shivaparvatiardhanarishwarashankaracharya

Ardhanari Nateshwara Stotram

Ardhanari Nateshwara Stotram in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 9× repetitions·🕐 Mondays, Fridays, Pradosha Kaal, and Maha Shivaratri·📜 Shaiva-Shakta stotra corpus attributed to Adi Shankaracharya

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Ardhanari Nateshwara Stotram, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, is an eight-verse hymn to Ardhanarishvara — the form that is half Shiva and half Parvati. Each verse pairs an attribute of the Goddess with the corresponding attribute of the Lord, ending with the famous refrain 'Namah Shivayai cha Namah Shivaya' (salutations to Her and to Him), celebrating the inseparable union of consciousness and energy. The ninth verse is the phalashruti, promising honour, long life and lasting fortune to its reciter.

Origin & Story

Shaiva-Shakta stotra corpus attributed to Adi Shankaracharya · Adi Shankaracharya (traditionally) · c. 8th century CE

Adi Shankaracharya, who harmonised the worship of Shiva and Shakti within Advaita, composed this hymn to the Ardhanarishvara — the half-male, half-female form of the Divine. Each verse is a deliberate juxtaposition: the Goddess decked in saffron, jewels and silk on one side; the Lord smeared with ash, garlanded with skulls and sky-clad on the other — yet one single body, declaring that the cosmic Father and Mother, the dancer of creation (Lasya) and the dancer of dissolution (Tandava), are forever one.

✦ As told in scripture

It is traditionally told that meditation on the Ardhanarishvara form dissolves the seeker's sense of duality and inner conflict; couples who recite this stotra together are said to be blessed with deep harmony, and devotees report that worship of this united form brings both worldly fortune (the Devi's grace) and liberation (Shiva's grace) together.

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Complete Text with Meaning

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

Verse 1

Champeya-Gaura-Ardha-Sharira-Kayai Karpura-Gaura-Ardha-Sharira-Kaya Dhammilla-Kayai Cha Jata-Dharaya Namah Shivayai Cha Namah Shivaya (1)

Meaning:Salutations to the Goddess and to the Lord — to Her whose half-body glows golden like the champaka flower and to Him whose half-body is white like camphor; to Her of the braided tresses and to Him of the matted locks.

Verse 2

Kasturika-Kunkuma-Charchitayai Chita-Rajah-Punja-Vicharchitaya Krita-Smarayai Vikrita-Smaraya Namah Shivayai Cha Namah Shivaya (2)

Meaning:Salutations — to Her anointed with musk and saffron and to Him smeared with the ash of the cremation ground; to Her who awakens love and to Him who once disfigured the god of love.

Verse 3

Jhanat-Kvanat-Kankana-Nupurayai Pada-Abja-Rajat-Phani-Nupuraya Hema-Angadayai Bhujaga-Angadaya Namah Shivayai Cha Namah Shivaya (3)

Meaning:Salutations — to Her with tinkling bangles and anklets and to Him whose lotus feet wear serpents as anklets; to Her with golden armlets and to Him with serpent armlets.

Verse 4

Vishala-Nila-Utpala-Lochanayai Vikasi-Pankeruha-Lochanaya Samekshanayai Vishamekshanaya Namah Shivayai Cha Namah Shivaya (4)

Meaning:Salutations — to Her with wide eyes like blue lotuses and to Him with eyes like the blooming lotus; to Her with two even eyes and to Him with three uneven eyes.

Verse 5

Mandara-Mala-Kalita-Alakayai Kapala-Mala-Ankita-Kandharaya Divya-Ambarayai Cha Digambaraya Namah Shivayai Cha Namah Shivaya (5)

Meaning:Salutations — to Her whose locks are decked with mandara garlands and to Him whose neck bears a garland of skulls; to Her robed in heavenly garments and to Him who is clad in the directions.

Verse 6

Ambhodhara-Shyamala-Kuntalayai Tadit-Prabha-Tamra-Jata-Dharaya Nir-Ishvarayai Nikhila-Ishvaraya Namah Shivayai Cha Namah Shivaya (6)

Meaning:Salutations — to Her with tresses dark as rain-clouds and to Him with copper-red matted locks bright as lightning; to Her who is without a lord (being Herself supreme) and to Him who is the Lord of all.

Verse 7

Prapancha-Srishti-Unmukha-Lasya-Kayai Samasta-Samhara-Kata-Tandavaya Jagaj-Jananyai Jagad-Eka-Pitre Namah Shivayai Cha Namah Shivaya (7)

Meaning:Salutations — to Her whose graceful Lasya dance brings forth the creation of the world and to Him whose fierce Tandava dance dissolves it all; to Her the Mother of the universe and to Him the one Father of the universe.

