटपट्टपावके किशोरचन्द्रशेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम ॥२॥

Jataakataahasambhramabhramannilimpanirjhareevilolaveechivallareeviraajamaanamoordhani
Dhagaddhagaddhagajjvalallalaatapattapaavake kishorachandrashekhare ratih pratikshanam mama

My joy is ever in him, whose head shines with the rolling waves of the celestial river whirling in the bowl of his hair, on whose broad brow fire blazes dhagad dhagad, who wears the young moon.

Verse 3

धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीविलासबन्धुबन्धुरस्फुरद्दिगन्तसन्ततिप्रमोदमानमानसे।
कृपाकटाक्षधोरणीनिरुद्धदुर्धरापदि क्वचिद्दिगम्बरे मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि ॥३॥

Dharaadharendranandineevilaasabandhubandhurasphuraddigantasantatipramodamaanamaanase
Kripaakataakshadhoraneeniruddhadurdharaapadi kvachiddigambare mano vinodametu vastuni

May my mind find delight in the sky-clad one, who delights in the play of the mountain king's daughter, whose mind rejoices in the shining worlds, and whose stream of kind glances stops even the hardest trouble.

Verse 4

जटाभुजङ्गपिङ्गलस्फुरत्फणामणिप्रभाकदम्बकुङ्कुमद्रवप्रलिप्तदिग्वधूमुखे।
मदान्धसिन्धुरासुरत्वगुत्तरीयमेदुरे मनो विनोदमद्भुतं बिभर्तु भूतभर्तरि ॥४॥

Jataabhujangapingalasphuratphanaamaniprabhaakadambakunkumadravapraliptadigvadhoomukhe
Madaandhasindhuraasuratvaguttareeyamedure mano vinodamadbhutam bibhartu bhootabhartari

May my mind find wondrous joy in the lord of beings, on whose matted hair the tawny serpent's hooded jewels throw a saffron glow over the faces of the directions, who wears the hide of the mad elephant asura.

Verse 5

सहस्रलोचनप्रभृत्यशेषलेखशेखरप्रसूनधूलिधोरणीविधूसराङ्घ्रिपीठभूः।
भुजङ्गराजमालया निबद्धजाटजूटकः श्रिये चिराय जायतां चकोरबन्धुशेखरः ॥५॥

Sahasralochanaprabhrityasheshalekhashekharaprasoonadhoolidhoraneevidhoosaraanghripeethabhooh
Bhujangaraajamaalayaa nibaddhajaatajootakah shriye chiraaya jaayataam chakorabandhushekharah

May he who wears the moon, whose footstool is grey with the pollen fallen from the crowns of Indra and all the devas, whose hair is tied with the king of serpents, give lasting prosperity.

Verse 6

ललाटचत्वरज्वलद्धनञ्जयस्फुलिङ्गभानिपीतपञ्चसायकं नमन्निलिम्पनायकम्।
सुधामयूखलेखया विराजमानशेखरं महाकपालिसम्पदेशिरोजटालमस्तु नः ॥६॥

Lalaatachatvarajvaladdhananjayasphulingabhaanipeetapanchasaayakam namannilimpanaayakam
Sudhaamayookhalekhayaa viraajamaanashekharam mahaakapaalisampadeshirojataalamastu nah

May that head of matted hair, the great skull-bearer's, who drank up the god of love in the sparks of fire on the square of his brow, to whom the lord of devas bows, and whose crest shines with a line of the nectar-rayed moon, be our wealth.

Verse 7

करालभालपट्टिकाधगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलद्धनञ्जयाहुतीकृतप्रचण्डपञ्चसायके।
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीकुचाग्रचित्रपत्रकप्रकल्पनैकशिल्पिनि त्रिलोचने रतिर्मम ॥७॥

Karaalabhaalapattikaadhagaddhagaddhagajjvaladdhananjayaahuteekritaprachandapanchasaayake
Dharaadharendranandineekuchaagrachitrapatrakaprakalpanaikashilpini trilochane ratirmama

My joy is in the three-eyed one, who offered the mighty god of love into the fire blazing on his dreadful brow, the one skilled in drawing patterns on the breast of the mountain king's daughter.

