𑌲𑌿𑌂𑌗𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍
Lingashtakam in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥
Read in your language / script
Origin & Story
Traditional Sanskrit hymn (Shaiva tradition) · Unknown (attributed to ancient Shaiva tradition) · Ancient
The Lingashtakam celebrates the Shiva Lingam — the most sacred symbol in Shaivism. According to the Shiva Purana, when Brahma and Vishnu argued over who was supreme, an infinite pillar of fire (Jyotirlinga) appeared between them. Neither could find its beginning or end. Shiva revealed himself from the pillar, establishing his supremacy. The Lingam represents this infinite, formless divine presence, and the Lingashtakam is the most popular hymn praising it.
✦ As told in scripture
The Shiva Purana narrates that the 12 Jyotirlingas across India are self-manifested Lingams of light where Shiva appeared. At Somnath, after the Lingam was destroyed by invaders multiple times, it was always rebuilt because devotees who chanted before it reported visions, healings, and the dissolving of lifetimes of karma in a single night of worship. The final verse declares the Lingam as 'Paratparam' — beyond even the concept of 'beyond'.
Listen & Chant Along
Complete Text with Meaning
Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited
𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌮𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌰𑌿𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌲𑌭𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌤𑌶𑍋𑌭𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍। 𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌮𑌜𑌦𑍁𑌃𑌖𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌕𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍॥
Brahma Murari Surarchita Lingam Nirmala Bhasita Shobhita Lingam Janmaja Duhkha Vinashaka Lingam Tat Pranamami Sadashiva Lingam
Meaning:I bow to that Sadashiva Lingam, which is worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu and all the gods, which shines with immaculate purity, which destroys all sorrows born of life.
𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌮𑍁𑌨𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌰𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌦𑌹𑌨𑌕𑌰𑍁𑌣𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍। 𑌰𑌾𑌵𑌣𑌦𑌰𑍍𑌪𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌨𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍॥
Deva Muni Pravararchita Lingam Kama Dahana Karunakara Lingam Ravana Darpa Vinashana Lingam Tat Pranamami Sadashiva Lingam
Meaning:I bow to that Sadashiva Lingam, worshipped by the greatest gods and sages, which burned Kama yet is an ocean of compassion, which destroyed Ravana's pride.
𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌸𑍁𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌿𑌸𑍁𑌲𑍇𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌬𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌿𑌵𑌿𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌧𑌨𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌣𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍। 𑌸𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌾𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍॥
Sarva Sugandhi Sulepita Lingam Buddhi Vivardhana Karana Lingam Siddha Surasura Vandita Lingam Tat Pranamami Sadashiva Lingam
Meaning:I bow to that Sadashiva Lingam, anointed with all fragrances, which enhances intellect, which is revered by Siddhas, gods and demons alike.
𑌕𑌨𑌕𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌮𑌣𑌿𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌫𑌣𑌿𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌵𑍇𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌿𑌤𑌶𑍋𑌭𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍। 𑌦𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌸𑍁𑌯𑌜𑍍𑌞𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌨𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍॥
Kanaka Mahamani Bhushita Lingam Phanipati Veshtita Shobhita Lingam Daksha Suyajna Vinashana Lingam Tat Pranamami Sadashiva Lingam
Meaning:I bow to that Sadashiva Lingam, adorned with gold and great jewels, beautifully encircled by the lord of serpents, which destroyed Daksha's sacrifice.
𑌕𑍁𑌙𑍍𑌕𑍁𑌮𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌨𑌲𑍇𑌪𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌪𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌜𑌹𑌾𑌰𑌸𑍁𑌶𑍋𑌭𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍। 𑌸𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌪𑌾𑌪𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌨𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍॥
Kunkuma Chandana Lepita Lingam Pankaja Hara Sushobhita Lingam Sanchita Papa Vinashana Lingam Tat Pranamami Sadashiva Lingam
Meaning:I bow to that Sadashiva Lingam, anointed with saffron and sandalwood, adorned with lotus garlands, which destroys all accumulated sins.
𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌗𑌣𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌸𑍇𑌵𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌭𑌾𑌵𑍈𑌰𑍍𑌭𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌭𑌿𑌰𑍇𑌵 𑌚 𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍। 𑌦𑌿𑌨𑌕𑌰𑌕𑍋𑌟𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌭𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍॥
Deva Ganarchita Sevita Lingam Bhavair Bhaktibhireva Cha Lingam Dinakara Koti Prabhakara Lingam Tat Pranamami Sadashiva Lingam
Meaning:I bow to that Sadashiva Lingam, served and worshipped by hosts of gods, approached only through devotion, whose brilliance equals a billion suns.
𑌅𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌦𑌲𑍋𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌵𑍇𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌸𑌮𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌵𑌕𑌾𑌰𑌣𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍। 𑌅𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌦𑌰𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍॥
Ashta Dalopari Veshtita Lingam Sarva Samudbhava Karana Lingam Ashta Daridra Vinashita Lingam Tat Pranamami Sadashiva Lingam
Meaning:I bow to that Sadashiva Lingam, encircled by eight petals, the cause of all creation, the destroyer of eight types of poverty.
𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌗𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌵𑌰𑌪𑍂𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌵𑌨𑌪𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌪𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍। 𑌪𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌪𑌰𑌂 𑌪𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌤𑌤𑍍 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌮𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌸𑌦𑌾𑌶𑌿𑌵𑌲𑌿𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌮𑍍॥
Sura Guru Sura Vara Poojita Lingam Suravana Pushpa Sadarchita Lingam Paratparam Paramatmaka Lingam Tat Pranamami Sadashiva Lingam
Meaning:I bow to that Sadashiva Lingam, worshipped by the guru of gods and the greatest deities, always adorned with celestial flowers — that Lingam which is the Supreme Soul, beyond all that is beyond.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Click any word to hear its pronunciation
Benefits of Chanting Lingashtakam
Deep connection with Lord Shiva in his formless (Nirguna) aspect
Each verse describes a different quality of the divine — comprehensive Shiva worship
Destroys sorrows, sins, pride, poverty and ignorance (as stated in each verse)
Enhances intellect and spiritual understanding
Extremely powerful when chanted while performing Shiva Lingam abhishekam
Regular recitation on Mondays and Maha Shivaratri brings Shiva's direct grace
How to Chant Lingashtakam
Ideally chanted while performing abhishekam (ritual bathing) of a Shiva Lingam with water, milk, or Ganga water. If no Lingam is available, chant while meditating on the formless divine. Each verse ends with 'Tat Pranamami Sadashiva Lingam' — bow at each refrain. The eight verses systematically describe eight aspects of the divine, making this a complete meditation on Shiva.
Frequently Asked Questions
You May Also Like
ॐ
Read the full Lingashtakam with verse-by-verse meaning, or explore more sacred texts