Shiv Rudrastakam | Shiva Rudrastakam Lyrics and Its Meaning

Shiv Rudrastakam and its benefits

Nama misha mishana-nirvana rupam
vibhum vyapakam brahma-veda-svaroopam
nijam nirgunam nirvikalpam niriham
chidakasha makasha-vasam bhaje ham

nirakara monkara-moolam turiyam
gira gnana gotita misham girisham
karalam maha-kala-kalam krpalam
gunagara samsara param nato ham

tusha radri-sankasha-gauram gabhiram
manobhuta-koti prabha sri sariram
sphuran mauli-kallolini-charu-ganga
lasad-bhala-balendu kanthe bhujanga

chalatkundalam bhru sunetram visalam
prasanna-nanam nila-kantham dayalam
mrgadhisa charmambaram mundamalam
priyam sankaram sarvanatham bhajami

pracandam prakrstam pragalbham paresham
akhandam ajam bhanukoti-prakasam
trayah-shula-nirmulanam shula-panim
bhaje ham bhavani-patim bhava-gamyam

kalatitata-kalyana-kalpanta-kari
sada sajjana-nanda-data purarih
chidananda-sandoha-mohapahari
prasida praslda prabho manmatharih

na yavad umanatha-padaravindam
bhajantiha loke pareva naranam
na tavat-sukham shanti-santapa-nasham
praslda prabho sarva bhuta-dhivasam

na janami yogam japam naiva pujam
nato ham sada sarvada sambhu tubhyam
jara janma-duhkhaugha tatapya manam
prabho pahi apan-namamisha shambho

Shri Rudrastakam was composed by the poet Tulsidas in the late fifteen century in Uttar Pradesh. It is a devotional mantra in honour of Lord Shiva. Shri Rudrashtakam is simple in style. It is in honour of Rudra which is a form of Lord Shiva.

Shiv Rudrastakam | Image Resource : i.ytimg.com

It appears in the Uttara Kand of the Ram Charit Manas in which Rishi Lomesh composed it to worship Lord Shiva. The main reason for composing it was to free his student from the curse of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva blessed him and said that the student would be a bird ‘Kaga-Bhusundi’ in his next life and would be a storyteller of the life of Lord Rama.

The word ‘Ashtakam’ means eight in Sanskrit. The Rudrashtkam has eight stanzas. The meaning of the eight stanzas is as follows:

1 The meaning of first stanza

O Ishan, I pray to You, the one Who is the God, Who is in eternal Nirvana bliss, Who is resplendent, Who is omni-present, and Who is Brahman and Ved in totality. I adore You, Who is for self, Who is formless, Who is without change, Who is passionate, who is like the sky and Who lives in the sky.

2 The meaning of the second stanza

I bow prostrate to You, Who is without a form, Who is the root of sounds, Who is the fourth impersonal state of the Atma, Who is beyond the scope of tongue, knowledge and sense organs, Who is the God, Who is the God of the Himalayas, Who is fierce, Who is the destroyer of fierce Kala, Who is benevolent, Who is the abode of qualities, and beyond the universe.

3 The meaning of the third stanza

I bow to You, Who is White on all like the snow, Who is profound, Who is mind, Who is the form of the living beings, Who has immense splendor and wealth, He ahs shining forehead with playful and enticing Ganga, He has shiny forehead with a crescent moon, and He has snake garlands in the neck.

4 The meaning of the fourth stanza

I adore Shankara, Who has swaying earrings, Who ahs beautiful eye on the forehead, Who is spread out large, Who is pleasant at face, Who is blue-throat, who is benevolent, Who has lion-skin around His waist, Who has skull-cap garland, and Who is the dear God of everyone.

5. The meaning of the fifth stanza

I adore the master of Bhavani, Who is fierce, Who is immense, Who is unborn, Who is resplendent like millions of sun, Who uproots the three qualities, Who holds a trident and Who can be achieved with spiritual emotions.

