नमामीशमीशान निर्वाणरूपं । विभुं व्यापकं ब्रह्म वेदस्वरूपं ॥
निजं निर्गुणं निर्विकल्पं निरीहं । चिदाकाशमाकाशवासं भजेऽहं ॥ १ ॥
namāmīśamīśāna nirvāṇarūpaṁ, vibhuṁ vyāpakaṁ brahma vedasvarūpaṁ।
nijaṁ nirguṇaṁ nirvikalpaṁ nirīhaṁ, cidākāśamākāśavāsaṁ bhaje’haṁ ॥1॥
நமாமீஷமீஷான நிர்வாணரூபம், விப்ஹும் வ்யாபகம் ப்ரஹ்ம வேதஸ்வரூபம் |
நிஜம் நிர்குணம் நிர்விகல்பம் நிரீஹம், சிதாகாஷம் ஆகாஷவாஸம் ப்ஹஜேஹம் (1)

निराकारमोंकारमूलं तुरीयं । गिरा ग्यान गोतीतमीशं गिरीशं ॥
करालं महाकाल कालं कृपालं । गुणागार संसारपारं नतोऽहं ॥ २ ॥
nirākāramoṁkāramūlaṁ turīyaṁ, girā gyāna gotītamīśaṁ girīśaṁ ।
karālaṁ mahākāla kālaṁ kṛpālaṁ, guṇāgāra saṁsārapāraṁ nato’haṁ ॥2॥
நிராகாரம் ஓங்காரமூலம் துரீயம், கிரா ஜ்ஞான கோதீதமீஷம் கிரீஷம் |
கராலம் மஹாகால காலம் க்ருபாலம், குணாகாரம் ஸம்ஸாரபாரம் நதோஹம் (2)

तुषाराद्रि सङ्काश गौरं गभीरं । मनोभूत कोटि प्रभा श्री शरीरं ॥
स्फुरन्मौलि कल्लोलिनी चारु गङ्गा । लसद्भालबालेन्दु कण्ठे भुजङ्गा ॥ ३॥
tuṣārādri saṅkāśa gauraṁ gabhīraṁ, manobhūta koṭi prabhā srī śarīraṁ ।
sphuranmauli kallolinī cāru gaṅgā, lasadbhālabālendu kaṇṭhe bhujaṅgā ॥3॥
துஷாராத்ரி ஸங்காஷ கௌரம் கப்ஹீரம், மனோப்ஹூத கோடி ப்ரப்ஹா ஸ்ரீஷரீரம் |
ஸ்புரன்மௌளி கல்லோலினீ சாரு கங்கா, லஸத்ப்ஹால பாலேந்து கண்டே ப்ஹுஜங்கா (3)

चलत्कुण्डलं भ्रू सुनेत्रं विशालं । प्रसन्नाननं नीलकण्ठं दयालं॥
मृगाधीशचर्माम्बरं मुण्डमालं । प्रियं शङ्करं सर्वनाथं भजामि ॥४॥
calatkuṇḍalaṁ bhrū sunetraṁ viśālaṁ, prasannānanaṁ nīlakaṇṭhaṁ dayālaṁ ।
mṛgādhīśacarmāmbaraṁ muṇḍamālaṁ, priyaṁ śaṅkaraṁ sarvanāthaṁ bhajāmi॥4॥
சலத்குண்டலம் ப்ஹ்ரூ ஸுநேத்ரம் விஷாலம், ப்ரஸன்னானனம் நீலகண்டம் தயாலம் |
ம்ருகாதீஷசர்மாம்பரம் முண்டமாலம், ப்ரியம் ஷங்கரம் ஸர்வநாதம் ப்ஹஜாமி (4)

प्रचण्डं प्रकृष्टं प्रगल्भं परेशं । अखण्डं अजं भानुकोटिप्रकाशं॥
त्रयःशूल निर्मूलनं शूलपाणिं । भजेऽहं भवानीपतिं भावगम्यं॥५॥
pracaṇḍaṁ prakṛṣṭaṁ pragalbhaṁ pareśaṁ, akhaṇḍaṁ ajaṁ bhānukoṭiprakāśaṁ ।
trayaḥśūla nirmūlanaṁ śūlapāṇiṁ, bhaje’haṁ bhavānīpatiṁ bhāvagamyaṁ ॥5॥
ப்ரசண்டம் ப்ரக்ருஷ்டம் ப்ரகல்ப்ஹம் பரேஷம், அகண்டம் அஜம் ப்ஹானுகோடிப்ரகாஷம் |
த்ரயஃஷூல நிர்மூலனம் ஷூலபாணிம், ப்ஹஜேஹம் ப்ஹவானீபதிம் ப்ஹாவகம்யம் (5)

कलातीत कल्याण कल्पान्तकारी । सदा सज्जनानन्ददाता पुरारी॥
चिदानन्दसन्दोह मोहापहारी । प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो मन्मथारी ॥६॥
kalātīta kalyāṇa kalpāntakārī, sadā sajjanānandadātā purārī ।
cidānandasandoha mohāpahārī, prasīda prasīda prabho manmathārī ॥6॥
கலாதீத கல்யாண கல்பாந்தகாரி, ஸதா ஸஜ்ஜனானந்ததாதா புராரி | சிதானந்தஸந்தோஹ மோஹாபஹாரி, ப்ரஸீத ப்ரஸீத ப்ரப்ஹோ மன்மதாரி (6)

