Shiva Tandava Stotram

With the holy waters of the Ganga flowing from the dense forest of his matted hair purifying his neck, with a tall garland of serpents hanging from his neck, performing the fierce Tandava dance to the rhythmic beats of the damaru drum — dam-dam-dam-dam — may Lord Shiva bestow auspiciousness upon us.

Upon whose head the celestial river Ganga, whirling in the deep cavern of matted hair, shines with her playful, dancing waves like a creeper; upon whose forehead blazes the fire with a dhagad-dhagad-dhagad sound — may my love grow every moment for that Lord who wears the crescent moon upon his head.

He who is gracefully handsome like a kinsman in the playful company of the daughter of the mountain king (Parvati), whose mind rejoices in the expanding progeny across all directions, whose stream of compassionate glances wards off insurmountable calamities — may my mind find delight in that entity who is Digambara (clothed by the directions themselves).

The radiance of the gems on the hoods of the tawny serpents in his matted hair paints the faces of the brides of the directions as if anointed with liquid kadamba and saffron; he who wears the glistening hide of a maddened elephant as his upper garment — may my mind find wondrous delight in that Lord of all beings.

He whose footstool is grey with the dust of flowers that fall from the crowns of Indra and all the gods, whose matted locks are bound by the king of serpents as a garland — may that Lord who wears the friend of the Chakora bird (the moon) upon his crest bring us lasting prosperity.

The brilliance of the fire blazing on the altar of his forehead consumed the five arrows of Kamadeva (the god of love); before him bow all the chiefs of the gods; upon his crest shines the crescent moon with its nectarean rays — may the matted locks of that great skull-bearing Lord bestow prosperity upon us.

Upon whose terrifying forehead the fire blazes dhagad-dhagad-dhagad, consuming the mighty five arrows of Kamadeva as an oblation; who is the sole artist that paints beautiful designs upon the bosom of the daughter of the mountain king (Parvati) — in that three-eyed Lord is my love.

Whose throat is bound by the darkness of the new moon night, blocked by banks of fresh dark clouds (his throat is blue like dark clouds); who bears the celestial river Ganga, who wears the elephant's hide, who is adorned by the moon — may that bearer of the world's burden bestow prosperity upon us.

Whose throat gleams with the dark lustre of a fully bloomed blue lotus, whose neck is bound by the beautiful glow of the blue mark (from drinking poison) — I worship him who destroyed Kamadeva (Smara), who destroyed the three cities (Tripura), who cuts the bonds of worldly existence, who destroyed the sacrifice of Daksha, who slew the elephant demon and the demon Andhaka, and who conquered Yama, the god of death.

I worship him who is like a bee drunk on the flowing sweetness of the cluster of Kadamba blossoms that are all the auspicious arts, undiminished and complete — who ended Smara (Kamadeva), who ended Tripura, who ended the cycle of birth and death, who ended Daksha's sacrifice, who ended the elephant demon and Andhaka, and who is the ender of Yama, the ender of death itself.

Victory to Lord Shiva whose terrifying forehead-fire flares from the breath of the serpents whirling in wild frenzy upon his brow, who performs the fierce Tandava dance set to the rhythm of the auspicious, thundering mridanga drum sounding dhimid-dhimid-dhimi!

When shall I worship the ever-auspicious Shiva, who regards equally a rocky bed and a soft couch, a serpent and a garland of pearls, the heaviest gem and a lump of clay, a friend and an enemy, a blade of grass and a lotus-eyed woman, a king and a common man?

When shall I become truly happy, living in the hollow of a bower on the bank of the Ganga, free from evil thoughts, ever holding joined palms above my head, with wandering and playful eyes, with the sacred mark on my forehead, chanting the mantra "Shiva"?

May my love remain fixed on Shiva, who is charmed by the fragrant honey dripping from the densely-woven garlands of Mallika flowers placed on the heads of the celestial damsels of Indra's city, and who is fond of the fierce Tandava amid the company of flowing waves.

Adorned with the mantra "Shiva" as his ornament, may Lord Shiva be victorious — he who is praised by the chanting of the eight great Siddhi-maidens whose lustre rivals the blazing submarine fire, and who is heralded by the wedding songs of the lotus-eyed women at the time of his marriage.

A person who recites, remembers, or speaks this excellent hymn, which has been composed in this way and is the best of the best, always attains purity. He quickly achieves true devotion to Lord Hara (Shiva). There is no other refuge — the contemplation of the auspicious Shankara removes all delusion from embodied beings.

Whoever recites at the time of evening worship (Pradosha) this hymn sung by the ten-faced Ravana in adoration of Shambhu (Shiva) — to him, Shambhu ever bestows Lakshmi (prosperity), steady and ever-smiling, accompanied by chariots, lordly elephants, and horses.