Shiv Tandav Stotram

॥ 1 ॥

जटाटवी गलज्जल प्रवाह पावित स्थले गले अवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजंगतुंग मालिकाम्। डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनाद वड्डमर्वयं चकार चण्ड ताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिव: शिवम्॥

Jatatavigalajjalapravahapavitasthale Gale'valambya lambitam bhujangatungamalikam. Damaḍ damaḍ damaḍ damannninadavaddamarvayam Chakaara chandatandavam tanotu nah shivah shivam.

💡 His throat, hallowed by the flow of water streaming through the forest of his matted hair, on which hangs a huge serpent as a garland — to the sound of 'Damaḍ Damaḍ Damaḍ Damaḍ' of the Damaru drum — Shiva performed the fierce Tandava dance. May He grant us auspiciousness.

॥ 2 ॥

जटाकटाह सम्भ्रम भ्रमन् निलिम्प निर्झरी विलोल वीचि वल्लरी विराजमान मूर्धनि। धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल् ललाट पट्ट पावके किशोर चन्द्र शेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम॥

Jatakatahasambhramabhraman nilimpanirjhari Vilolaveechivallari virajamaanamurdhani. Dhagad dhagad dhagajjvalal lalatapattapavake Kishora chandrashekhare ratih pratikshanam mama.

💡 The Ganga whirls chaotically through the forest of his matted hair, her waves waving like creepers — adorning his head. From his forehead blazes a fierce fire going 'Dhagad Dhagad Dhagad'. On such Shiva, who bears the crescent moon — let my devotion grow every moment.

॥ 3 ॥

धरा धरेन्द्र नंदिनी विलास बन्धु बन्धुर स्फुरद्दिगन्त सन्तति प्रमोद मान मानसे। कृपा कटाक्ष धोरणी निरुद्ध दुर्धर आपदि क्वचिद् दिगम्बरे मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि॥

Dharadharendra nandini vilasa bandhubandhura Sphurad diganta santati pramoda maana maanase. Kripa kataksha dhorini niruddha durdhara apadi Kvachid digambare mano vinodametu vastuni.

💡 His mind is delighted by the beauty of the daughter of the mountain king (Parvati), illuminating all directions. A glance of his compassion arrests even the most terrible of calamities. May my mind find joy in Shiva, the sky-clad one.

॥ 4 ॥

जटाभुजंग पिंगल स्फुरत् फणा मणि प्रभा कदम्ब कुंकुम द्रव प्रलिप्त दिग्वधू मुखे। मदान्ध सिन्धुर स्फुरत् त्वगुत्तरीय मेदुरे मनो विनोदमद्भुतं बिभर्तु भूत भर्तरि॥

Jatabhujanga pingala sphurat phanamani prabha Kadamba kunkuma drava pralipta digvadhoomukhe. Madandha sindhura sphurat tvaguttariya medure Mano vinodamadbhutam bibhartu bhutabhartari.

💡 The lustre of the jewel on the hood of the tawny serpent in his matted hair illuminates the faces of the directional goddesses as if painted with kadamba-flower saffron. Let my mind find wonderful joy in Shiva, lord of all creatures, who wears an elephant hide as an upper garment.

॥ 5 ॥

सहस्र लोचन प्रभृत्य अशेष लेख शेखर प्रसून धूलि धोरणी विधूसर अंघ्रि पीठभूः। भुजंगराज माल या निबद्ध जाट जूटक: श्रियै चिराय जायतां चकोर बन्धु शेखरः॥

Sahasra lochana prabhrityashesha lekha shekhara Prasuna dhuli dhorani vidhusara anghri peethabhuh. Bhujanga raja maala ya nibaddha jatajutakah Shriyai chiraya jayatam chakora bandhu shekharah.

💡 The ground of Shiva's footstool is grey with the pollen-dust of the flowers offered by Indra and all the gods. His matted hair is bound with a garland of serpent kings. May Shiva — who bears the moon (friend of the chakora bird) as his crest jewel — grant us lasting prosperity.

॥ 6 ॥

ललाट चत्वर ज्वलद् धनंजय स्फुलिंगभा निपीत पंचसायकं नमन्निलिम्प नायकम्। सुधामयूख लेखया विराजमान शेखरं महाकपालि सम्पदे शिरो जटालमस्तु नः॥

Lalata chatvara jvalad dhananjaya sphulingabha Nipeeta panchashayakam namanni limpa naayakam. Sudhamayukha lekhaya virajamana shekharam Mahakapaali sampade shiro jataalamastunah.

💡 The sparks from the fire blazing in the courtyard of Shiva's forehead burned up Kamadeva (the five-arrowed one). The lord of the gods bows to him. May that Shiva — whose crown is adorned by rays of nectar-light from the crescent moon — grant us the wealth of the great skull-bearer.

