शिव तांडव स्तोत्र

॥ अथ रावणकृतशिवताण्डवस्तोत्रम् ॥
॥ श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥

|| atha rāvaṇakṛtaśivatāṇḍavastotram ||
|| śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ ||

Here begins the Shiva Tandava Stotra composed by Ravana. Salutation to Shri Ganesha.

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

jaṭāṭavīgalajjalapravāhapāvitasthale
gale'valambya lambitāṃ bhujaṅgatuṅgamālikām |
ḍamaḍḍamaḍḍamaḍḍamanninādavaḍḍamarvayaṃ
cakāra caṇḍatāṇḍavaṃ tanotu naḥ śivaḥ śivam

From the forest of his matted hair the river's current flows and sanctifies the ground; on his neck hangs a swaying garland of lordly serpents; his drum sounds out damat-damat-damat-daman. Shiva danced the fierce tandava: may he extend our welfare.

जटाकटाहसम्भ्रमभ्रमन्निलिम्पनिर्झरी-
विलोलवीचिवल्लरीविराजमानमूर्द्धनि ।
धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल्ललाटपट्टपावके
किशोरचन्द्रशेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम

jaṭākaṭāhasambhramabhramannilimpanirjharī-
vilolavīcivallarīvirājamānamūrddhani |
dhagaddhagaddhagajjvalallalāṭapaṭṭapāvake
kiśoracandraśekhare ratiḥ pratikṣaṇaṃ mama

On his head the celestial river whirls within the cauldron of his hair, its restless waves spreading like creepers; on the tablet of his brow the fire blazes dhagad-dhagad-dhagat. May my delight be at every instant in him who wears the young moon as his crest.

धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीविलासबन्धुबन्धुर-
स्फुरद्दिगन्तसन्ततिप्रमोदमानमानसे ।
कृपाकटाक्षधोरणीनिरुद्धदुर्धरापदि
क्वचिद्दिगम्बरे मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि

dharādharendranandinīvilāsabandhubandhura-
sphuraddigantasantatipramodamānamānase |
kṛpākaṭākṣadhoraṇīniruddhadurdharāpadi
kvaciddigambare mano vinodametu vastuni

His mind is gracious, the joyful companion of the Mountain-King's daughter in her play, delighting in the endless expanse of the horizons; by the steady stream of his compassionate glance even irresistible calamity is held back. Let my mind find its joy in that one who is clothed in space.

जटाभुजङ्गपिङ्गलस्फुरत्फणामणिप्रभा-
कदम्बकुङ्कुमद्रवप्रलिप्तदिग्वधूमुखे ।
मदान्धसिन्धुरस्फुरत्त्वगुत्तरीयमेदुरे
मनो विनोदमद्भुतं बिभर्तु भूतभर्तरि

jaṭābhujaṅgapiṅgalasphuratphaṇāmaṇiprabhā-
kadambakuṅkumadravapraliptadigvadhūmukhe |
madāndhasindhurasphurattvaguttarīyamedure
mano vinodamadbhutaṃ bibhartu bhūtabhartari

The tawny serpents in his hair flash the light of the jewels on their hoods, smearing the faces of the maidens of the quarters as with saffron paste; he is rich in the upper garment of hide taken from the elephant blind with rut. Let my mind hold wondrous delight in that sustainer of beings.

सहस्रलोचनप्रभृत्यशेषलेखशेखर-
प्रसूनधूलिधोरणीविधूसराङ्घ्रिपीठभूः ।
भुजङ्गराजमालया निबद्धजाटजूटकः
श्रियै चिराय जायतां चकोरबन्धुशेखरः

sahasralocanaprabhṛtyaśeṣalekhaśekhara-
prasūnadhūlidhoraṇīvidhūsarāṅghripīṭhabhūḥ |
bhujaṅgarājamālayā nibaddhajāṭajūṭakaḥ
śriyai cirāya jāyatāṃ cakorabandhuśekharaḥ

The ground at his footstool is grey with the streaming pollen of the flowers from the crowns of all the gods beginning with thousand-eyed Indra; his coil of matted hair is bound with a garland of the king of serpents. May he who wears the moon as his crest bring lasting prosperity.

ललाटचत्वरज्वलद्धनञ्जयस्फुलिङ्गभा-
निपीतपञ्चसायकं नमन्निलिम्पनायकम् ।
सुधामयूखलेखया विराजमानशेखरं
महाकपालि सम्पदे शिरो जटालमस्तु नः

lalāṭacatvarajvaladdhanañjayasphuliṅgabhā-
nipītapañcasāyakaṃ namannilimpanāyakam |
sudhāmayūkhalekhayā virājamānaśekharaṃ
mahākapāli sampade śiro jaṭālamastu naḥ

The sparks of the blazing fire on the courtyard of his brow consumed the god of the five arrows; the lords of the gods bow before him; his crest is resplendent with the streak of the nectar-rayed moon. May the matted head of the great skull-bearer be for our prosperity.

