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Pradosha Stotram Meaning — Line by Line

प्रदोष स्तोत्रम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Pradosha Stotram with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. Satyaṁ bravīmi para-loka-hitaṁ bravīmi
  2. Verse 2. Ye nārcayanti giriśaṁ samaye pradoṣe
  3. Verse 3. Ye vai pradoṣa-samaye parameśvarasya
  4. Verse 4. Kailāsa-śaila-bhuvane tri-jagaj-janitrīṁ
  5. Verse 5. Vāg-devī dhṛta-vallakī śata-mukho veṇuṁ dadhat
  6. Verse 6. Gandharva-yakṣa-pati-yor-aga-siddha-sādhya-
  7. Verse 7. Ataḥ pradoṣe śiva eka eva
Verse 1#

Satyaṁ bravīmi para-loka-hitaṁ bravīmi

सत्यं ब्रवीमि परलोकहितं ब्रवीमि सारं ब्रवीम्युपनिषद्धृदयं ब्रवीमि। संसारमुल्बणमसारमवाप्य जन्तोः सारोऽयमीश्वरपदाम्बुरुहस्य सेवा॥१॥

Satyaṁ bravīmi para-loka-hitaṁ bravīmi Sāraṁ bravīmy-upaniṣad-dhṛdayaṁ bravīmi। Saṁsāram-ulbaṇam-asāram-avāpya jantoḥ Sāro'yam-īśvara-padāmburuhasya sevā॥1॥

MeaningI speak the truth, I speak what benefits the world beyond, I speak the very essence, the heart of the Upanishads: having gained (this birth amid) the fierce and worthless round of samsara, the one true essence for a living being is the service of the lotus-feet of the Lord.

Verse 2#

Ye nārcayanti giriśaṁ samaye pradoṣe

ये नार्चयन्ति गिरिशं समये प्रदोषे ये नार्चितं शिवमपि प्रणमन्ति चान्ये। एतत्कथां श्रुतिपुटैर्न पिबन्ति मूढा- स्ते जन्मजन्मसु भवन्ति नरा दरिद्राः॥२॥

Ye nārcayanti giriśaṁ samaye pradoṣe Ye nārcitaṁ śivam-api praṇamanti cānye। Etat-kathāṁ śruti-puṭair-na pibanti mūḍhā- Ste janma-janmasu bhavanti narā daridrāḥ॥2॥

MeaningThose who do not worship Girisha (Shiva) at the Pradosha hour, and those others who do not even bow to the Shiva worshipped by others, and the fools who do not drink in this sacred story through their ears — such people are born poor, life after life.

Verse 3#

Ye vai pradoṣa-samaye parameśvarasya

ये वै प्रदोषसमये परमेश्वरस्य कुर्वन्त्यनन्यमनसोऽङ्घ्रिसरोजपूजाम्। नित्यं प्रवृद्धधनधान्यकलत्रपुत्र- सौभाग्यसम्पदधिकास्त इहैव लोके॥३॥

Ye vai pradoṣa-samaye parameśvarasya Kurvanty-ananya-manaso'ṅghri-saroja-pūjām। Nityaṁ pravṛddha-dhana-dhānya-kalatra-putra- Saubhāgya-sampad-adhikāsta ihaiva loke॥3॥

MeaningBut those who, at the Pradosha time, with a mind fixed on nothing else, perform the worship of the lotus-feet of the Supreme Lord — they, in this very world, abound ever more in wealth, grain, spouse, children, good fortune and prosperity.

Verse 4#

Kailāsa-śaila-bhuvane tri-jagaj-janitrīṁ

कैलासशैलभुवने त्रिजगज्जनित्रीं गौरीं निवेश्य कनकार्चितरत्नपीठे। नृत्यं विधातुमभिवाञ्छति शूलपाणौ देवाः प्रदोषसमये नु भजन्ति सर्वे॥४॥

Kailāsa-śaila-bhuvane tri-jagaj-janitrīṁ Gaurīṁ niveśya kanakārcita-ratna-pīṭhe। Nṛtyaṁ vidhātum-abhivāñchati śūla-pāṇau Devāḥ pradoṣa-samaye nu bhajanti sarve॥4॥

MeaningIn his abode on Mount Kailasa, the trident-bearing Lord seats Gauri, the Mother of the three worlds, upon a jewelled, gold-wrought throne, and longs to dance; and at that Pradosha hour all the gods worship him.

