Shiva Tandava Stotram by Ravana - Meaning, Origin and Video with Lyrics

Shiva Tandava Stotram is a Sanskrit stotra that describes Shiva’s power and beauty. It is traditionally attributed to Ravana, the king of Lanka, who i

 

What is Shiva Tandava Stotram?

Shiva Tandava Stotram is a Sanskrit stotra that describes Shiva’s power and beauty. It is traditionally attributed to Ravana, the king of Lanka, who is considered to be great devotee of Shiva. It is believed that Ravana composed the hymn in praise of Shiva, and pleading for moksha. It is believed that Lord Shiva is the king of all dancers. He was an expert in the thandava style of dancing. This is vigorous manly style of dancing. This stotra is about him while in the act of dancing. Alliteration and onomatopoeia create rolling waves of resounding beauty in this great stotra. This strotra which is so majestic was composed by none other than Ravana, the demon king, who ruled over Sri Lanka, who was one of the great devotees of Lord Shiva.

Story of Shiva Tandava Stotram

Once the proud Ravana conquered the entire India and approached Mount Kailas on top of which Lord Shiva resides with his consort Goddes Parvathi. Ravana called Lord Shiva to come down. When he did not, he uprooted the mountain with his twenty hands. This made goddess Parvathi jittery. Then Lord Shiva pressed down the mountain with his thumb. Ravana was crushed by the weight of the mountain. There he praised Lord Shiva by singing the Sama Veda and this great stotra composed by him. Lord Shiva was pleased and pardoned him.  

Shiva Tandava Stotram Verse

The stotra has 16 syllables per line of quatrain, with laghu (short syllable) and guru (long syllable) characters alternating, the poetic meter is iambic octameter by definition. There are 16 quatrains in total. Both the ninth and tenth quatrains of this hymn conclude with lists of Shiva’s epithets as destroyer, even the destroyer of death itself. Alliteration and onomatopoeia create rolling waves of resounding beauty in this example of Hindu devotional poetry. In the final quatrain of the poem, after tiring of rampaging across the earth, Ravana ask, “When will I be happy?” Because of the intensity of his prayers and ascetic meditation, of which this hymn was an example, Ravana received from Shiva powers and celestial sword called Chandrahas.

Shiva Tandava Stotram Explained

Jatatavee gala jjala pravaha pavitha sthale,

Gale avalabhya lambithaam bhujanga thunga malikaam,

Dama ddama dama ddama ninnadava damarvayam,

Chakara chanda thandavam thanothu na shiva shivam. 1

 

From the forest of his matted lock, water flows and wets his neck,

On which hangs the greatest of snake like a garland,

And his drum incessantly plays damat, damat, damat, damat,

And Shiva is engaged in the very vigorous manly dance,

To bless and shower, prosperity on all of us.

 

Jata kataha sambhramabrama nillimpa nirjari,

Vilola veechi vallari viraja mana moordhani,

Dhaga dhaga daga jjwala lalata patta pavake,

Kishora Chandra shekare rathi prathi kshanam mama. 2

 

The celestial river agitatedly moving through his matted hair,

Which makes his head shine with those soft waves,

And his forehead shining like a brilliant fire-daga daga,

And the crescent of moon which is an ornament to his head,

Makes my mind love him each and every second.

 

Dara darendra nandini vilasa bhandhu bhandura,

Sphuradigantha santhathi pramodha mana manase,

Krupa kadaksha dhorani niruddha durdharapadi,

Kwachi digambare mano vinodhamethu vasthuni. 3

 

The consort of the ever sportive daughter of the mountain,

Whose mind rejoices at her side long glances,

With the stream of merciful look which removes hardships,

Makes my mind take pleasure in him who wears the directions as apparel.