न यावद् उमानाथ पादारविन्दं । भजन्तीह लोके परे वा नराणां ॥
न तावत्सुखं शान्ति सन्तापनाशं । प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वभूताधिवासं ॥७॥
na yāvad umānātha pādāravindaṁ, bhajantīha loke pare vā narāṇāṁ ।
na tāvatsukhaṁ śānti santāpanāśaṁ, prasīda prabho sarvabhūtādhivāsaṁ ॥7॥
ந யாவத் உமானாத பாதாரவிந்தம், ப்ஹஜந்தீஹ லோகே பரே வா நராணாம் |
ந தாவத் ஸுகம் ஷாந்தி ஸந்தாபநாஷம், ப்ரஸீத ப்ரப்ஹோ ஸர்வப்ஹூதாதிவாஸம் (7)

न जानामि योगं जपं नैव पूजां । नतोऽहं सदा सर्वदा शंभु तुभ्यं ॥
जरा जन्म दुःखौघ तातप्यमानं । प्रभो पाहि आपन्नमामीश शंभो॥८॥
na jānāmi yogaṁ japaṁ naiva pūjāṁ, nato’haṁ sadā sarvadā śaṁbhu tubhyaṁ ।
jarā janma duḥkhaugha tātapyamānaṁ, prabho pāhi āpannamāmīśa śaṁbho ॥8॥
ந ஜானாமி யோகம் ஜபம் நைவ பூஜாம், நதோʼஹம் ஸதா ஸர்வதா ஷம்பு துப்யம் |
ஜரா ஜன்ம துஃகௌக தாதப்யமானம், ப்ரப்ஹோ பாஹி ஆபன்னமாமீஷ ஷம்போ (8)

Read In English

नमामीशमीशान निर्वाणरूपं । विभुं व्यापकं ब्रह्म वेदस्वरूपं ॥
निजं निर्गुणं निर्विकल्पं निरीहं । चिदाकाशमाकाशवासं भजेऽहं ॥ १ ॥

namāmīśamīśāna nirvāṇarūpaṁ, vibhuṁ vyāpakaṁ brahma vedasvarūpaṁ।
nijaṁ nirguṇaṁ nirvikalpaṁ nirīhaṁ, cidākāśamākāśavāsaṁ bhaje’haṁ ॥1॥

Meaning :

namāmīśamīśāna nirvāṇarūpaṁ :
namāmi — I bow; I surrender myself; īśam īśānam — Īśvara, the ruler; Īśāna, the supreme Īśvara; nirvāṇa-rūpam — whose very nature is nirvāṇa

namāmi : Namāmi is not merely a verbal act of reverence. It is the inward yielding of the sense of separateness. The devotee does not stand before Bhagavān as an independent entity, but gently bends the ego, allowing the false center of “I” to loosen and soften. This bowing arises not from fear or command, but from recognition.
When the heart glimpses the truth of Īśvara, standing apart feels artificial. Surrender becomes natural, almost effortless—like a wave returning to the ocean.

īśam īśānam : The repetition is intentional and profound. Īśa indicates the governing presence within the cosmos and within the individual. Īśāna points to Bhagavān as the source and master even of that governing principle. Śiva is not only the one who presides over the universe—He presides over the very sense of agency, control, and individuality within the devotee. Even the feeling “I choose, I act, I know” rests under His sovereignty.
In simpler words the devotee acknowledges by saying : “O Bhagavān, You do not merely guide my life— You are the silent power by which life itself moves”.

nirvāṇa-rūpam : Here the verse reveals its deepest truth. Bhagavān Śiva is not described as one who bestows liberation as a future attainment. He is nirvāṇa in essence. Freedom is not something reached near Him—it is discovered as Him. Nirvāṇa signifies the complete extinguishing of bondage: the ending of fear, becoming, striving, and the restless search for fulfillment. In the presence of Bhagavān, the notion of captivity itself dissolves.
“O Īśvara, to turn toward You is already to rest. In You, even the desire for freedom is fulfilled”.

vibhuṁ vyāpakaṁ brahma vedasvarūpaṁ :
vibhum — the all-powerful, the limitless one; vyāpakaṁ — the all-pervading presence; brahma — the Absolute Reality; veda-svarūpaṁ — whose very nature is the Vedas.

vibhum : Vibhu indicates that Bhagavān Śiva is not limited by measure, boundary, or condition. His power is not something He possesses—it is inseparable from His being. There is no exhaustion, no diminution, no division in Him.
In the devotee’s heart, this awakens trust: “O Bhagavān, nothing can confine You—and therefore nothing that confines me is final.” What appears impossible to the limited mind is effortless for Him, for His freedom is absolute.

vyāpakaṁ : Vyāpaka reveals Bhagavān not as a distant object of worship, but as the very presence that permeates everything. He is not found in one sacred place and absent elsewhere. He pervades the seen and the unseen, the moving and the unmoving, the inner and the outer alike. More profoundly, He pervades the devotee’s own awareness. Every thought arises in Him. Every breath unfolds within His presence.
In prema-bhakti, this becomes a tender realization: “O Īśvara, there is nowhere I can go where You are not already present— even my forgetting of You happens in You”.

brahma : By declaring Śiva as brahma, the verse affirms without ambiguity that Bhagavān Śiva is the non-dual Absolute itself. He is not a part, not a manifestation alone, not a secondary principle—but Brahman in fullness. This Brahman is not abstract or cold. It is the living reality that supports, illumines, and transcends all existence.
For the devotee, this removes every doubt: “The One I love, the One I bow to, is not separate from the highest truth spoken of by the sages”.