Verse 5#

Vāg-devī dhṛta-vallakī śata-mukho veṇuṁ dadhat

वाग्देवी धृतवल्लकी शतमुखो वेणुं दधत् पद्मजस्तालोन्निद्रकरो रमा भगवती गेयप्रयोगान्विता। विष्णुः सान्द्रमृदङ्गवादनपटुर्देवाः समन्तात्स्थिताः सेवन्ते तमनु प्रदोषसमये देवं मृडानीपतिम्॥५॥

Vāg-devī dhṛta-vallakī śata-mukho veṇuṁ dadhat Padmajas-tālonnidra-karo ramā bhagavatī geya-prayogānvitā। Viṣṇuḥ sāndra-mṛdaṅga-vādana-paṭur-devāḥ samantāt-sthitāḥ Sevante tam-anu pradoṣa-samaye devaṁ mṛḍānī-patim॥5॥

MeaningSaraswati holds the veena, the thousand-faced (Indra/Adisesha) plays the flute, the lotus-born Brahma keeps the rhythm with eager hands, the divine Lakshmi joins in song, Vishnu is skilful at the resonant mridanga, and the gods stand all around — thus at the Pradosha hour they serve that Lord, the consort of Mridani (Parvati).

Verse 6#

Gandharva-yakṣa-pati-yor-aga-siddha-sādhya-

गन्धर्वयक्षपतयोरगसिद्धसाध्य- विद्याधराऽमरवराप्सरसां गणांश्च। येऽन्ये त्रिलोकनिलयाः सहभूतवर्गाः प्राप्ते प्रदोषसमये हरपार्श्वसंस्थाः॥६॥

Gandharva-yakṣa-pati-yor-aga-siddha-sādhya- Vidyādharā'mara-varāpsarasāṁ gaṇāṁśca। Ye'nye tri-loka-nilayāḥ saha-bhūta-vargāḥ Prāpte pradoṣa-samaye hara-pārśva-saṁsthāḥ॥6॥

MeaningThe lords of the Gandharvas and Yakshas, the serpents, Siddhas, Sadhyas, Vidyadharas, the foremost immortals and the hosts of Apsaras, and all the other dwellers of the three worlds together with the elemental beings — at the Pradosha hour they stand assembled by the side of Hara.

Verse 7#

Ataḥ pradoṣe śiva eka eva

अतः प्रदोषे शिव एक एव पूज्योऽथ नान्ये हरिपद्मजाद्याः। तस्मिन्महेशे विधिनेज्यमाने सर्वे प्रसीदन्ति सुराधिनाथाः॥७॥

Ataḥ pradoṣe śiva eka eva Pūjyo'tha nānye hari-padmajādyāḥ। Tasmin-maheśe vidhinejyamāne Sarve prasīdanti surādhi-nāthāḥ॥7॥

MeaningTherefore at Pradosha, Shiva alone is to be worshipped, and not the others, Vishnu, Brahma and the rest; for when that Great Lord (Mahesha) is duly worshipped, all the rulers of the gods become gracious and well-pleased.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

