shivashankarmarathiaarti

Lavthavti Vikrala (Shankarachi Aarti)

लवथवती विक्राळा (शंकराची आरती)

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Daily evening aarti; especially Mondays, Pradosh and Maha Shivaratri·📜 Marathi aarti tradition (composition of Sant Samarth Ramdas)

Also known as: lavthavti vikrala · shankarachi aarti · lavthavti vikrala brahmandi mala · jai dev jai dev jai shri shankara · shiv aarti marathi · लवथवती विक्राळा

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

Lavthavti Vikrala is the most famous Marathi aarti to Lord Shiva (Shankar), composed by Sant Ramdas, sung with the refrain 'Jai Dev Jai Dev Jai Shri Shankara'. Its four verses paint Shiva in glory — the crescent moon and Ganga on His head, Parvati at His side, smeared with ash, and recall how He swallowed the Halahala poison to become Nilakantha. It is sung at the close of evening worship in Shiva temples and homes throughout Maharashtra.

Origin & Story

Marathi aarti tradition (composition of Sant Samarth Ramdas) · Sant Samarth Ramdas · 17th century CE

Sant Samarth Ramdas of Sajjangad, the spiritual guide of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and author of the Dasbodh and Manache Shlok, composed this aarti in praise of Lord Shiva. In four vivid verses it celebrates Shankara's cosmic form, His marriage to Uma (Parvati), and above all His act of swallowing the Halahala poison at the churning of the ocean — by which He became Nilakantha. The closing verse bears Ramdas's signature and turns the heart toward the constant remembrance of the Lord's name.

✦ As told in scripture

The aarti recalls Shiva's greatest act of compassion: at the churning of the cosmic ocean, when the Halahala poison threatened to destroy all creation, Shiva drank it down, holding it in His throat, which turned blue. Devotees hold that the Lord who once swallowed the poison of the worlds will likewise absorb the troubles of those who sing His praise with love.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

लवथवती विक्राळा ब्रह्मांडीं माळा । वीषें कंठ काळा त्रिनेत्रीं ज्वाळा ॥ लावण्यसुंदर मस्तकीं बाळा । तेथुनियां जल निर्मळ वाहे झुळझुळां ॥ १ ॥

Lavathavati Vikrala Brahmandi Mala | Vishe Kantha Kala Trinetri Jwala || Lavanya-Sundar Mastaki Bala | Tethuniya Jal Nirmal Vahe Zhulazhula || 1 ||

Meaning:Swaying and awe-inspiring, a garland of the cosmos upon Him; His throat dark with poison, a flame in His third eye; the lovely crescent moon upon His head, from which pure water (Ganga) flows down murmuring.

Verse 2

जय देव जय देव जय श्रीशंकरा । आरती ओवाळूं तुज कर्पूरगौरा ॥ धृ ॥

Jai Dev Jai Dev Jai Shri Shankara | Aarati Ovalu Tuj Karpura-Gaura || Dhru ||

Meaning:Victory to You, O Lord, victory, victory to Shri Shankara! I wave the lamp of aarti before You, O camphor-white one.

Verse 3

कर्पूरगौरा भोळा नयनीं विशाळा । अर्धांगीं पार्वती सुमनांच्या माळा ॥ विभुतीचें उधळण शितिकंठ नीळा । ऐसा शंकर शोभे उमावेल्हाळा ॥ २ ॥

Karpura-Gaura Bhola Nayani Vishala | Ardhangi Parvati Sumananchya Mala || Vibhutiche Udhalana Shiti-Kantha Nila | Aisa Shankar Shobhe Uma-Velhala || 2 ||

Meaning:Fair as camphor, the innocent one with wide eyes, Parvati upon His half-body, garlands of flowers about Him; smeared with sacred ash, the blue-throated one — thus shines Shankara, the beloved of Uma.

Verse 4

देवीं दैत्यीं सागरमंथन पैं केलें । त्यामाजीं अवचित हळाहळ उठिलें ॥ तें त्वां असुरपणें प्राशन केलें । नीळकंठ नाम प्रसिद्ध झालें ॥ ३ ॥

Devi Daityi Sagara-Manthan Pai Kele | Tyamaji Avachit Halahala Uthile || Te Tva Asurapane Prashan Kele | Nilakantha Nam Prasiddha Zhale || 3 ||

Meaning:When the gods and demons churned the ocean, suddenly the deadly Halahala poison arose; You, taking on the demon's part, drank it down, and the name Nilakantha (blue-throated) became renowned.

