Shiva Mangalashtakam Meaning — Line by Line

शिव मङ्गलाष्टकम्

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Meaning — Line by Line

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

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Verse 1. Bhavāya chandrachūḍāya nirguṇāya guṇātmane।
Verse 2. Vṛṣārūḍhāya bhīmāya vyāghracharmāmbarāya cha।
Verse 3. Bhasmoddhūlitadehāya vyālayajñopavītine।
Verse 4. Sūryachandrāgninetrāya namaḥ kailāsavāsine।
Verse 5. Mṛtyuñjayāya sāmbāya sṛṣṭisthityantakāriṇe।
Verse 6. Gaṅgādharāya somāya namo hariharātmane।
Verse 7. Sadyojātāya śarvāya divyajñānapradāyine।
Verse 8. Sadāśivasvarūpāya namastatpuruṣāya cha।

Verse 1#

भवाय चन्द्रचूडाय निर्गुणाय गुणात्मने। कालकालाय रुद्राय नीलग्रीवाय मङ्गलम्॥१॥

Bhavāya chandrachūḍāya nirguṇāya guṇātmane। Kālakālāya rudrāya nīlagrīvāya maṅgalam॥1॥

MeaningAuspiciousness be unto Bhava, the source of being, who bears the crescent moon, who is without attributes yet is the soul of all attributes; to Kālakāla (death of death), to Rudra, to the blue-throated one — may all be auspicious.

Verse 2#

वृषारूढाय भीमाय व्याघ्रचर्माम्बराय च। पशूनां पतये तुभ्यं गौरीकान्ताय मङ्गलम्॥२॥

Vṛṣārūḍhāya bhīmāya vyāghracharmāmbarāya cha। Paśūnāṁ pataye tubhyaṁ gaurīkāntāya maṅgalam॥2॥

MeaningAuspiciousness be unto the rider of the bull, the formidable one clad in a tiger's skin; to you, O Pashupati, Lord of all creatures, the beloved of Gaurī — may all be auspicious.

Verse 3#

भस्मोद्धूलितदेहाय व्यालयज्ञोपवीतिने। रुद्राक्षमालाभूषाय व्योमकेशाय मङ्गलम्॥३॥

Bhasmoddhūlitadehāya vyālayajñopavītine। Rudrākṣamālābhūṣāya vyomakeśāya maṅgalam॥3॥

MeaningAuspiciousness be unto the one whose body is smeared with sacred ash, who wears a serpent for a sacred thread, adorned with Rudrāksha garlands, whose hair fills the sky — may all be auspicious.

Verse 4#

सूर्यचन्द्राग्निनेत्राय नमः कैलासवासिने। सच्चिदानन्दरूपाय प्रमथेशाय मङ्गलम्॥४॥

Sūryachandrāgninetrāya namaḥ kailāsavāsine। Sachchidānandarūpāya pramatheśāya maṅgalam॥4॥

MeaningSalutations to the one whose eyes are the sun, moon, and fire, the dweller of Kailāsa; auspiciousness be unto the embodiment of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, the Lord of the Pramatha hosts.

Verse 5#

मृत्युञ्जयाय साम्बाय सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारिणे। त्र्यम्बकाय सुशान्ताय त्रिलोकेशाय मङ्गलम्॥५॥

Mṛtyuñjayāya sāmbāya sṛṣṭisthityantakāriṇe। Tryambakāya suśāntāya trilokeśāya maṅgalam॥5॥

MeaningAuspiciousness be unto Mrityunjaya, the conqueror of death, accompanied by Ambā, the cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution; to the three-eyed, perfectly serene Lord of the three worlds.

Verse 6#

गङ्गाधराय सोमाय नमो हरिहरात्मने। उग्राय त्रिपुरघ्नाय वामदेवाय मङ्गलम्॥६॥

Gaṅgādharāya somāya namo hariharātmane। Ugrāya tripuraghnāya vāmadevāya maṅgalam॥6॥

MeaningSalutations to the bearer of Gaṅgā, joined with Soma (the moon), the very Self of both Hari and Hara; auspiciousness be unto the fierce one, the destroyer of Tripura, to Vāmadeva.

Verse 7#

सद्योजाताय शर्वाय दिव्यज्ञानप्रदायिने। ईशानाय नमस्तुभ्यं पञ्चवक्त्राय मङ्गलम्॥७॥

Sadyojātāya śarvāya divyajñānapradāyine। Īśānāya namastubhyaṁ pañchavaktrāya maṅgalam॥7॥

MeaningAuspiciousness be unto Sadyojāta, to Śarva, the bestower of divine knowledge; salutations to you, O Īśāna, the five-faced Lord — may all be auspicious.

