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Shiva Namavali Ashtakam Meaning — Line by Line

शिवनामावल्यष्टकम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

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

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  1. Verse 1. He Chandrachuda Madana-Antaka Shula-Pane
  2. Verse 2. He Parvati-Hridaya-Vallabha Chandra-Maule
  3. Verse 3. He Nilakantha Vrishabha-Dhvaja Pancha-Vaktra
  4. Verse 4. He Vishvanatha Shiva Shankara Deva-Deva
  5. Verse 5. Varanasi-Pura-Pate Manikarnik-Esha
  6. Verse 6. Shriman-Maheshvara Kripamaya He Dayalo
  7. Verse 7. Kailasa-Shaila-Vinivasa Vishala-Bhala
  8. Verse 8. Gauri-Vilasa-Bhavanaya Maheshvaraya
Verse 1#

He Chandrachuda Madana-Antaka Shula-Pane

हे चन्द्रचूड मदनान्तक शूलपाणे स्थाणो गिरीश गिरिजेश महेश शम्भो। भूतेश भीतभयसूदन मामनाथं संसारदुःखगहनाज्जगदीश रक्ष॥१॥

He Chandrachuda Madana-Antaka Shula-Pane Sthano Girisha Girija-Isha Mahesha Shambho Bhutesha Bhita-Bhaya-Sudana Mam-Anatham Samsara-Duhkha-Gahanaj-Jagadisha Raksha (1)

MeaningO crescent-crowned Lord, slayer of Desire, trident-bearer; O immovable one, Lord of the mountain, Lord of Girija, great Lord Shambhu; O Lord of beings, remover of the fear of the frightened — protect me, an orphan, O Lord of the universe, from the dense forest of the sorrows of worldly life!

Verse 2#

He Parvati-Hridaya-Vallabha Chandra-Maule

हे पार्वतीहृदयवल्लभ चन्द्रमौले भूताधिप प्रमथनाथ गिरीशचाप। हे वामदेव भव रुद्र पिनाकपाणे संसारदुःखगहनाज्जगदीश रक्ष॥२॥

He Parvati-Hridaya-Vallabha Chandra-Maule Bhuta-Adhipa Pramatha-Natha Girisha-Chapa He Vamadeva Bhava Rudra Pinaka-Pane Samsara-Duhkha-Gahanaj-Jagadisha Raksha (2)

MeaningO beloved of Parvati's heart, moon-crested one; O master of the spirits, lord of the Pramatha hosts, wielder of the mountain-bow; O Vamadeva, Bhava, Rudra, bearer of the Pinaka bow — protect me from the dense forest of worldly sorrow, O Lord of the universe!

Verse 3#

He Nilakantha Vrishabha-Dhvaja Pancha-Vaktra

हे नीलकण्ठ वृषभध्वज पञ्चवक्त्र लोकेश शेषवलय प्रमथेश शर्व। हे धूर्जटे पशुपते गिरिजापते मां संसारदुःखगहनाज्जगदीश रक्ष॥३॥

He Nilakantha Vrishabha-Dhvaja Pancha-Vaktra Lokesha Shesha-Valaya Pramath-Esha Sharva He Dhurjate Pashupate Girija-Pate Mam Samsara-Duhkha-Gahanaj-Jagadisha Raksha (3)

MeaningO blue-throated one, bull-bannered, five-faced; Lord of the worlds, serpent-girdled, lord of the Pramathas, O Sharva; O matted-haired Dhurjati, Lord of creatures, consort of Girija — protect me from the dense forest of worldly sorrow, O Lord of the universe!

Verse 4#

He Vishvanatha Shiva Shankara Deva-Deva

हे विश्वनाथ शिव शङ्कर देवदेव गङ्गाधर प्रमथनायक नन्दिकेश। बाणेश्वरान्धकरिपो हर लोकनाथ संसारदुःखगहनाज्जगदीश रक्ष॥४॥

He Vishvanatha Shiva Shankara Deva-Deva Gangadhara Pramatha-Nayaka Nandikesha Baneshvar-Andhaka-Ripo Hara Loka-Natha Samsara-Duhkha-Gahanaj-Jagadisha Raksha (4)

MeaningO Vishvanatha, Shiva, Shankara, God of gods; bearer of the Ganga, leader of the Pramathas, lord of Nandi; lord of Bana, foe of Andhaka, O Hara, Lord of the worlds — protect me from the dense forest of worldly sorrow, O Lord of the universe!

Verse 5#

Varanasi-Pura-Pate Manikarnik-Esha

वाराणसीपुरपते मणिकर्णिकेश वीरेश दक्षमखकाल विभो गणेश। सर्वज्ञ सर्वहृदयैकनिवास नाथ संसारदुःखगहनाज्जगदीश रक्ष॥५॥

Varanasi-Pura-Pate Manikarnik-Esha Viresha Daksha-Makha-Kala Vibho Gan-Esha Sarvajna Sarva-Hridayaika-Nivasa Natha Samsara-Duhkha-Gahanaj-Jagadisha Raksha (5)

MeaningO Lord of the city of Varanasi, Lord of Manikarnika; O hero-lord, destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice, O all-pervading lord of the ganas; O all-knowing one, sole dweller in every heart, O Master — protect me from the dense forest of worldly sorrow, O Lord of the universe!