Verse 5

व्याघ्रांबर फणिवरधर सुंदर मदनारी । पंचानन मनमोहन मुनिजनसुखकारी ॥ शतकोटीचें बीज वाचे उच्चारी । रघुकुळटिळक रामदासा अंतरीं ॥ ४ ॥

Vyaghrambar Phanivara-Dhar Sundar Madanari | Panchanan Manamohan Munijana-Sukhakari || Shata-Kotiche Bija Vache Uchchari | Raghukula-Tilaka Ramadasa Antari || 4 ||

Meaning:Clad in tiger-skin, wearer of the serpent-king, beautiful enemy of Kama; five-faced, enchanter of hearts, giver of joy to the sages — utter the seed of a hundred crore (recitations of His name); Ramdas, ornament of the Raghu line, holds You in his heart.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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लवथवती विक्राळा🔊Lavathavati VikralaSwaying and awe-inspiring / fearsome (the cosmic dance and form of Shiva)

ब्रह्मांडीं माळा🔊Brahmandi MalaA garland (of skulls / of the universes) encompassing the cosmos

वीषें कंठ काळा🔊Vishe Kantha KalaHis throat is dark-blue from the poison (he drank)

त्रिनेत्रीं ज्वाळा🔊Trinetri JwalaA flame (blazes) in his third eye

मस्तकीं बाळा🔊Mastaki BalaUpon his head the (crescent) child-moon

जल निर्मळ वाहे झुळझुळां🔊Jal Nirmal Vahe ZhulazhulaFrom there the pure water (Ganga) flows murmuring gently

जय देव जय देव🔊Jai Dev Jai DevVictory to you, O Lord, victory to you

आरती ओवाळूं🔊Aarati OvaluI wave the lamp of aarti (in worship)

कर्पूरगौरा🔊Karpura-GauraO you who are white/fair as camphor

भोळा नयनीं विशाळा🔊Bhola Nayani VishalaThe innocent (Bholanath) one, with large (wide) eyes

अर्धांगीं पार्वती🔊Ardhangi ParvatiParvati on (his) half-body (Ardhanarishvara)

विभुतीचें उधळण🔊Vibhutiche UdhalanaSmeared / scattered with sacred ash (vibhuti)

शितिकंठ नीळा🔊Shiti-Kantha NilaThe blue-throated one (Nilakantha)

सागरमंथन🔊Sagara-ManthanThe churning of the ocean (by gods and demons)

हळाहळ🔊HalahalaThe deadly Halahala poison (that arose from the churning)

प्राशन केलें🔊Prashan Kele(You) drank it down

नीळकंठ नाम🔊Nilakantha NamThe name 'Nilakantha' (the blue-throated)

व्याघ्रांबर🔊VyaghrambarClad in a tiger-skin

फणिवरधर🔊Phanivara-DharWearer of the great serpent (king of snakes)

मदनारी🔊MadanariThe enemy of Madana (Kama, whom he burned)

रामदासा अंतरीं🔊Ramadasa AntariIn the heart of Ramdas (the poet's signature)

Benefits of Chanting Lavthavti Vikrala (Shankarachi Aarti)

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Invokes the grace and protection of Lord Shiva, the auspicious Shankara

✦

A complete devotional meditation on Shiva's form, deeds and names (Nilakantha, Madanari, Panchanan)

✦

Sung daily in Shiva temples and homes as the closing aarti of worship

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Recalls Shiva's supreme compassion in drinking the world-destroying poison to save creation

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Brings peace, courage and auspiciousness, especially when sung on Mondays and Maha Shivaratri

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Easy and uplifting to sing in family and temple congregations

How to Chant Lavthavti Vikrala (Shankarachi Aarti)

Repetitions1times

Best TimeDaily evening aarti; especially Mondays, Pradosh and Maha Shivaratri

Sing this aarti while waving the lamp before a Shiva Linga or image of Shankara, joining the refrain 'Jai Dev Jai Dev Jai Shri Shankara'. It is offered at the close of worship, particularly on Mondays, during Pradosh kaal and on Maha Shivaratri. Sing each verse contemplating the form of Shiva it describes, ending with the inner remembrance of the Lord's name as the poet Ramdas advises.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a Marathi aarti describing the glorious, awe-inspiring form of Lord Shiva (Shankara) — the crescent moon and the Ganga flowing from His head, His poison-darkened throat, the third eye, Parvati at His side, and His body smeared with sacred ash.

It was composed by Sant Samarth Ramdas (17th century), the guru of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose poetic signature 'Ramdas' appears in the final verse alongside a reference to Lord Rama (Raghukula-tilaka).

The third verse recalls the churning of the ocean (samudra manthan): when the deadly Halahala poison arose, Shiva drank it to save the worlds, and it stained His throat blue — hence the renowned name Nilakantha, 'the blue-throated one'.

It is sung as the evening aarti in Shiva temples and homes, and with special devotion on Mondays, during Pradosh kaal, in the month of Shravan, and on Maha Shivaratri.