Verse 8

नवीनमेघमण्डलीनिरुद्धदुर्धरस्फुरत्कुहूनिशीथिनीतमःप्रबन्धबद्धकन्धरः।
निलिम्पनिर्झरीधरस्तनोतु कृत्तिसिन्धुरः कलानिधानबन्धुरः श्रियं जगद्धुरन्धरः ॥८॥

Naveenameghamandaleeniruddhadurdharasphuratkuhoonisheethineetamahprabandhabaddhakandharah
Nilimpanirjhareedharastanotu krittisindhurah kalaanidhaanabandhurah shriyam jagaddhurandharah

May he who bears the celestial river, clad in hide, handsome with the moon, bearer of the world's load, whose neck is dark as the deep night of new moon behind thick new cloud, give prosperity.

Verse 9

प्रफुल्लनीलपङ्कजप्रपञ्चकालिमप्रभाऽवलम्बिकण्ठकन्दलीरुचिप्रबद्धकन्धरम्।
स्मरच्छिदं पुरच्छिदं भवच्छिदं मखच्छिदं गजच्छिदान्धकच्छिदं तमन्तकच्छिदं भजे ॥९॥

Praphullaneelapankajaprapanchakaalimaprabhaavalambikanthakandaleeruchiprabaddhakandharam
Smarachchhidam purachchhidam bhavachchhidam makhachchhidam gajachchhidaandhakachchhidam tamantakachchhidam bhaje

I worship him whose throat holds the dark sheen of a full blue lotus, who cut down Kama, the three cities, worldly life, the sacrifice, the elephant, Andhaka and Death.

Verse 10

अखर्वसर्वमङ्गलाकलाकदम्बमञ्जरीरसप्रवाहमाधुरीविजृम्भणामधुव्रतम्।
स्मरान्तकं पुरान्तकं भवान्तकं मखान्तकं गजान्तकान्धकान्तकं तमन्तकान्तकं भजे ॥१०॥

Akharvasarvamangalaakalaakadambamanjareerasapravaahamaadhureevijrimbhanaamadhuvratam
Smaraantakam puraantakam bhavaantakam makhaantakam gajaantakaandhakaantakam tamantakaantakam bhaje

I worship the bee drawn to the sweet flow of the flowers of Sarvamangala's arts, the ender of Kama, of the cities, of worldly life, of the sacrifice, of the elephant, of Andhaka and of Death.

Verse 11

जयत्वदभ्रविभ्रमभ्रमद्भुजङ्गमश्वसद्विनिर्गमत्क्रमस्फुरत्करालभालहव्यवाट्।
धिमिद्धिमिद्धिमिद्ध्वनन्मृदङ्गतुङ्गमङ्गलध्वनिक्रमप्रवर्तितप्रचण्डताण्डवः शिवः ॥११॥

Jayatvadabhravibhramabhramadbhujangamashvasadvinirgamatkramasphuratkaraalabhaalahavyavaat
Dhimiddhimiddhimiddhvananmridangatungamangaladhvanikramapravartitaprachandataandavah shivah

Victory to Shiva, whose fierce tandava keeps time with the auspicious sound of the great mridanga beating dhimid dhimid, on whose dreadful brow the fire is stirred by the breath of the whirling serpents.

Verse 12

दृषद्विचित्रतल्पयोर्भुजङ्गमौक्तिकस्रजोर्गरिष्ठरत्नलोष्ठयोः सुहृद्विपक्षपक्षयोः।
तृणारविन्दचक्षुषोः प्रजामहीमहेन्द्रयोः समप्रवृत्तिकः कदा सदाशिवं भजाम्यहम् ॥१२॥

Drishadvichitratalpayorbhujangamauktikasrajorgarishtharatnaloshthayoh suhridvipakshapakshayoh
Trinaaravindachakshushoh prajaamaheemahendrayoh samapravrittikah kadaa sadaashivam bhajaamyaham

When shall I worship Sadashiva with an even eye on a stone and a fine bed, a serpent and a string of pearls, a costly jewel and a clod of earth, friend and foe, a blade of grass and lotus eyes, a subject and a king?

