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Shantam Padmasanastham (Shiva Dhyana Shloka)

Shantam Padmasanastham (Shiva Dhyana Shloka) in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 At the start of Shiva puja or meditation; Monday mornings; Pradosha; Maha Shivaratri·📜 Traditional Shiva dhyana shloka (Shaiva agama / upasana tradition)

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

Shantam Padmasanastham is a classic Shiva dhyana shloka that paints a complete meditative image of Sadashiva in his five-faced (panchamukha), three-eyed form. Seated calmly in padmasana, crowned with the crescent moon and gleaming like crystal, he bears ten attributes — trident, thunderbolt, sword, axe, abhaya, serpent, noose, bell, damaru and goad. Reciting it helps the devotee hold the form of Shiva steadily in the mind's eye during meditation and worship.

Origin & Story

Traditional Shiva dhyana shloka (Shaiva agama / upasana tradition) · Unknown (traditional) · Classical

Dhyana verses such as this are drawn from the agama and upasana tradition, where each deity is contemplated through a precisely described form before worship begins. This verse meditates on Sadashiva in his five-faced, three-eyed aspect, seated serenely in the lotus posture, crystal-bright, bearing ten attributes across his right and left sides. It is a favourite opening contemplation for Shiva worshippers, distilling the iconography of Sadashiva into a single flowing shloka.

✦ As told in scripture

Devotees of the dhyana tradition hold that when the form of Sadashiva is visualized clearly through this verse, the mind itself becomes 'sphatika-mani-nibham' — crystal-clear and luminous; many describe a deep, protective stillness settling over them as the serene five-faced Lord is held steady before the inner eye.

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The Mantra

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Śāntaṃ padmāsanasthaṃ śaśadharamakuṭaṃ pañcavaktraṃ trinetraṃ Śūlaṃ vajraṃ cha khaḍgaṃ paraśum abhayadaṃ dakṣiṇāṅge vahantam Nāgaṃ pāśaṃ cha ghaṇṭāṃ ḍamarukasahitaṃ chāṅkuśaṃ vāmabhāge Nānālaṅkāradīptaṃ sphaṭikamaṇinibhaṃ pārvatīśaṃ namāmi

Meaning:I bow to the Lord of Parvati — serene, seated in the lotus posture, crowned with the moon, five-faced and three-eyed; bearing on his right side the trident, the thunderbolt, the sword, the axe and the gesture of fearlessness; holding on his left the serpent, the noose, the bell, the damaru drum and the goad; shining with manifold ornaments and luminous like a crystal gem.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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Śāntaṃ🔊The serene, peaceful one

Padmāsanasthaṃ🔊Seated in the lotus posture (padmasana)

Śaśadharamakuṭaṃ🔊Wearing the moon (shashadhara) as his crown

Pañcavaktraṃ🔊Five-faced (the five faces of Sadashiva)

Trinetraṃ🔊Three-eyed

Śūlaṃ vajraṃ cha khaḍgaṃ paraśum🔊The trident, the thunderbolt, the sword and the axe

Abhayadaṃ🔊The gesture of granting fearlessness (abhaya mudra)

Dakṣiṇāṅge vahantam🔊Holding (these) on his right side

Nāgaṃ pāśaṃ cha ghaṇṭāṃ🔊The serpent, the noose and the bell

Ḍamarukasahitaṃ cha aṅkuśaṃ🔊Together with the damaru (drum) and the goad

Vāmabhāge🔊On his left side

Nānālaṅkāradīptaṃ🔊Shining with various ornaments

Sphaṭikamaṇinibhaṃ🔊Radiant like a crystal gem (pure white, luminous)

Pārvatīśaṃ🔊The Lord of Parvati

Namāmi🔊I bow / I offer my salutations

Benefits of Chanting Shantam Padmasanastham (Shiva Dhyana Shloka)

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Provides a complete, vivid image of Shiva for meditation (dhyana)

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Helps fix and steady the mind on the form of the Lord during worship

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Invokes the serene, peace-giving (shanta) aspect of Shiva

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Recited as the dhyana before Shiva puja, japa or abhishekam

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Cultivates inner calm and one-pointed concentration

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Brings a sense of protection through Shiva's many weapons and fearless gesture

How to Chant Shantam Padmasanastham (Shiva Dhyana Shloka)

Repetitions3times

Best TimeAt the start of Shiva puja or meditation; Monday mornings; Pradosha; Maha Shivaratri

Use this verse as the dhyana shloka before Shiva worship or japa. Recite it slowly, building the image phrase by phrase — the serene posture, the moon-crown, the five faces and three eyes, the attributes in each hand — until the form of Sadashiva is clearly held in the mind. Then proceed with mantra japa (such as Om Namah Shivaya) or formal worship.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Shantam Padmasanastham (Shiva Dhyana Shloka) 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.

A dhyana shloka is a meditation verse that describes the form of a deity in detail, recited at the beginning of worship or japa so the devotee can visualize and hold the deity's image steadily in the mind.

This verse meditates on Sadashiva in his Panchamukha (five-faced) form, representing the five great functions and the five elements. Each face symbolizes an aspect of his all-pervading nature.

Each attribute carries meaning: the trident represents the three gunas and his power over them, the damaru the primordial sound, the noose his binding power over time, the abhaya mudra his promise of fearlessness, and so on. Together they show Shiva as the complete master of creation.

Recite it just before beginning Shiva puja, abhishekam or meditation, on Mondays, Pradosha, and especially on Maha Shivaratri, to establish the form of Shiva in your mind before worship.