veda-svarūpaṁ : Bhagavān Śiva is not merely praised by the Vedas—He is their very essence. The Vedas arise to point toward Him, to reveal Him, to negate everything that is not Him. Their hymns, rituals, inquiries, and silences all culminate in this recognition. Every mantra is a step toward Him. Every Upaniṣadic inquiry ends where He stands revealed.
In the language of devotion: “O Bhagavān, the Vedas speak because of You, fall silent because of You, and finally dissolve into You”.

nijaṁ nirguṇaṁ nirvikalpaṁ nirīhaṁ :
nijaṁ — established in His own Ātman, belonging only to Himself; nirguṇaṁ — beyond the guṇas of prakṛti; nirvikalpaṁ — free from all division and differentiation; nirīhaṁ — free from desire and personal striving.

Nijam : This declares that Bhagavān Śiva abides in His own Ātman alone. He is not dependent on any cause, condition, or supporting principle for His existence. His being is not derived, produced, or sustained by anything else. He exists as Brahman itself—self-revealed and ever-complete. He does not become real through manifestation, nor does He lose reality when manifestation withdraws. Whether the universe appears or dissolves, Bhagavān remains unchanged, established in His own Ātman.
For the devotee, this brings deep reassurance: “O Bhagavān, all that I know stands supported by something else— but You stand in Your own Ātman alone. In You alone there is absolute certainty”.

nirguṇaṁ : By calling Him nirguṇa, the verse affirms that Bhagavān Śiva is entirely untouched by sattva, rajas, and tamas. These guṇas govern prakṛti and condition all embodied experience, but they never bind or modify Him. Though the universe functions through the guṇas, Bhagavān transcends them completely. Yet, out of compassion, He allows His presence to be reflected through them—without ever undergoing change or limitation.
In bhakti understanding: “O Īśvara, You remain pure and unconditioned, even while sustaining a world woven of guṇas”.

nirvikalpaṁ : Nirvikalpa indicates the absence of all inner division. In Bhagavān there is no distinction between knower and known, no opposition, no fragmentation, no internal duality. He is one without a second. This is not a state produced by effort, nor a condition attained by practice. It is the natural fullness of Brahman, where all distinctions dissolve by the very clarity of truth.
For the devotee: “O Bhagavān Śiva, in You there is no confusion, no hesitation, no inner conflict. To turn toward You is to rest in perfect clarity”.

nirīhaṁ : Nirīha does not imply indifference or lack of compassion. It means that Bhagavān has no unfulfilled desire, no personal motive, no need to act for the sake of completion. There is nothing lacking in Him that action must supply. Creation, preservation, and dissolution arise not from need, but from fullness—effortless, spontaneous, and unforced.
From the heart of surrender: “O Bhagavān, You ask nothing for Yourself, yet You give everything without reserve”.

cidākāśam ākāśavāsaṁ bhaje’haṁ :
cidākāśam — the infinite space of pure Consciousness; ākāśa-vāsaṁ — appearing to dwell in space; bhaje’ham — I worship; I take refuge.

cidākāśam : Cid-ākāśa does not refer to physical space, but to the boundless expanse of Consciousness itself. It is the limitless field of awareness in which all thoughts, perceptions, and experiences arise and dissolve. This Consciousness is luminous by its own nature, unbroken, and ever-present. Bhagavān Śiva is declared to be this very cidākāśa—not contained within awareness, but identical with it. Just as all forms appear in space without altering space, the entire universe appears within Consciousness without affecting Brahman.
For the devotee, this recognition is transformative: “O Bhagavān, all that I experience rises and falls within You. You are the silent expanse in which my mind appears, moves, and comes to rest”.

ākāśa-vāsaṁ : Ākāśa-vāsa is spoken from the standpoint of devotion. Though Bhagavān is all-pervading and formless, He allows Himself to be spoken of as ‘dwelling’—so that the devotee may relate, remember, and adore. This does not imply limitation. It is an expression of compassion: the infinite Brahman making Himself accessible to finite understanding. Temples, liṅga, forms, and sacred spaces arise from this allowance—not because Bhagavān is confined there, but because the devotee needs a place to offer love.
In bhakti-bhāva: “O Īśvara, though You pervade all that is, You graciously allow Yourself to be approached, remembered, and worshipped”.

bhaje’ham : Bhaje is not mere ritual worship. It means to rely upon, to adore, to take refuge in, to turn toward again and again. It is the devotee’s conscious choice to rest in Bhagavān rather than in transient supports. Ahām here is not the ego asserting itself, but the devotee offering even the sense of individuality at the feet of Bhagavān.
From the heart of surrender: “O Bhagavān, knowing You as Consciousness itself, I choose You as my refuge. I worship You—not to gain something, but to abide where truth alone remains”.

nirākāramoṁkāramūlaṁ turīyaṁ, girā gyāna gotītamīśaṁ girīśaṁ ।
karālaṁ mahākāla kālaṁ kṛpālaṁ, guṇāgāra saṁsārapāraṁ nato’haṁ ॥2॥

Meaning : I bow in loving reverence to Śrī Śiva, the formless One, beyond all shape, boundary, and limitation. Though untouched by form, He is the very root of Oṁ, the sacred sound from which all mantras flow and into which they gently dissolve. From His silent fullness arises vibration, meaning, and sacred order, even as He remains forever still.