 

Jada bhujanga pingala sphurath phana mani prabha,

Kadamba kumkuma drava praliptha digwadhu mukhe,

Madhandha sindhura sphurathwagu utthariya medhure,

Mano vinodhamadhbutham bibarthu bhootha bharthari. 4

 

He, with the shining lustrous gem on the hood

Of the serpent entwining his matted locks,

He, who is with his bride whose face is decorated

By the melting of red saffron Kumkum,

And He who wears on his shoulder the hide

Of the elephant which was blind with ferociousness,

Makes my mind happy and contented,

In him who is the leader of Bhoothas*.

* can be taken to mean as souls or mythical beings guarding Kailasa.

 

Sahasra lochana prabhoothyasesha lekha shekhara,

Prasoona dhooli dhorani vidhu sarangri peedabhu,

Bhujangaraja Malaya nibhadha jada jhootaka,

Sriyai chiraya jayatham chakora bandhu shekhara. 5

 

May he whose foot stool is decorated

By the ever flowing flower dust.

Falling the bent head of Indra and other Gods,

And may He, whose matted locks are tied by the king of serpents,

And may he, whose head is decorated

By the crescent moon who a friend of Chakora*

Shower prosperity for ever on me.

* A mythical bird which lives by drinking moon light.

 

Lalata chathwara jwaladhanam jaya sphulingabha,

Nipeetha pancha sayagam saman nilimpanayakam,

Sudha mayookha lekhaya virajamana shekharam,

Maha kapali sampade, siro jadalamasthu na. 6

 

May he with the raging fire

In his forehead, who burnt the God of love,

May He who is forever being saluted by king of devas,

And may he who has collected

The cool ambrosia like crescent moon on his head,

And may he who wears the collection of skulls,

Bless us to create wealth for us.

 

Karala bhala pattika dhagadhaga jjwala,

Ddhanam jayahuthi krutha prachanda pancha sayage ,

Dharadharendra nandhini kuchagra chithrapathraka,

Prakalpanaika shilpini, trilochane rather mama. 7

 

May He in whose dreadful forehead, fire burns "Dhahaga", "Dhaga,"

May He who burnt the one with five arrows* as an offering to fire,

May He who is the only one who can write decorative lines,

On the tip of the breasts of the daughter of the mountain,

And May He with three eyes make mind enjoy in him.

* The God of love

 

Naveena megha mandali nirudha durdharath sphurath,

Kahoo niseedhi neethama prabhandha bandha kandhara,

Nilimpa nirjari darsthanothu kruthi sindhura,

Kala nidhana bandhura sriyam jagat durandhara. 8

 

May He whose black neck is as dark

As several layers of new clouds,

Packed closely on the night of the new moon.

May He who wears the celestial river on his head,

May He who killed the Gajasura with an elephant head,

May He who is very handsome because of the crescent that he wears,

And may he who carries the entire burden of the world,

Bless us with all sorts of wealth .

 

Prafulla neela pankaja prapancha kalima prabha,

Valambhi kanda kanthali ruchi prabandha kandharam,

Smarschidham puraschidham bhavaschidham makhachidham,

Gajachidandakachidham tham anthakachidham bhaje. 9

 

I salute him, who shines with a black neck

Similar to the well opened blue lotus,

On which all the temples depend for prayer,

And him who destroyed God of love, the three cities,

The worldly problems and yaga destroyers,

And him who destroyed elephant faced Asura and also God of death.,

 

Agarva sarva mangalaa kalaa kadamba manjari,

Rasa pravaha madhuri vijrumbha mana madhu vrtham,

Suranthakam, paranthakam, bhavanthakam, makhandakam,

Gajandhakandhakandakam thamanthakanthakam bhaje. 10

 

I salute him who is like the bee who drinks the sweetened honey,

That flows from the flower bunch of collection of arts of the Goddess,

And him who destroyed God of love, the three cities,

The worldly problems and yaga destroyers,

And him who destroyed elephant faced Asura and also God of death.