सत्यं ब्रवीमि
satyaṁ bravīmi
I speak the truth
परलोकहितं
para-loka-hitaṁ
what is beneficial for the other world (the hereafter)
उपनिषद्धृदयं
upaniṣad-dhṛdayaṁ
the very heart / essence of the Upanishads
संसारमुल्बणमसारम्
saṁsāram-ulbaṇam-asāram
this fierce and essence-less worldly existence (samsara)
अवाप्य जन्तोः
avāpya jantoḥ
having obtained (this birth), for a living being
सारोऽयमीश्वरपदाम्बुरुहस्य सेवा
sāro'yam-īśvara-padāmburuhasya sevā
the one true essence is service to the lotus-feet of the Lord (Ishvara)
ये नार्चयन्ति गिरिशं समये प्रदोषे
ye nārcayanti giriśaṁ samaye pradoṣe
those who do not worship Girisha (Shiva) at the Pradosha time
एतत्कथां श्रुतिपुटैर्न पिबन्ति मूढाः
etat-kathāṁ śruti-puṭair-na pibanti mūḍhāḥ
the foolish who do not drink in this sacred story with their ears
ते जन्मजन्मसु भवन्ति नरा दरिद्राः
te janma-janmasu bhavanti narā daridrāḥ
such people become poor (destitute) birth after birth
ये वै प्रदोषसमये परमेश्वरस्य
ye vai pradoṣa-samaye parameśvarasya
those who, at the Pradosha time, of the Supreme Lord
अनन्यमनसः अङ्घ्रिसरोजपूजाम्
ananya-manasaḥ aṅghri-saroja-pūjām
with single-pointed mind, (perform) worship of his lotus-feet
प्रवृद्धधनधान्यकलत्रपुत्र
pravṛddha-dhana-dhānya-kalatra-putra
abounding in wealth, grain, spouse and children
सौभाग्यसम्पदधिकाः
saubhāgya-sampad-adhikāḥ
richly endowed with good fortune and prosperity
इहैव लोके
ihaiva loke
in this very world (here itself)
कैलासशैलभुवने
kailāsa-śaila-bhuvane
in the abode upon Mount Kailasa
त्रिजगज्जनित्रीं गौरीं
tri-jagaj-janitrīṁ gaurīṁ
Gauri, the Mother of the three worlds
कनकार्चितरत्नपीठे
kanakārcita-ratna-pīṭhe
on a jewelled seat wrought with gold
नृत्यं विधातुमभिवाञ्छति शूलपाणौ
nṛtyaṁ vidhātum-abhivāñchati śūla-pāṇau
when the trident-bearer (Shiva) desires to dance
देवाः प्रदोषसमये नु भजन्ति सर्वे
devāḥ pradoṣa-samaye nu bhajanti sarve
all the gods worship him at the Pradosha time
वाग्देवी धृतवल्लकी
vāg-devī dhṛta-vallakī
Saraswati (the Goddess of speech) holding the veena
विष्णुः सान्द्रमृदङ्गवादनपटुः
viṣṇuḥ sāndra-mṛdaṅga-vādana-paṭuḥ
Vishnu skilled at playing the resonant mridanga drum
मृडानीपतिम्
mṛḍānī-patim
the Lord (consort) of Mridani (Parvati) — Shiva
हरपार्श्वसंस्थाः
hara-pārśva-saṁsthāḥ
standing by the side of Hara (Shiva)
अतः प्रदोषे शिव एक एव पूज्यः
ataḥ pradoṣe śiva eka eva pūjyaḥ
therefore at Pradosha, Shiva alone is to be worshipped
सर्वे प्रसीदन्ति सुराधिनाथाः
sarve prasīdanti surādhi-nāthāḥ
all the lords of the gods become pleased / gracious

Origin & History

Source: Skanda Purana (Pradosha Stava / Pradosha Mahatmya)

Author: Traditional (from the Skanda Purana)

Period: Puranic (ancient)

The Pradosha Stotram is drawn from the Pradosha Mahatmya of the Skanda Purana, which extols the supreme merit of worshipping Lord Shiva during Pradosha — the twilight of Trayodashi. By tradition, it was at the churning of the ocean that Shiva drank the deadly halahala poison to save the worlds, and the grateful gods worshipped him at this twilight hour; ever since, Pradosha has been sacred to Shiva. The hymn paints the scene on Kailasa where, as the Lord dances with Gauri seated beside him, Brahma keeps time, Saraswati plays the veena, Vishnu the mridanga and Lakshmi sings — all the gods gathered in worship. It concludes that at this hour Shiva alone is to be adored, for then every deity is pleased.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pradosha Stotram?
The Pradosha Stotram (Pradosha Stava), from the Skanda Purana, is a seven-verse hymn beginning 'Satyaṁ bravīmi para-loka-hitaṁ' that praises the unique glory of worshipping Lord Shiva during Pradosha Kaal — the sacred twilight of the thirteenth lunar day.
What is Pradosha Kaal?
Pradosha Kaal is the twilight period around sunset on Trayodashi (the 13th day of each lunar fortnight). It is considered one of the most auspicious times to worship Lord Shiva, when, according to this hymn, he dances on Kailasa and all the gods gather to worship and make music at his side.
What does the hymn promise to those who worship at Pradosha?
The third verse promises that those who worship Shiva's lotus-feet at Pradosha with a single-pointed mind grow ever more prosperous in this very world — in wealth, grain, family and good fortune — while the second verse warns that neglect of such worship leads to poverty birth after birth.
Why does it say only Shiva should be worshipped at Pradosha?
The final verse explains that at Pradosha, Brahma, Vishnu, Saraswati, Lakshmi and all the gods are themselves gathered to worship and serve Shiva. Therefore, worshipping Mahesha at this hour automatically pleases all the deities, who become gracious at once.

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