Verse 8#

सदाशिवस्वरूपाय नमस्तत्पुरुषाय च। अघोराय च घोराय महादेवाय मङ्गलम्॥८॥

Sadāśivasvarūpāya namastatpuruṣāya cha। Aghorāya cha ghorāya mahādevāya maṅgalam॥8॥

MeaningAuspiciousness be unto the very form of Sadāśiva; salutations to Tatpuruṣa; to Aghora and to Ghora, to Mahādeva, the Great God — may all be auspicious.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

भवाय

Bhavāya

To Bhava, the source of all existence (a name of Shiva)

चन्द्रचूडाय

Chandrachūḍāya

To the one who bears the crescent moon on his crest

निर्गुणाय

Nirguṇāya

To the attributeless one, beyond the three guṇas

गुणात्मने

Guṇātmane

Yet who is the very soul of all qualities

कालकालाय

Kālakālāya

To the Time of Time — the one who is death even to Death

रुद्राय

Rudrāya

To Rudra, the fierce dispeller of sorrow

नीलग्रीवाय

Nīlagrīvāya

To the blue-throated one (who held the Halāhala poison)

मङ्गलम्

Maṅgalam

May there be auspiciousness; auspiciousness be unto Him — the refrain of every verse

वृषारूढाय

Vṛṣārūḍhāya

To the one mounted on Nandi, the bull

व्याघ्रचर्माम्बराय

Vyāghracharmāmbarāya

To the one clad in a tiger's skin

पशूनां पतये

Paśūnāṁ pataye

To Pashupati, the Lord of all living beings

गौरीकान्ताय

Gaurīkāntāya

To the beloved Lord of Gaurī (Pārvatī)

भस्मोद्धूलितदेहाय

Bhasmoddhūlitadehāya

To the one whose body is smeared with sacred ash

व्यालयज्ञोपवीतिने

Vyālayajñopavītine

To the one wearing a serpent as his sacred thread

रुद्राक्षमालाभूषाय

Rudrākṣamālābhūṣāya

To the one adorned with garlands of Rudrāksha beads

व्योमकेशाय

Vyomakeśāya

To the one whose hair spreads across the sky/space

सूर्यचन्द्राग्निनेत्राय

Sūryachandrāgninetrāya

To the one whose three eyes are the sun, the moon, and fire

कैलासवासिने

Kailāsavāsine

To the dweller of Mount Kailāsa

सच्चिदानन्दरूपाय

Sachchidānandarūpāya

To the one whose form is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ānanda)

मृत्युञ्जयाय

Mṛtyuñjayāya

To Mrityunjaya, the conqueror of death

साम्बाय

Sāmbāya

To the one accompanied by Ambā (the Mother Goddess)

त्र्यम्बकाय

Tryambakāya

To the three-eyed one

गङ्गाधराय

Gaṅgādharāya

To the bearer of the river Gaṅgā in his locks

त्रिपुरघ्नाय

Tripuraghnāya

To the slayer of the three demon-cities of Tripura

सद्योजाताय

Sadyojātāya

To Sadyojāta, the west-facing creation aspect among the five faces

ईशानाय

Īśānāya

To Īśāna, the supreme sky-facing aspect among the five faces

पञ्चवक्त्राय

Pañchavaktrāya

To the five-faced one (the Pañcha-Brahma form of Shiva)

महादेवाय

Mahādevāya

To Mahādeva, the Great God

Origin & History

Source: Traditional Shaiva mangala stotra, recited in Shiva puja paddhati

Author: Unknown (traditional)

Period: Classical / medieval

The Shiva Mangalashtakam belongs to the family of 'mangala' hymns sung to conclude the worship of a deity with blessings of auspiciousness. Built upon the Vedic Pancha-Brahma conception of Shiva's five faces and the imagery of the Rudra hymns, it gathers the most beloved epithets of Shiva — Chandrachuda, Pashupati, Mrityunjaya, Gangadhara, Tripuraghna — into eight melodious verses. It became a standard part of Shiva aarti and daily puja across temples and homes, sung as the lamp is offered.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Shiva Mangalashtakam?▼

It is an eight-verse Sanskrit 'mangala' hymn that pronounces auspiciousness (mangalam) upon Lord Shiva. Each verse describes a glorious aspect of Shiva and ends with the refrain 'Maṅgalam', making it a benediction sung especially at the close of Shiva worship and aarti.

What does the word 'Mangalam' at the end of each verse mean?▼

'Maṅgalam' means auspiciousness, welfare, or blessing. By repeating it at the end of every verse, the devotee both glorifies Shiva and prays that all auspiciousness flow to Him, to oneself, and to the world — it is a prayer for universal well-being.

When should the Shiva Mangalashtakam be chanted?▼

It is traditionally recited at the end of Shiva puja or aarti, on Mondays (the day of Shiva), during Pradosh Kaal, in the month of Shravan, and on Maha Shivaratri. As a mangala stotra it is meant to seal the worship with blessings.

Why does the hymn mention five faces and names like Sadyojata, Ishana and Aghora?▼

These are the Pancha-Brahma — the five sacred faces of Shiva (Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, Aghora, Tatpuruṣa and Īśāna) described in the Vedas and Āgamas. Verses 6 to 8 invoke these five aspects, so the hymn worships Shiva in his complete five-fold cosmic form.

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