He shines as Turīya, the ever-present Reality that softly illumines waking, dream, and deep sleep. He does not enter these states, nor does He depart from them; He simply enfolds them in awareness, serene and changeless. In His presence, the restless movements of the mind find rest, and the heart tastes an unspoken peace.

He is Īśa, beyond the reach of speech and beyond the grasp of thought. Words return from Him without capture, and knowledge bows before His mystery. Yet this very Śiva is also Girīśa, the gentle and intimate One, who allows Himself to be approached through devotion. Where knowledge pauses, love continues, and there He becomes tenderly known.

He appears as Karāla, awe-inspiring and profound, revealing the vastness that humbles all pride. He stands as Mahākāla, the great power of Time, within whom all moments arise and subside. Yet the same Śiva is Kṛpāla, endlessly compassionate, softening fear with grace and drawing the trembling heart into safety.

He is the abode of the guṇas, sustaining their play while remaining ever free from their influence. Through His quiet presence, He carries the soul across saṁsāra, beyond the cycles of becoming, toward stillness and rest. Not by force, not by command, but by love alone, He leads the devotee beyond all crossing.

To such Śrī Śiva — formless yet intimately present, majestic in His vastness and gentle in His grace, timeless in essence and yet tenderly near to the devoted heart — with devotion ripened by humility and love, I bow in complete surrender.

tuṣārādri saṅkāśa gauraṁ gabhīraṁ, manobhūta koṭi prabhā srī śarīraṁ ।
sphuranmauli kallolinī cāru gaṅgā, lasadbhālabālendu kaṇṭhe bhujaṅgā ॥3॥

Meaning : I bow in loving reverence to Śrī Śiva, whose radiant form shines with the pure whiteness of the snow-clad Himālaya, serene and immaculate. His presence is profoundly gambhīra — vast, still, and unfathomable — evoking not fear, but a deep inward quiet, as though the heart itself has entered sacred depth and silence.

The splendor of His divine form surpasses countless millions of manifestations born of the mind. No imagined beauty, no creation of thought, no brilliance conceived by intellect can approach the gentle majesty that shines from Him. His sacred body is not merely luminous; it calms, purifies, and draws the heart inward, awakening devotion that is wordless and still.

From His sacred matted locks flows the holy Gaṅgā, pure and graceful, shimmering as she descends in soft, playful waves. She does not rush, nor does she disturb; she rests upon Him as a symbol of mercy flowing from the highest stillness into the world. In her presence, the weight of impurity is lifted, and the heart feels quietly cleansed.

Upon His radiant forehead shines the crescent moon, gentle and cool, adorning Him with soft brilliance. Around His throat rests the serpent, poised and luminous, a sign of mastery over fear, death, and time itself. These are not mere ornaments; they reveal His sovereignty over poison and nectar, terror and grace, darkness and light — all held in perfect balance.

Such is Śrī Śiva — serene in form, immeasurable in depth, compassionate in presence. Gazing upon Him, the restless mind finds rest, and the devoted heart settles into reverent stillness. With love refined by awe and surrender, I bow to Him again and again.

calatkuṇḍalaṁ bhrū sunetraṁ viśālaṁ, prasannānanaṁ nīlakaṇṭhaṁ dayālaṁ ।
mṛgādhīśacarmāmbaraṁ muṇḍamālaṁ, priyaṁ śaṅkaraṁ sarvanāthaṁ bhajāmi॥4॥

Meaning : I bow in loving reverence to Śrī Śiva, whose gently moving ear-ornaments shimmer with a quiet grace, reflecting the living presence of compassion and awareness. His eyes are vast and luminous, crowned by the radiant third eye, through which wisdom shines unobstructed. From His gaze flows clarity, dissolving ignorance and awakening discernment within the devoted heart.

His face rests in serene prasāda, calm and benevolent, untouched by agitation or desire. Upon His throat shines the sacred blue hue of Nīlakaṇṭha, the silent mark of His boundless compassion — borne for the protection of all beings. In Him, immeasurable power and tender mercy coexist effortlessly, revealing a love that shields the world without proclamation.

Clad in the skin of the deer, He stands free from all attachment, established in renunciation that is natural and complete. The garland of skulls adorning Him is not fearsome, but deeply instructive — a reminder that ego, identity, and limitation are gently laid to rest in His presence. What binds others becomes liberation when surrendered to Him.

Such is Śrī Śaṅkara, the ever-dear One, the source of auspiciousness itself. He is Sarvanātha, the refuge and guardian of all, nearer than breath and wider than the cosmos. With devotion purified by humility and love, I worship Him alone, resting my heart at His feet.

pracaṇḍaṁ prakṛṣṭaṁ pragalbhaṁ pareśaṁ, akhaṇḍaṁ ajaṁ bhānukoṭiprakāśaṁ ।
trayaḥśūla nirmūlanaṁ śūlapāṇiṁ, bhaje’haṁ bhavānīpatiṁ bhāvagamyaṁ ॥5॥

Meaning : I bow in loving reverence to Śrī Śiva, whose presence is powerful and uncompromising, yet perfectly poised. He stands as pracaṇḍa and pragalbha — formidable in strength, unshakable in resolve — not as an assertion of dominance, but as the quiet assurance of supreme order. As Pareśa, He remains the highest Reality, beyond all that is governed, self-established and complete.

He is akhaṇḍa, indivisible and whole, never fragmented by form or function. He is aja, unborn and eternal, untouched by origin or decay. His radiance shines like the brilliance of countless suns, not dazzling the eyes, but illuminating the very ground of existence. In His light, all that appears finds meaning, clarity, and repose.