Verse 13

कदा निलिम्पनिर्झरीनिकुञ्जकोटरे वसन् विमुक्तदुर्मतिः सदा शिरःस्थमञ्जलिं वहन्।
विमुक्तलोललोचनो ललामभाललग्नकः शिवेति मन्त्रमुच्चरन् कदा सुखी भवाम्यहम् ॥१३॥

Kadaa nilimpanirjhareenikunjakotare vasan vimuktadurmatih sadaa shirahsthamanjalim vahan
Vimuktalolalochano lalaamabhaalalagnakah shiveti mantramuchcharan kadaa sukhee bhavaamyaham

When shall I be happy, living in a hollow by the celestial river, free of bad thoughts, hands joined always above my head, freed from the restless-eyed beauties, the mark on my brow, repeating the mantra "Shiva"?

Verse 14

निलिम्पनाथनागरीकदम्बमौलमल्लिकानिगुम्फनिर्भरक्षरन्मधूष्णिकामनोहरः।
तनोतु नो मनोमुदं विनोदिनीमहर्निशं परश्रियः परं पदं तदङ्गजत्विषां चयः ॥१४॥

Nilimpanaathanaagareekadambamaulamallikaanigumphanirbharaksharanmadhooshnikaamanoharah
Tanotu no manomudam vinodineemaharnisham parashriyah param padam tadangajatvishaam chayah

May the glow of his limbs, lovely with the honey dripping from the jasmine braided in the hair of the devas' women, the highest place of supreme splendour, give joy to our minds day and night.

Verse 15

प्रचण्डवाडवानलप्रभाशुभप्रचारणी महाष्टसिद्धिकामिनीजनावहूतजल्पना।
विमुक्तवामलोचनाविवाहकालिकध्वनिः शिवेति मन्त्रभूषणा जगज्जयाय जायताम् ॥१५॥

Prachandavaadavaanalaprabhaashubhaprachaaranee mahaashtasiddhikaamineejanaavahootajalpanaa
Vimuktavaamalochanaavivaahakaalikadhvanih shiveti mantrabhooshanaa jagajjayaaya jaayataam

May the auspicious sound of the wedding hour, with the light of the great submarine fire, called by the women who are the eight great siddhis, adorned with the mantra "Shiva", be for the victory of the world.

Verse 16

इमं हि नित्यमेवमुक्तमुत्तमोत्तमं स्तवं पठन्स्मरन्ब्रुवन्नरो विशुद्धिमेतिसन्ततम्।
हरे गुरौ सुभक्तिमाशु याति नाऽन्यथा गतिं विमोहनं हि देहिनां सुशङ्करस्य चिन्तनम् ॥१६॥

Imam hi nityamevamuktamuttamottamam stavam pathansmaranbruvannaro vishuddhimetisantatam
Hare gurau subhaktimaashu yaati naanyathaa gatim vimohanam hi dehinaam sushankarasya chintanam

The verse says that whoever daily reads, remembers and speaks this highest of hymns becomes pure for ever, soon gains devotion to Hara, the guru, and takes no other path: the thought of Shankara clears the confusion of embodied beings.

Verse 17

पूजावसानसमये दशवक्त्रगीतं यः शम्भुपूजनपरं पठति प्रदोषे।
तस्य स्थिरां रथगजेन्द्रतुरङ्गयुक्तां लक्ष्मीं सदैव सुमुखीं प्रददाति शम्भुः ॥१७॥

Poojaavasaanasamaye dashavaktrageetam yah shambhupoojanaparam pathati pradoshe
Tasya sthiraam rathagajendraturangayuktaam lakshmeem sadaiva sumukheem pradadaati shambhuh

The verse says that whoever reads this song of the ten-headed one at the end of worship, on the Pradosh evening, devoted to Shambhu, is given by Shambhu a lasting and ever kindly Lakshmi, with chariots, elephants and horses.