करालभालपट्टिकाधगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वल-
द्धनञ्जयाहुतीकृतप्रचण्डपञ्चसायके ।
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीकुचाग्रचित्रपत्रक-
प्रकल्पनैकशिल्पिनि त्रिलोचने रतिर्मम

karālabhālapaṭṭikādhagaddhagaddhagajjvala-
ddhanañjayāhutīkṛtapracaṇḍapañcasāyake |
dharādharendranandinīkucāgracitrapatraka-
prakalpanaikaśilpini trilocane ratirmama

On the dreadful tablet of his forehead the fire blazes dhagad-dhagad-dhagat, making an oblation of the fierce god of the five arrows; he is the sole artist who paints the delicate designs upon the breast of the Mountain-King's daughter. My delight is in that three-eyed one.

नवीनमेघमण्डलीनिरुद्धदुर्धरस्फुरत्-
कुहूनिशीथिनीतमःप्रबन्धबद्धकन्धरः ।
निलिम्पनिर्झरीधरस्तनोतु कृत्तिसिन्धुरः
कलानिधानबन्धुरः श्रियं जगद्धुरन्धरः

navīnameghamaṇḍalīniruddhadurdharasphurat-
kuhūniśīthinītamaḥprabandhabaddhakandharaḥ |
nilimpanirjharīdharastanotu kṛttisindhuraḥ
kalānidhānabandhuraḥ śriyaṃ jagaddhurandharaḥ

His throat is bound with the mass of darkness of the new-moon midnight, held in by a circle of fresh clouds; he bears the celestial river and the elephant's hide, and is graceful with the repository of the moon's digits. May the upholder of the world extend prosperity.

प्रफुल्लनीलपङ्कजप्रपञ्चकालिमप्रभा-
ऽवलम्बिकण्ठकन्दलीरुचिप्रबद्धकन्धरम् ।
स्मरच्छिदं पुरच्छिदं भवच्छिदं मखच्छिदं
गजच्छिदान्धकच्छिदं तमन्तकच्छिदं भजे

praphullanīlapaṅkajaprapañcakālimaprabhā-
'valambikaṇṭhakandalīruciprabaddhakandharam |
smaracchidaṃ puracchidaṃ bhavacchidaṃ makhacchidaṃ
gajacchidāndhakacchidaṃ tamantakacchidaṃ bhaje

His throat is bound with the beauty of a dark sheen like the spreading blackness of a full-blown blue lotus. I worship him who cut down Desire, who cut down the triple city, who cuts off worldly existence, who cut short the sacrifice, who cut down the elephant-demon and Andhaka, and who cut down Death itself.

अखर्वसर्वमङ्गलाकलाकदम्बमञ्जरी-
रसप्रवाहमाधुरीविजृम्भणामधुव्रतम् ।
स्मरान्तकं पुरान्तकं भवान्तकं मखान्तकं
गजान्तकान्धकान्तकं तमन्तकान्तकं भजे

akharvasarvamaṅgalākalākadambamañjarī-
rasapravāhamādhurīvijṛmbhaṇāmadhuvratam |
smarāntakaṃ purāntakaṃ bhavāntakaṃ makhāntakaṃ
gajāntakāndhakāntakaṃ tamantakāntakaṃ bhaje

He is the bee that opens wide in the sweetness of the flowing nectar from the kadamba-cluster of all undiminished auspicious arts. I worship him who ended Desire, who ended the triple city, who ends existence, who ended the sacrifice, who ended the elephant-demon and Andhaka, and who ended Death itself.

जयत्वदभ्रविभ्रमभ्रमद्भुजङ्गमश्वस-
द्विनिर्गमत्क्रमस्फुरत्करालभालहव्यवाट् ।
धिमिद्धिमिद्धिमिद्ध्वनन्मृदङ्गतुङ्गमङ्गल-
ध्वनिक्रमप्रवर्तितप्रचण्डताण्डवः शिवः

jayatvadabhravibhramabhramadbhujaṅgamaśvasa-
dvinirgamatkramasphuratkarālabhālahavyavāṭ |
dhimiddhimiddhimiddhvananmṛdaṅgatuṅgamaṅgala-
dhvanikramapravartitapracaṇḍatāṇḍavaḥ śivaḥ

Victorious is Shiva, whose fierce tandava is set in motion by the mounting auspicious sequence of sound from the drum resounding dhimid-dhimid-dhimid, while the dreadful fire on his brow flares up in rhythm with the breath of the serpents wheeling in the restless clouds.