Bearing the trident, He uproots the deepest afflictions at their source — dissolving limitation born of the three guṇas, the three states, and the threefold suffering. As Śūlapāṇi, His power does not wound; it liberates. What binds the soul is gently severed, not by force, but by truth revealed through grace.

He is Bhavānīpati, inseparably united with Śakti, through whom compassion flows into manifestation. Yet He is also bhāva-gamya — approached not by learning or argument, but by feeling refined into devotion. To such Śrī Śiva, known through love and reached through surrender, I offer my worship, allowing the heart to rest fully in Him.

kalātīta kalyāṇa kalpāntakārī, sadā sajjanānandadātā purārī ।
cidānandasandoha mohāpahārī, prasīda prasīda prabho manmathārī ॥6॥

Meaning : I bow in loving reverence to Śrī Śiva, who stands beyond all divisions of time — untouched by past, present, and future. He is the source of all auspiciousness, and at the destined moment, the gentle bringer of completion at the close of cycles. His action is never destruction for its own sake; it is restoration, returning all things to their original stillness and harmony.

He is ever the bestower of joy to the pure-hearted, delighting those whose lives are shaped by sincerity, humility, and inner truth. As Purāri, He dissolves the strongholds of limitation and false security, not with harshness, but with clarity and grace. In His presence, what imprisons the heart quietly loosens and falls away.

He abides as a vast ocean of consciousness and bliss, where awareness and joy are not separate. From this fullness, He gently removes the veils of delusion that cloud perception and bind the soul to sorrow. Without struggle or force, ignorance fades in the light of His presence, and the heart awakens to peace.

O Prabhu, destroyer of the force of desire and the remover of all that disturbs inner stillness, with a heart folded in humility and softened by devotion I pray for Your grace. Let Your compassion descend and make itself known, let Your presence be gently felt, and let the mind come to rest forever in You.

na yāvad umānātha pādāravindaṁ, bhajantīha loke pare vā narāṇāṁ ।
na tāvatsukhaṁ śānti santāpanāśaṁ, prasīda prabho sarvabhūtādhivāsaṁ ॥7॥

Meaning : So long as the heart does not turn with loving reverence toward the lotus feet of Śrī Śiva, the beloved Umānātha, true fulfillment remains distant. Whether one seeks happiness in this visible world or aspires toward subtler realms beyond it, without devotion to Him the search remains incomplete. The mind continues to wander from one support to another, tasting momentary relief yet never finding abiding rest.

Worldly attainments, celestial enjoyments, knowledge, power, or renunciation — none of these, by themselves, bestow lasting sukha. They rise and fall with time and circumstance, leaving behind a quiet ache of incompleteness. Without the shelter of Śrī Śiva’s feet, even the highest attainments fail to quiet the deeper unrest that lies within the heart.

It is only through devotion to Him that true sukha dawns — a joy that is gentle, steady, and self-sustaining. From that joy arises śānti, a profound peace that settles the mind and softens the heart. In His presence, the burning heat of inner agitation, anxiety, and sorrow is gradually cooled, and the long-standing fatigue of saṁsāra begins to dissolve without resistance.

Śrī Śiva alone brings about the cessation of inner torment, not by suppressing experience, but by illuminating it with compassion and clarity. When remembrance of Him becomes steady, the restless movements of desire and fear lose their grip, and the heart discovers a natural ease that does not depend on conditions.

O Prabhu, You who dwell as the indweller of all beings, silently present in every heart and every breath, I turn toward You in humility and longing. You are sarva-bhūtādhivāsa, the unseen residence of all life, the quiet witness and compassionate guide within. Be gracious to me. Let remembrance of Your lotus feet awaken and remain unbroken. Let the heart find its rest in You alone, and let all beings come to peace in the shelter of Your presence.

na jānāmi yogaṁ japaṁ naiva pūjāṁ, nato’haṁ sadā sarvadā śaṁbhu tubhyaṁ ।
jarā janma duḥkhaugha tātapyamānaṁ, prabho pāhi āpannamāmīśa śaṁbho ॥8॥

Meaning : I do not know the disciplines of yoga, nor am I accomplished in japa or formal worship. I do not possess the refinement of ritual, nor the steadiness of long practice. Aware of my own limitations, I make no claim to merit or attainment. Yet with this very simplicity, I bow again and again to Śrī Śiva, offering what I truly have — a heart that turns toward Him in sincerity, again and again, at all times.

I bow to You always, O Śaṁbhu, not because I am learned or accomplished, but because You are compassionate. My reverence is not shaped by method, but by dependence. Whether in clarity or confusion, strength or weakness, remembrance or forgetfulness, my turning toward You remains my sole offering.

Worn by the weight of birth and decay, pressed by the recurring tides of sorrow, fear, and uncertainty, the heart grows weary. The heat of saṁsāra touches all beings, and I too feel its strain — the quiet fatigue of becoming, the ache of impermanence, the longing for rest. In this condition, I do not seek explanations or escape; I seek You.

O Prabhu, protector of those who take refuge, behold me as one who has arrived without defense or pretense. I stand before You as one āpanna — utterly reliant, with no other shelter. O Īśa Śaṁbho, preserve me by Your grace alone. Let Your presence be my strength, Your compassion my refuge, and Your nearness my peace.

In this surrender, I ask for nothing more than to remain turned toward You. Let remembrance replace effort, let trust replace striving, and let Your grace quietly carry me beyond all fear.

