Rudrashtakam: Hymn to Shiva
This is a deeply sacred and powerful hymn in praise of Lord Shiva. Its verses celebrate Shiva's transcendence, compassion, and divine majesty.
Uttar Kand · Episode 15 / 21
Episode Text
नमामीशमीशान निर्वाणरूपं। विभुं व्यापकं ब्रह्म वेदस्वरूपं। निजं निर्गुणं निर्विकल्पं निरीहं। चिदाकाशमाकाशवासं भजेऽहं॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
namāmīśamīśāna nirvāṇarūpaṃ। vibhuṃ vyāpakaṃ brahma vedasvarūpaṃ। nijaṃ nirguṇaṃ nirvikalpaṃ nirīhaṃ। cidākāśam ākāśavāsaṃ bhaje'haṃ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
O Shiva, whose very form is liberation, the all-pervading, omnipresent Brahman, whose nature is the Vedas! I bow to you. You are established in your own essence, beyond the guṇas, beyond distinctions, free of desire, like pure consciousness, and clad in the sky itself; I worship you.
निराकारमोंकारमूलं तुरीयं। गिरा ग्यान गोतीतमीशं गिरीशं॥ करालं महाकाल कालं कृपालं। गुणागार संसारपारं नतोऽहं॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nirākāramoṃkāramūlaṃ turīyaṃ। girā gyāna gotītamīśaṃ girīśaṃ॥ karālaṃ mahākāla kālaṃ kṛpālaṃ। guṇāgāra saṃsārapāraṃ nato'haṃ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
I bow to the formless One, the source of Om, the fourth transcendental state, beyond speech, knowledge, and the senses, Lord of Kailasa, terrible, the time of even Mahakala, compassionate, the abode of virtues, and beyond the world.
तुषाराद्रि संकाश गौरं गभीरं। मनोभूत कोटि प्रभा श्री शरीरं॥ स्फुरन्मौलि कल्लोलिनी चारु गंगा। लसद्भालबालेन्दु कंठे भुजंगा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tuṣārādri saṃkāśa gauraṃ gabhīraṃ। manobhūta koṭi prabhā śrī śarīraṃ॥ sphuranmauli kallolinī cāru gaṃgā। lasadbhālabālendu kaṃṭhe bhujaṃgā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
He is as fair as the snow-clad mountain and profound, with a body of the radiance and splendor of millions of Love-gods. Upon his head flows the lovely Gaṅgā; on his forehead shines the crescent moon, and serpents adorn his neck.
चलत्कुंडलं भ्रू सुनेत्रं विशालं। प्रसन्नाननं नीलकंठं दयालं॥ मृगाधीशचर्माम्बरं मुण्डमालं। प्रियं शंकरं सर्वनाथं भजामि॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
calatkuṃḍalaṃ bhrū sunetraṃ viśālaṃ। prasannānanaṃ nīlakaṃṭhaṃ dayālaṃ॥ mṛgādhīśacarmāmbaraṃ muṇḍamālaṃ। priyaṃ śaṃkaraṃ sarvanāthaṃ bhajāmi॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
I worship Śaṅkara, dear to all and Lord of all, whose earrings sway, whose brows are beautiful and whose eyes are broad; whose face is serene, who is Nīlakaṇṭha and compassionate; who wears a tiger-skin garment and a garland of skulls.
प्रचंडं प्रकृष्टं प्रगल्भं परेशं। अखंडं अजं भानुकोटिप्रकाशं॥ त्रयः शूल निर्मूलनं शूलपाणिं। भजेऽहं भवानीपतिं भावगम्यं॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pracaṃḍaṃ prakṛṣṭaṃ pragalbhaṃ pareśaṃ। akhaṃḍaṃ ajaṃ bhānukoṭiprakāśaṃ॥ trayaḥ śūla nirmūlanaṃ śūlapāṇiṃ। bhaje'haṃ bhavānīpatiṃ bhāvagamyaṃ॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
I worship Bhavānīpati, attainable through devotion—fierce, exalted, bold, the Supreme Lord, undivided, unborn, shining with the radiance of millions of suns, destroyer of the threefold spear of suffering, and bearer of the trident.
कलातीत कल्याण कल्पान्तकारी। सदा सज्जनानन्ददाता पुरारी॥ चिदानंद संदोह मोहापहारी। प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो मन्मथारी॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kalātīta kalyāṇa kalpāntakārī। sadā sajjanānandadātā purārī॥ cidānaṃda saṃdoha mohāpahārī। prasīda prasīda prabho manmathārī॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
Transcending all arts, embodiment of welfare, destroyer at the end of the cosmic age, ever the giver of bliss to the righteous, slayer of Tripura, a mass of consciousness and bliss, remover of delusion—be gracious, be gracious, O Lord, O enemy of Love.
न यावद् उमानाथ पादारविन्दं। भजंतीह लोके परे वा नराणां॥ न तावत्सुखं शान्ति सन्तापनाशं। प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वभूताधिवासं॥ ७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na yāvad umānātha pādāraviṃdaṃ। bhajaṃtīha loke pare vā narāṇāṃ॥ na tāvatsukhaṃ śāṃti saṃtāpanāśaṃ। prasīda prabho sarvabhūtādhivāsaṃ॥ 7 ॥
Meaning:
Until human beings worship your lotus feet, O Lord of Uma, they find neither happiness nor peace, neither here nor beyond, nor does their suffering come to an end. Therefore, O Lord dwelling in all beings, be gracious.
न जानामि योगं जपं नैव पूजां। नतोऽहं सदा सर्वदा शंभु तुभ्यं॥ जरा जन्म दुःखौघ तातप्यमानं। प्रभो पाहि आपन्नमामीश शंभो॥ ८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
na jānāmi yogaṃ japaṃ naiva pūjāṃ। nato'haṃ sadā sarvadā śaṃbhu tubhyaṃ॥ jarā janma duḥkhaugha tātapyamānaṃ। prabho pāhi āpannamāmīśa śaṃbho॥ 8 ॥
Meaning:
I know neither yoga nor japa nor worship. O Śambhu, I bow to you always and at all times. O Lord, protect me—afflicted by the fires of old age, birth, and the mass of sorrows. O God, O Śambhu, I bow to you.