दृषद्विचित्रतल्पयोर्भुजङ्गमौक्तिकस्रजोर्
गरिष्ठरत्नलोष्ठयोः सुहृद्विपक्षपक्षयोः ।
तृणारविन्दचक्षुषोः प्रजामहीमहेन्द्रयोः
समप्रवृत्तिकः कदा सदाशिवं भजाम्यहम्

dṛṣadvicitratalpayorbhujaṅgamauktikasrajor
gariṣṭharatnaloṣṭhayoḥ suhṛdvipakṣapakṣayoḥ |
tṛṇāravindacakṣuṣoḥ prajāmahīmahendrayoḥ
samapravṛttikaḥ kadā sadāśivaṃ bhajāmyaham

When shall I worship the ever-auspicious one, who holds an equal attitude toward a rough stone and a splendid bed, toward a serpent and a pearl necklace, toward a precious gem and a clod of earth, toward friend and foe, toward a blade of grass and a lotus-eyed beauty, toward the common people and a great emperor?

कदा निलिम्पनिर्झरीनिकुञ्जकोटरे वसन्
विमुक्तदुर्मतिः सदा शिरःस्थमञ्जलिं वहन् ।
विलोललोललोचनो ललामभाललग्नकः
शिवेति मन्त्रमुच्चरन् कदा सुखी भवाम्यहम्

kadā nilimpanirjharīnikuñjakoṭare vasan
vimuktadurmatiḥ sadā śiraḥsthamañjaliṃ vahan |
vilolalolalocano lalāmabhālalagnakaḥ
śiveti mantramuccaran kadā sukhī bhavāmyaham

When, dwelling in a hollow among the thickets by the celestial river, freed from wrong thinking, ever bearing folded hands upon my head, my restless eyes calmed and my gaze fixed on the mark upon his brow, uttering the mantra 'Shiva' — when shall I become happy?

निलिम्पनाथनागरीकदम्बमौलमल्लिका-
निगुम्फनिर्भरक्षरन्मधूष्णिकामनोहरः ।
तनोतु नो मनोमुदं विनोदिनीमहर्निशं
परश्रियः परं पदं तदङ्गजत्विषां चयः

nilimpanāthanāgarīkadambamaulamallikā-
nigumphanirbharakṣaranmadhūṣṇikāmanoharaḥ |
tanotu no manomudaṃ vinodinīmaharniśaṃ
paraśriyaḥ paraṃ padaṃ tadaṅgajatviṣāṃ cayaḥ

Charming with the warm honey streaming abundantly from the clustered jasmine in the hair of the women of the lords of the gods, the mass of radiance from his limbs is the supreme abode of highest splendour. May it spread playful gladness in our minds day and night.

प्रचण्डवाडवानलप्रभाशुभप्रचारणी
महाष्टसिद्धिकामिनीजनाऽवहूतजल्पना ।
विमुक्तवामलोचनाविवाहकालिकध्वनिः
शिवेति मन्त्रभूषणा जगज्जयाय जायताम्

pracaṇḍavāḍavānalaprabhāśubhapracāraṇī
mahāṣṭasiddhikāminījanā'vahūtajalpanā |
vimuktavāmalocanāvivāhakālikadhvaniḥ
śiveti mantrabhūṣaṇā jagajjayāya jāyatām

The mantra 'Shiva', itself an ornament, spreads auspiciousness like the radiance of the fierce submarine fire; it is the invoking speech of the women who are the eight great attainments; it is the sound of the wedding hour of the liberated dark-eyed goddess. May it arise for the conquest of the world.

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

imaṃ hi nityamevamuktamuttamottamaṃ stavaṃ
paṭhansmaranbruvannaro viśuddhimetisantatam |
hare gurau subhaktimāśu yāti nā'nyathā gatiṃ
vimohanaṃ hi dehināṃ suśaṅkarasya cintanam

The person who reads, recalls and recites daily this hymn, declared the very best, attains continual purity; he swiftly gains true devotion to Hara as his Guru and finds no other refuge — for meditation on the benign Shankara dispels the delusion of embodied beings.

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

pūjāvasānasamaye daśavaktragītaṃ
yaḥ śambhupūjanaparaṃ paṭhati pradoṣe |
tasya sthirāṃ rathagajendraturaṅgayuktāṃ
lakṣmīṃ sadaiva sumukhīṃ pradadāti śambhuḥ

To the one who, at the close of worship in the evening twilight, recites this song of the ten-faced one devoted to Shambhu's worship, Shambhu grants ever-steady and gracious fortune, furnished with chariots, lordly elephants and horses.

॥ इति श्रीरावणकृतं शिवताण्डवस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ॥

|| iti śrīrāvaṇakṛtaṃ śivatāṇḍavastotraṃ sampūrṇam ||

Thus ends the Shiva Tandava Stotra composed by Shri Ravana.