This Śrī Rudrāṣṭakam (eight verses in praise of Rudra) has been composed for pleasing Lord Hara (another name of Śiva). They are a part of the Śrī Rāmacaritamānasa (Uttara-Kāṇḍa – Doha 107 B), lovingly written by śrī gosvāmi tulasīdāsa. Those who recite this with devotion, with them Śrī Śambhu (Śiva) will always be pleased and will bless them to overcome all obstacles in life.

हिन्दी में पढ़ें

नमामीशमीशान निर्वाणरूपं । विभुं व्यापकं ब्रह्म वेदस्वरूपं ॥
निजं निर्गुणं निर्विकल्पं निरीहं । चिदाकाशमाकाशवासं भजेऽहं ॥ १ ॥

अर्थ – मैं आपकी पूजा करता हूँ, जो ईशान कोण (उत्तर-पूर्व दिशा) के रक्षक हैं और सम्पूर्ण ब्रह्माण्ड के अधिपति हैं — जो नित्य आनन्दस्वरूप हैं, सर्वव्यापी तथा समस्त वेदों के रूप में प्रकट ब्रह्म हैं। मैं भगवान शिव की आराधना करता हूँ, जो अपनी ही महिमा में प्रकाशमान हैं, त्रिगुणों (सत्त्व, रज, तम) से परे हैं, निर्विकल्प, निःस्पृह, सर्वव्यापक चैतन्यस्वरूप हैं, जिनके लिए आच्छादन के रूप में कुछ भी नहीं है—सिवाय आकाश के (या जो स्वयं आकाश को ही आवृत्त कर लेते हैं)।

निराकारमोंकारमूलं तुरीयं । गिरा ग्यान गोतीतमीशं गिरीशं ॥
करालं महाकाल कालं कृपालं । गुणागार संसारपारं नतोऽहं ॥ २ ॥

अर्थ – मैं उस परम प्रभु को प्रणाम करता हूँ, जो निराकार हैं, सृष्टि से परे, अतीन्द्रिय और अप्रमेय हैं — वाणी, बुद्धि और इन्द्रियों की पहुँच से परे। वे भयंकर भी हैं और कृपालु भी। वे ओंकार बीज के आधार हैं, कैलास के अधिपति हैं, महाकाल को भी निगल जाने वाले हैं और समस्त सद्गुणों के आश्रय हैं।

तुषाराद्रि सङ्काश गौरं गभीरं । मनोभूत कोटि प्रभा श्री शरीरं ॥
स्फुरन्मौलि कल्लोलिनी चारु गङ्गा । लसद्भालबालेन्दु कण्ठे भुजङ्गा ॥ ३॥

अर्थ – जो गहन चिन्तन में लीन रहते हैं, जिनका रूप हिमालय की बर्फ के समान उज्ज्वल है, असंख्य कामदेवों की शोभा को मात देनेवाले सौन्दर्य से दीप्तिमान हैं; जिनके मस्तक पर सुंदर गंगा की धारा चमकती है, भाल पर अर्धचन्द्र की शोभा है और गला सर्पों की माला से भूषित है।

चलत्कुण्डलं भ्रू सुनेत्रं विशालं । प्रसन्नाननं नीलकण्ठं दयालं॥
मृगाधीशचर्माम्बरं मुण्डमालं । प्रियं शङ्करं सर्वनाथं भजामि ॥४॥

अर्थ – मैं करुणा की मूर्ति, सर्वत्र पूज्य भगवान् शंकर की वंदना करता हूँ — जो सबके प्रिय हैं, जिनके कर्णछिद्रों में कंपन करते हुए कुण्डल झूलते हैं, जिनकी भौहें मनोहर हैं और नेत्र विशाल हैं, जिनका मुखमंडल प्रसन्नता से खिला है, जिनके कंठ पर नील चिन्ह है, जो अपनी कमर पर सिंहचर्म धारण किए हुए हैं और गले में मुण्डमाल पहने हुए हैं।

प्रचण्डं प्रकृष्टं प्रगल्भं परेशं । अखण्डं अजं भानुकोटिप्रकाशं॥
त्रयःशूल निर्मूलनं शूलपाणिं । भजेऽहं भवानीपतिं भावगम्यं॥५॥

अर्थ – मैं भवानीपति, परमेश्वर की शरण लेता हूँ — जो परम शक्तिशाली, महान्, निर्भीक, अखण्ड, अजन्मा तथा अनगिनत सूर्यों के समान तेज से युक्त हैं; जो त्रिविध तापों का नाश करते हैं, हाथ में त्रिशूल धारण किए हुए हैं, और जो केवल प्रेम-भक्ति के द्वारा ही प्राप्त होते हैं।

कलातीत कल्याण कल्पान्तकारी । सदा सज्जनानन्ददाता पुरारी॥
चिदानन्दसन्दोह मोहापहारी । प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो मन्मथारी ॥६॥

अर्थ – आप अनन्त हैं — संख्याओं की सीमा से परे, नित्य कल्याणस्वरूप हैं, प्रत्येक सृष्टि-चक्र के अंत में संहार करनेवाले हैं, सज्जनों को सदैव आनन्द प्रदान करनेवाले हैं, त्रिपुरासुर के संहारक हैं, चैतन्य और आनन्द के मूर्तिमान स्वरूप हैं, मोह का नाश करनेवाले हैं। कृपादृष्टि कीजिए प्रभो, कृपादृष्टि कीजिए — हे कामदहन करनेवाले प्रभु!