6. The meaning of the sixth stanza

O Destroyer of Kamadev, Who is beyond artwork, Who is auspicious, Who cause the end of the universe, Who always provides bliss to good people, Who destroyed Pura, Who is eternal bliss, Who absolves passion, O Prabhu please get pleased get pleased.

7. The meaning of the seventh stanza

Those who don’t adore the lotus feet of the God of Uma (Lord Shiva), that men don’t get happiness, comfort, and peace - in this world or the other world after death. O the abode of all living beings. O Prabhu kindly be pleased.

8 The meaning of the eighth stanza

I don’t know yoga, japa or prayers. Still, I am bowing continuously and always to You. O Shambhu! O Prabhu! Save me from the unhappiness due to old age, birth, grief, sins, and troubles, I bow to You, Who is the Lord.

All those who recite these with Devotion, with them Sri Shambhu will always be pleased.

Significance of Shiva Rudrashtakam

Lord Rudra is one of the forms of Lord Shiva and worshiped by Hindus. The word ‘Rudra’ means ‘the roarer’ and is associated with storm or wind. Rudra is known as ‘the mightiest of mighty’. Lord Shiva is also known as the destroyer. Lord Shiva is known as the destructive force but also has a merciful nature. Lord Shiva is easily pleased by those who recite Rudrashtakam and He fulfills the needs of the devotees.

Reciting this mantra with devotion can fill you with positivity and help you achieve success. Reciting Shiva Rudrastakam helps to remove all sins from life and the person gets blessed by Lord Shiva.

Shiv Rudrastakam in Sanskrit

ॐ नमः शिवायः

नमामीशमीशान निर्वाण रूपं, विभुं व्यापकं ब्रह्म वेदः स्वरूपम्‌ ।
निजं निर्गुणं निर्विकल्पं निरीहं, चिदाकाश माकाशवासं भजेऽहम्‌ ॥

निराकार मोंकार मूलं तुरीयं, गिराज्ञान गोतीतमीशं गिरीशम्‌ ।
करालं महाकाल कालं कृपालुं, गुणागार संसार पारं नतोऽहम्‌ ॥

तुषाराद्रि संकाश गौरं गभीरं, मनोभूत कोटि प्रभा श्री शरीरम्‌ ।
स्फुरन्मौलि कल्लोलिनी चारू गंगा, लसद्भाल बालेन्दु कण्ठे भुजंगा॥

चलत्कुण्डलं शुभ्र नेत्रं विशालं, प्रसन्नाननं नीलकण्ठं दयालम्‌ ।
मृगाधीश चर्माम्बरं मुण्डमालं, प्रिय शंकरं सर्वनाथं भजामि ॥

प्रचण्डं प्रकष्टं प्रगल्भं परेशं, अखण्डं अजं भानु कोटि प्रकाशम्‌ ।
त्रयशूल निर्मूलनं शूल पाणिं, भजेऽहं भवानीपतिं भाव गम्यम्‌ ॥

कलातीत कल्याण कल्पान्तकारी, सदा सच्चिनान्द दाता पुरारी।
चिदानन्द सन्दोह मोहापहारी, प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो मन्मथारी ॥

न यावद् उमानाथ पादारविन्दं, भजन्तीह लोके परे वा नराणाम्‌ ।
न तावद् सुखं शांति सन्ताप नाशं, प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वं भूताधि वासं ॥

न जानामि योगं जपं नैव पूजा, न तोऽहम्‌ सदा सर्वदा शम्भू तुभ्यम्‌ ।
जरा जन्म दुःखौघ तातप्यमानं, प्रभोपाहि आपन्नामामीश शम्भो ॥

रूद्राष्टकं इदं प्रोक्तं विप्रेण हर्षोतये
ये पठन्ति नरा भक्तयां तेषां शंभो प्रसीदति।।

॥ इति श्रीगोस्वामीतुलसीदासकृतं श्रीरुद्राष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