 

Jayathwadhabra vibramadbujaamga maswasath,

Vinirgamath, kramasphurath, karala bhala havya vat,

Dhimi dhimi dhimi dhwanan mrudanga thunga mangala,

Dhwani karma pravarthitha prachanda thandawa shiva. 11

 

Victory to the great Shiva, who has the fire burning in his forehead,

Which is increased by the breath of the snake wandering in the sky,

And to Him who dances to the changing tunes and fierce sound,

Of Dhimi, dhimi, dhimi coming out the auspicious drum.

 

Drusha dwichi thra thalpayor bhujanga moukthika srajo,

Garishta rathna loshtayo suhrudhwi paksha pakshayo,

Trunara vinda chakshusho praja mahee mahendrayo,

Samapravarthika kadha sadashivam bhajamyaham. 12

 

When will I be able to worship that eternal shiva,

With a feeling of equanimity towards snake and a garland,

Towards great gems and dirt or friends and enemies,

Or Towards a blade of grass and lotus like eyes,

Or emperor and ordinary men.

 

Kada nilampa nirjaree nikunja kotare vasan,

Vimuktha durmathee sada sirasthanjaleem vahan,

Vilola lola lochano lalama bhala lagnaka,

Shivethi manthamucharan kada sukhee bhavamyaham. 13

 

When will I live the life of pleasure, meditating on Shiva,

Sitting near a hollow place near the celestial river Ganga,

Releasing all my bad thoughts and with hands clasped above my head,

After releasing all passion for the pretty women with shifting eyes?

 

Imam hi nithya meva muktha muthamothamam sthavam,

Padan, smaran broovan naro vishudhimethi santhatham,

Hare Gurou subhakthimasu yathi nanyadha gatheem,

Vimohinam hi dehinaam sushakarasya chithanam. 14

 

This greater than the great prayer if read,

Remembered, or recited daily by man,

Will make him pure, eternal,

And he would get devotion to Shiva leading him to salvation,

For remembering Lord Shiva, is a sure method of removal of detachment.

 

Poojavasana samaye dasa vakhra geetham,

Ya shambhu poojana param padthi pradhoshe,

Thasya sthiraam radha gajendra thuranga yuktham,

Lakshmeem sadaiva sumukheem pradadathi shambu. 15

 

He who sings this song composed by the ten headed one,

At the end of every worship or,

Reads it after worship of Shiva on the Pradosha day,

Will get by the blessing of lord Shiva, chariots, elephants and horses,

As well as the affectionate sight of god of wealth.

 

Ithi Ravana krutham,

Shiva thandava stotram,

Sampoornam,

 

Thus ends the prayer of the dancing Shiva,

Composed by Ravana.

Shiva Tandava Stotram in Sanskrit

जटा टवी गलज्जल प्रवाह पावितस्थले, गलेऽवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजङ्ग तुङ्ग मालिकाम् |

 

डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनाद वड्डमर्वयं, चकार चण्डताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिवः शिवम् ||१||

 

जटा कटा हसंभ्रम भ्रमन्निलिम्प निर्झरी, विलो लवी चिवल्लरी विराजमान मूर्धनि |

धगद् धगद् धगज्ज्वलल् ललाट पट्ट पावके किशोर चन्द्र शेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम ||२||

 

धरा धरेन्द्र नंदिनी विलास बन्धु बन्धुरस् फुरद् दिगन्त सन्तति प्रमोद मानमानसे |

कृपा कटाक्ष धोरणी निरुद्ध दुर्धरापदि क्वचिद् दिगम्बरे मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि ||३||

 

लता भुजङ्ग पिङ्गलस् फुरत्फणा मणिप्रभा कदम्ब कुङ्कुमद्रवप् रलिप्तदिग्व धूमुखे |

मदान्ध सिन्धुरस् फुरत् त्वगुत्तरीयमे दुरे मनो विनोद मद्भुतं बिभर्तु भूतभर्तरि ||४||

 