न यावद् उमानाथ पादारविन्दं । भजन्तीह लोके परे वा नराणां ॥
न तावत्सुखं शान्ति सन्तापनाशं । प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वभूताधिवासं ॥७॥

अर्थ – जब तक मनुष्य उमा-पति के चरणकमलों की उपासना नहीं करते, तब तक उन्हें न इस लोक में सुख मिलता है, न शांति, और न ही दुःखों से मुक्ति — न इस लोक में, न परलोक में। अतः कृपा कीजिए, हे प्रभो, जो समस्त प्राणियों के हृदय में निवास करते हैं।

न जानामि योगं जपं नैव पूजां । नतोऽहं सदा सर्वदा शंभु तुभ्यं ॥
जरा जन्म दुःखौघ तातप्यमानं । प्रभो पाहि आपन्नमामीश शंभो॥८॥

अर्थ – मुझे न योग का ज्ञान है, न जप का, और न ही किसी विधिपूर्वक कर्म का। मैं तो बस हर समय, हर क्षण आपको नमन करता हूँ, हे शंभो! कृपया मेरी रक्षा कीजिए, हे प्रभो — मैं जन्म और बुढ़ापे (और मृत्यु) के दुःखों से पीड़ित एक दुखी जीव हूँ, हे भगवान शंभो!

यह श्री रुद्राष्टकम् (रुद्र की स्तुति में रचित आठ श्लोक) भगवान हर (शिव) की प्रसन्नता के लिए रचा गया है। यह श्रीरामचरितमानस के उत्तरकाण्ड (दोहा १०७ ख) का एक भाग है, जिसे श्रद्धापूर्वक गोस्वामी तुलसीदास जी ने लिखा है। जो भी भक्तिभाव से इसका पाठ करते हैं, उन पर श्री शम्भु (भगवान शिव) सदा प्रसन्न रहते हैं और उनके जीवन के समस्त विघ्न-बाधाओं का नाश करते हैं।

தமிழில் படிக்கவும்

நமாமீஶமீஶான நிர்வாணரூபம், விபும் வியாபகம் ப்ரஹ்ம வேதஸ்வரூபம் । நிஜம் நிர்குணம் நிர்விகல்பம் நிரீஹம், சிதாகாசமாகாச வாஸம் பஜேஹம் (1)

பொருள் – நான் உம்மைப் போற்றுகிறேன் – வடகிழக்கு திசையின் காவலனாகவும், முழு பிரபஞ்சத்தின் ஆண்டவனாகவும், நித்திய ஆனந்தத்தின் திருவுருவாகவும், எங்கும் நிறைந்தும் பரவியும் இருக்கும் பரம்பொருளாகிய வேதஸ்வரூபப் பிரஹ்மாவாகவும். நான் மகேஶ்வரனாகிய சிவனை வழிபடுகிறேன் – தன்னுடைய உள்ஒளியில் பிரகாசிக்கின்றவர், சத்த்வம், ரஜஸ், தமஸ் ஆகிய குணங்களைத் தாண்டியவர், வேறுபாடற்றவர், ஆசையற்றவர், எங்கும் பரவியுள்ள சுத்த சிந்தனைநிலை, தம்மை போர்வையாக்கும் ஒன்றுமின்றி ஆகாயத்தையே போர்வையாகக் கொண்டவர்.

நிராகாரமொங்காரமூலம் துரீயம், கிரா ஞான கோதீதமீசம் கிரீசம் ।
கராலம் மகாகால காலம் க்ருபாலும், குணாகார ஸம்ஸார பாரம் நதோஹம் (2)

பொருள் – உருவமற்ற, எல்லை கடந்த, பிரபஞ்சத்திற்கு அப்பாற்பட்ட, பேச்சு, புரிதல் மற்றும் புலன் உணர்வுக்கு அப்பாற்பட்ட, பயங்கரமான ஆனால் கருணையுள்ள, ஓம் என்ற மறைபொருள் எழுத்தின் விதை, கைலாசத்தின் ஆட்சியாளர், சிறந்த கால-ஆன்மாவைக் கூட விழுங்குபவர் மற்றும் நல்லொழுக்கங்களின் இருப்பிடமான பரம இறைவனை நான் வணங்குகிறேன்.

துஷாராத்ரி சங்காஶ கவுரம் கபீரம், மனோபூத கோடி ப்ரபா ஶ்ரீ ஶரீரம் । ஸ்புரன்மௌலி கல்லோலிநீ சாரு கங்கா, லஸத்பால பாலேந்து கண்டே புஜங்கா (3)

பொருள் – ஆழ்ந்த சிந்தனை கொண்டவர், பனி மூடிய இமயமலையைப் போல வெண்மையான வடிவம் கொண்டவர், எண்ணற்ற மன்மதன்களின் அழகால் பிரகாசிப்பவர், கங்கையின் அழகான நீரோட்டத்தால் தலை பிரகாசிப்பவர், பிறை சந்திரனால் அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்ட நெற்றி மற்றும் பாம்புகளால் சுருண்ட கழுத்தை உடையவர்.