Verse 8

Pradipta-Ratna-Ujjvala-Kundalayai Sphuran-Maha-Pannaga-Bhushanaya Shiva-Anvitayai Cha Shiva-Anvitaya Namah Shivayai Cha Namah Shivaya (8)

Meaning:Salutations — to Her with brilliant gem-studded earrings and to Him adorned with the great gleaming serpent; to Her ever united with Shiva and to Him ever united with Shiva (Shakti).

Verse 9

Etat-Pathed-Ashtakam-Ishtadam Yo Bhaktya Sa Manyo Bhuvi Dirgha-Jivi Prapnoti Saubhagyam-Ananta-Kalam Bhuyat-Sada Tasya Samasta-Siddhih (9)

Meaning:Whoever devotedly recites this wish-fulfilling octad becomes honoured upon the earth and long-lived; he attains everlasting good fortune, and may all accomplishments forever be his.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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Champeya-Gaura-Ardha-Sharira-Kayai🔊To Her, half of whose body shines golden like the champaka flower (Parvati)

Karpura-Gaura-Ardha-Sharira-Kaya🔊To Him, half of whose body is white like camphor (Shiva)

Dhammilla-Kayai🔊To Her with a beautifully braided coiffure

Jata-Dharaya🔊To Him who bears matted locks

Namah Shivayai Cha Namah Shivaya🔊Salutations to Shiva (the Goddess) and salutations to Shiva (the Lord)

Kasturika-Kunkuma-Charchitayai🔊To Her anointed with musk and saffron

Chita-Rajah-Punja-Vicharchitaya🔊To Him smeared with heaps of ash from the cremation ground

Krita-Smarayai🔊To Her who creates love (Kama)

Vikrita-Smaraya🔊To Him who destroyed (disfigured) Kama, the god of love

Jhanat-Kvanat-Kankana-Nupurayai🔊To Her with tinkling, jingling bangles and anklets

Pada-Abja-Rajat-Phani-Nupuraya🔊To Him whose lotus feet are adorned with serpents as anklets

Vishala-Nila-Utpala-Lochanayai🔊To Her with large eyes like the blue lotus

Samekshanayai🔊To Her with an even number of eyes (two)

Vishamekshanaya🔊To Him with an odd number of eyes (three)

Divya-Ambarayai🔊To Her clothed in divine, splendid garments

Digambaraya🔊To Him who is sky-clad (clothed in the directions)

Jagaj-Jananyai🔊To Her, the Mother of the universe

Jagad-Eka-Pitre🔊To Him, the one Father of the universe

Shiva-Anvitayai Cha Shiva-Anvitaya🔊To Her united with Shiva, and to Him united with Shiva (Shakti)

Etat-Pathed-Ashtakam Ishtadam Yah🔊Whoever recites this wish-granting octad

Benefits of Chanting Ardhanari Nateshwara Stotram

✦

Honours the inseparable union of Shiva and Shakti (consciousness and energy)

✦

Considered highly auspicious for married couples and for marital harmony

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The phalashruti promises honour on earth, long life and everlasting good fortune

✦

Balances the masculine and feminine energies within the seeker

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Cultivates devotion to the integrated Divine — neither Shiva alone nor Devi alone

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Its rhythmic paired structure makes it a beautiful, memorable daily prayer

How to Chant Ardhanari Nateshwara Stotram

Repetitions9times

Best TimeMondays, Fridays, Pradosha Kaal, and Maha Shivaratri

Recite all eight verses with devotion, dwelling on the paired imagery of the Goddess and the Lord in each line, and complete with the ninth phalashruti verse. It may be chanted before an Ardhanarishvara image or a Shiva Lingam. Because every verse closes with 'Namah Shivayai cha Namah Shivaya', let that refrain settle the mind into the awareness that Shiva and Shakti are one. Daily recitation, or weekly on Mondays and Fridays, is traditional, and it is especially recited by couples for harmony.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Ardhanari Nateshwara Stotram written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

Ardhanarishvara is the composite form of Shiva and Parvati shown as a single body split down the middle — the right half Shiva and the left half Parvati. It expresses the truth that the Absolute (Shiva) and its creative power (Shakti) are inseparable, two aspects of one reality.

This eight-verse hymn beginning 'Champeya-gaura-ardha-sharira-kayai' is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. It is one of the most popular Sanskrit hymns on the Ardhanarishvara form.

It means 'Salutations to Shiva the Goddess (Shivaa) and salutations to Shiva the Lord (Shiva)'. The feminine 'Shivayai' salutes Parvati and the masculine 'Shivaya' salutes Shiva — bowing to both halves of the one divine form.

Because the hymn celebrates the perfect, harmonious union of the divine couple, it is traditionally chanted by married couples and those seeking marital harmony, mutual understanding and lasting togetherness, in addition to the long life and good fortune promised in its final verse.