॥ 7 ॥

करालभाल पट्टिका धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलद् धनंजयाहुती कृत प्रचंड पंचसायके। धराधरेन्द्र नंदिनी कुचाग्र चित्रपत्रक प्रकल्पनैक शिल्पिनि त्रिलोचने रतिर्मम॥

Karalabhala pattika dhagad dhagad dhagajjvalad Dhananjaya ahuti krita prachanda panchasayake. Dharadharendra nandini kuchagra chitrapatraka Prakalpa naika shilpini trilokhane ratirmama.

💡 From the terrifying fire blazing on Shiva's broad forehead — whose fire consumed the terrible five-arrowed Kama — who alone is the great artist painting the ornamental patterns on the chest of Parvati — in such three-eyed Shiva let my devotion ever rest.

॥ 8 ॥

नवीन मेघ मंडली निरुद्ध दुर्धर स्फुरत् कुहू निशीथिनी तमः प्रबन्ध बद्ध कन्धरः। निलिम्प निर्झरी धरस् तनोतु कृत्ति सिन्धुरः कला निधान बन्धुरः श्रियं जगद्धुरन्धरः॥

Naveena megha mandali niruddha durdharasphurat Kuhoo nisheethinee tamah prabandha baddha kandharah. Nilimpa nirjhari dharas tanotu kritti sindhurah Kalanidhaana bandhura shriyam jagad dhurandharah.

💡 His throat is dark as the thick darkness of a new moon night, blocked by masses of fresh clouds — dark as the Ganga he carries. May He, who wears the elephant-hide, whose neck is a treasury of beauty, and who bears the burden of the universe — shower us with prosperity.

॥ 9 ॥

प्रफुल्ल नील पंकज प्रपंच कालिम प्रभा वलम्बि कण्ठ कन्दली रुचि प्रबद्ध कन्धरम्। स्मरच्छिदं पुरच्छिदं भवच्छिदं मखच्छिदं गजच्छिदान्धकच्छिदं तमन्तकच्छिदं भजे॥

Phraphulla neel pankaja prapancha kalima prabha Valambi kantha kandali ruchi prabaddha kandahram. Smarachchhidam purachchhidam bhavachchhidam makhachchhidam Gajachchhidam andhakachchhidam tam antakachchhidam bhaje.

💡 I worship Shiva, whose neck shines with the dark blue lustre of a fully bloomed blue lotus — destroyer of Smara (Kamadeva), destroyer of Tripura (three demon cities), destroyer of worldly bondage, destroyer of Daksha's yajna, destroyer of the elephant-demon, destroyer of Andhaka, and destroyer of Yama (death).

॥ 10 ॥

अखर्व सर्वमंगला कलाकदम्ब मंजरी रसप्रवाह माधुरी विजृम्भण मधुव्रतम्। स्मरान्तकं पुरान्तकं भवान्तकं मखान्तकम् गजान्तकान्धकान्तकं तमन्तकान्तकं भजे॥

Akharva sarva mangala kala kadamba manjari Rasapravaha madhuri vijrimbhana madhuvratam. Smarantakam purantakam bhavantakam makhantakam Gajantakam andhakaantakam tamantakaantakam bhaje.

💡 I worship Shiva — who is like a bee hovering around the magnificent bouquet of all-auspicious arts, intoxicated by the flowing sweetness — who is the end of desire, the ender of the triple cities, the ender of worldly existence, the ender of Daksha's sacrifice, the ender of the elephant, the ender of Andhaka, and the ender of Yama himself.

॥ 11 ॥

जयत्वदभ्र विभ्रम भ्रमद् भुजंगमश्वस द्विनिर्गमत् क्रम स्फुरत् करालभाल हव्यवाट्। धिमिद्धिमिद्धिमिध् वनन् मृदंग तुंग मंगल ध्वनिक्रम प्रवर्तित प्रचंड ताण्डवः शिवः॥

Jayatvadabhra vibhrama bhraman bhujangama shvasa dvinirgamat krama sphurat karaala bhala havyavat. Dhimid dhimid dhimid dhvanan mridanga tunga mangala dhvanikrama pravartita prachandatandavah shivah.

💡 May Shiva be victorious — from whose terrifying forehead-fire emerges the breath of the great swaying serpents — who performs the fierce Tandava dance to the auspicious resounding thunder of the mridanga drum going 'Dhimid Dhimid Dhimid'.

॥ फलश्रुति (Phala Shruti) ॥

दृषद्विचित्रतल्पयोर्भुजङ्गमौक्तिकस्रजोर् गरिष्ठरत्नलोष्ठयोः सुहृद्विपक्षपक्षयोः। तृणारविन्दचक्षुषोः प्रजामहीमहेन्द्रयोः समं प्रवर्तयन्मनः कदा सदाशिवं भजे॥

Drishadivichitra talpayor bhujanga mauktika srajor Garishtha ratna loshthayoh suhrid vipaksha pakshayoh. Trinararvinda chakshushoh praja mahee mahendrayoh Samam pravartayan manah kada sadashivam bhaje.

💡 When shall I worship Sadashiva with a mind that sees equally a soft bed and a stone floor, a serpent and a pearl necklace, a gem and a clod of earth, a friend and a foe, a blade of grass and a lotus eye — kings and common folk all as one?