சலத்குண்டலம் ப்ரூ ஸுநேத்ரம் விஶாலம், ப்ரசன்னாநனம் நீலகண்டம் தயாலம் ।
ம்ருகாதீஶசர்மாம்பரம் முண்டமாலம், ப்ரியம் ஶங்கரம் ஸர்வநாதம் பஜாமி (4)

பொருள் – அனைவராலும் நேசிக்கப்படுபவரும், காது மடல்களில் நடுங்கும் தொங்கல்களைக் கொண்டவரும், அழகான புருவங்களையும் பெரிய கண்களையும் கொண்டவரும், மகிழ்ச்சியான முகத்தையும், தொண்டையில் நீலப் புள்ளியையும் கொண்டவரும், இடுப்பில் சிங்கத் தோலைச் சுற்றிக் கொண்டவரும், கழுத்தில் மண்டை ஓடு மாலையை அணிந்தவருமான, சர்வலோகக் கடவுளான, கருணை மிக்க சங்கரரை நான் வணங்குகிறேன்.

ப்ரசண்டம் ப்ரக்ருஷ்டம் ப்ரகல்பம் பரேஶம், அகண்டம் அஜம் பானுகோடிப்ரகாஶம் ।
த்ரயஶூல நிர்மூலனம் ஶூலபாணிம், பஜேஹம் பவானீபதிம் பாவகம்யம் (5)

பொருள் – நான் பவானியின் துணைவியார், மிகவும் சக்திவாய்ந்தவர், உயர்ந்தவர், துணிச்சலானவர், பிரிக்க முடியாதவர், பிறக்காதவர், எண்ணற்ற சூரியர்களின் மகிமையால் நிரப்பப்பட்டவர், மூன்று மடங்கு வேதனையை வேரோடு அகற்றி, கையில் ஒரு திரிசூலத்தை ஏந்தியவர், அன்பினால் மட்டுமே அணுகக்கூடியவர் (பிரேம பக்தி) என்று என் சரணாலயத்தில் அடைக்கலம் புகுகிறேன்.

கலாதீத கல்யாண கல்பாந்தகாரீ, ஸதா ஸஜ்ஜனானந்ததாதா புராரீ । சிதானந்த ஸந்தோஹ மோஹாபஹாரீ, ப்ரஸீத ப்ரஸீத ப்ரபோ மன்மதாரீ (6)

பொருள் – (எண்ணிக்கைகளுக்கு அப்பாற்பட்ட) வரம்பற்ற, எப்போதும் ஆசீர்வதிக்கப்பட்ட, படைப்பின் ஒவ்வொரு சுற்று முடிவிலும் உலகளாவிய அழிவைக் கொண்டுவரும், நல்லொழுக்கமுள்ளவருக்கு நிரந்தர மகிழ்ச்சியின் மூலமாக, திரிபுரா என்ற அரக்கனைக் கொன்றவர், உணர்வு மற்றும் பேரின்பம் உருவகப்படுத்தப்பட்டவர், மாயையை அகற்றுபவர், என் ஆண்டவரே, சாந்தமாக இருங்கள், ஓ மன்மதனை அழிப்பவரே.

ந யாவத் உமாநாத பாதாரவிந்தம், பஜந்தீஹ லோகே பரே வா நராணாம் ।
ந தாவத்ஸுகம் ஶாந்தி ஸந்தாபநாஶம், ப்ரஸீத ப்ரபோ ஸர்வபூதாதிவாஸம் (7)

பொருள் – உமாவின் இறைவனின் தாமரைப் பாதங்களை அவர்கள் வணங்காத வரை, இந்த உலகத்திலோ அல்லது மறு உலகத்திலோ மனிதர்களுக்கு மகிழ்ச்சியோ, அமைதியோ, துன்பம் நீங்கவோ முடியாது. எனவே, என் ஆண்டவரே, எல்லா உயிரினங்களின் இதயத்திலும் உம்மைப் போலவே வாசம் செய்வீராக.

ந ஜாநாமி யோகம் ஜபம் நைவ பூஜாம், நதோஹம் ஸதா ஸர்வதா ஶம்பு துப்யம் ।
ஜரா ஜந்ம து꞉கோக தாபப்யமானம், ப்ரபோ பாஹி ஆபன்னமாமீஶ ஶம்போ (8)

பொருள் – எனக்கு யோகம் (ஒருமுகப்படுத்துதல்), ஜபம் (பிரார்த்தனைகளை முணுமுணுத்தல்) அல்லது சடங்குகள் தெரியாது. எல்லா நேரங்களிலும், ஒவ்வொரு நொடியிலும் நான் உன்னை வணங்குகிறேன், ஓ ஷம்பு! முதுமையிலும் பிறப்பு (மற்றும் இறப்பு)யிலும் துன்பப்படுபவனாகவும், துன்பப்படுபவனாகவும் இருக்கும் என்னை, பிரார்த்தனை செய், காத்தருள், ஓ ஷம்பு!

இந்த ஸ்ரீ ருத்ராஷ்டகம் (ருத்ரனைப் போற்றும் எட்டு பாடல்கள்) பகவான் ஹரனை (சிவனின் மற்றொரு பெயர்) மகிழ்விப்பதற்காக இயற்றப்பட்டது. இவை ஸ்ரீ கோஸ்வாமி துளசிதாசர் அன்புடன் எழுதிய ஸ்ரீ ராமசரிதமானசத்தின் (உத்தர-காண்டம் – தோஹா 107 B) ஒரு பகுதியாகும். இதை பக்தியுடன் பாராயணம் செய்பவர்கள், அவர்களுடன் ஸ்ரீ ஷம்பு (சிவன்) எப்போதும் மகிழ்ச்சியடைவார், மேலும் வாழ்க்கையில் உள்ள அனைத்து தடைகளையும் கடக்க அவர்களுக்கு அருள்வார்.