सहस्र लोचनप्रभृत्य शेष लेखशेखर प्रसून धूलिधोरणी विधूस राङ्घ्रि पीठभूः |

भुजङ्ग राजमालया निबद्ध जाटजूटक श्रियै चिराय जायतां चकोर बन्धुशेखरः ||५||

 

ललाट चत्वरज्वलद् धनञ्जयस्फुलिङ्गभा निपीत पञ्चसायकं नमन्निलिम्प नायकम् |

सुधा मयूखले खया विराजमानशेखरं महाकपालिसम्पदे शिरोज टालमस्तु नः ||६||

 

कराल भाल पट्टिका धगद् धगद् धगज्ज्वल द्धनञ्जयाहुती कृतप्रचण्ड पञ्चसायके |

धरा धरेन्द्र नन्दिनी कुचाग्र चित्रपत्रक प्रकल्प नैक शिल्पिनि त्रिलोचने रतिर्मम |||७||

 

नवीन मेघ मण्डली निरुद् धदुर् धरस्फुरत्- कुहू निशीथि नीतमः प्रबन्ध बद्ध कन्धरः |

निलिम्प निर्झरी धरस् तनोतु कृत्ति सिन्धुरः कला निधान बन्धुरः श्रियं जगद् धुरंधरः ||८||

 

प्रफुल्ल नीलपङ्कज प्रपञ्च कालिम प्रभा- वलम्बि कण्ठकन्दली रुचिप्रबद्ध कन्धरम् |

स्मरच्छिदं पुरच्छिदं भवच्छिदं मखच्छिदं गजच्छि दांध कच्छिदं तमंत कच्छिदं भजे ||९||

 

अखर्व सर्व मङ्गला कला कदंब मञ्जरी रस प्रवाह माधुरी विजृंभणा मधुव्रतम् |

स्मरान्तकं पुरान्तकं भवान्तकं मखान्तकं गजान्त कान्ध कान्त कं तमन्त कान्त कं भजे ||१०||

 

जयत् वदभ्र विभ्रम भ्रमद् भुजङ्ग मश्वस – द्विनिर्ग मत् क्रमस्फुरत् कराल भाल हव्यवाट् |

धिमिद्धिमिद्धिमिध्वनन्मृदङ्गतुङ्गमङ्गल ध्वनिक्रमप्रवर्तित प्रचण्डताण्डवः शिवः ||११||

 

स्पृषद्विचित्रतल्पयोर्भुजङ्गमौक्तिकस्रजोर्- – गरिष्ठरत्नलोष्ठयोः सुहृद्विपक्षपक्षयोः |

तृष्णारविन्दचक्षुषोः प्रजामहीमहेन्द्रयोः समप्रवृत्तिकः ( समं प्रवर्तयन्मनः) कदा सदाशिवं भजे ||१२||

 

कदा निलिम्पनिर्झरीनिकुञ्जकोटरे वसन् विमुक्तदुर्मतिः सदा शिरः स्थमञ्जलिं वहन् |

विमुक्तलोललोचनो ललामभाललग्नकः शिवेति मंत्रमुच्चरन् कदा सुखी भवाम्यहम् ||१३||

 

इदम् हि नित्यमेवमुक्तमुत्तमोत्तमं स्तवं पठन्स्मरन्ब्रुवन्नरो विशुद्धिमेतिसंततम् |

हरे गुरौ सुभक्तिमाशु याति नान्यथा गतिं विमोहनं हि देहिनां सुशङ्करस्य चिंतनम् ||१४||

 

पूजा वसान समये दशवक्त्र गीतं यः शंभु पूजन परं पठति प्रदोषे |

तस्य स्थिरां रथगजेन्द्र तुरङ्ग युक्तां लक्ष्मीं सदैव सुमुखिं प्रददाति शंभुः ||१५||

 

इति श्रीरावण- कृतम् शिव- ताण्डव- स्तोत्रम् सम्पूर्णम् 💚💚