Verse 6#

Shriman-Maheshvara Kripamaya He Dayalo

श्रीमन्महेश्वर कृपामय हे दयालो हे व्योमकेश शितिकण्ठ गणाधिनाथ। भस्माङ्गराग नृकपालकलापमाल संसारदुःखगहनाज्जगदीश रक्ष॥६॥

Shriman-Maheshvara Kripamaya He Dayalo He Vyoma-Kesha Shiti-Kantha Gana-Adhi-Natha Bhasma-Anga-Raga Nri-Kapala-Kalapa-Mala Samsara-Duhkha-Gahanaj-Jagadisha Raksha (6)

MeaningO glorious Maheshvara, full of grace, O compassionate one; O sky-haired, dark-throated, chief of the ganas; O one adorned with ash and a garland of skulls — protect me from the dense forest of worldly sorrow, O Lord of the universe!

Verse 7#

Kailasa-Shaila-Vinivasa Vishala-Bhala

कैलासशैलविनिवास विशालभाल भाललोचन सुरेश सुरारिनाथ। हे अन्धकासुरनिसूदन मेदिनीश संसारदुःखगहनाज्जगदीश रक्ष॥७॥

Kailasa-Shaila-Vinivasa Vishala-Bhala Bhala-Lochana Suresha Sura-Ari-Natha He Andhaka-Asura-Nisudana Medinisha Samsara-Duhkha-Gahanaj-Jagadisha Raksha (7)

MeaningO dweller on Mount Kailasa, broad-browed, fore-head-eyed; Lord of the gods, master even of the gods' foes; O slayer of the demon Andhaka, Lord of the earth — protect me from the dense forest of worldly sorrow, O Lord of the universe!

Verse 8#

Gauri-Vilasa-Bhavanaya Maheshvaraya

गौरीविलासभवनाय महेश्वराय पञ्चाननाय शरणागतकल्पकाय। शर्वाय सर्वजगतामधिपाय तस्मै दारिद्र्यदुःखदहनाय नमः शिवाय॥८॥

Gauri-Vilasa-Bhavanaya Maheshvaraya Panchananaya Sharana-Agata-Kalpakaya Sharvaya Sarva-Jagatam-Adhipaya Tasmai Daridrya-Duhkha-Dahanaya Namah Shivaya (8)

MeaningSalutations to that Shiva — the abode of Gauri's delight, the great Lord, the five-faced one, the wish-granting tree for those who seek refuge, Sharva, the sovereign of all the worlds — the one who burns away the sorrow of poverty.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

हे चन्द्रचूड
He Chandrachuda
O Lord who wears the crescent moon in your hair
मदनान्तक
Madana-Antaka
O destroyer of Madana (Kama, the god of desire)
शूलपाणे
Shula-Pane
O wielder of the trident in your hand
गिरीश गिरिजेश महेश शम्भो
Girisha Girija-Isha Mahesha Shambho
O Lord of the mountains, Lord of Girija (Parvati), great Lord, source of bliss
भीतभयसूदन
Bhita-Bhaya-Sudana
O remover of the fear of the frightened
माम् अनाथं
Mam Anatham
me, who am without a protector
संसारदुःखगहनात्
Samsara-Duhkha-Gahanat
from the dense thicket of the sorrows of worldly existence
जगदीश रक्ष
Jagadisha Raksha
O Lord of the universe, protect (me)!
पार्वतीहृदयवल्लभ
Parvati-Hridaya-Vallabha
O beloved of Parvati's heart
नीलकण्ठ
Nilakantha
O blue-throated one (who held the Halahala poison)
वृषभध्वज
Vrishabha-Dhvaja
O one whose banner bears the bull (Nandi)
पञ्चवक्त्र
Pancha-Vaktra
O five-faced one
गङ्गाधर
Gangadhara
O bearer of the river Ganga
विश्वनाथ
Vishvanatha
O Lord of the universe (the deity of Kashi)
वाराणसीपुरपते
Varanasi-Pura-Pate
O Lord of the city of Varanasi (Kashi)
मणिकर्णिकेश
Manikarnik-Esha
O Lord of the Manikarnika ghat
व्योमकेश
Vyoma-Kesha
O one whose hair is the sky (space)
भस्माङ्गराग
Bhasma-Anga-Raga
O one whose bodily adornment is sacred ash
गौरीविलासभवनाय
Gauri-Vilasa-Bhavanaya
To him who is the abode of Gauri's (Parvati's) delight
दारिद्र्यदुःखदहनाय नमः शिवाय
Daridrya-Duhkha-Dahanaya Namah Shivaya
to the burner-away of the sorrow of poverty — salutations to Shiva

Origin & History

Source: Shaiva stotra corpus attributed to Adi Shankaracharya

Author: Adi Shankaracharya (traditionally)

Period: c. 8th century CE

This namavali ashtakam belongs to the rich body of Shiva hymns ascribed to Adi Shankaracharya. Rather than narrating a story, it pours out a continuous garland of Shiva's epithets — from his cosmic attributes (Nilakantha who drank the poison, Gangadhara who bears the river, the five-faced Panchavaktra) to his sacred geography (Vishvanatha and Manikarnika-isha of Kashi). The repeated cry 'Jagadisha Raksha' frames the whole hymn as a prayer of refuge by a soul lost in the wilderness of worldly suffering.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Shiva Namavali Ashtakam?
It is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn (ashtakam) that weaves together many of Shiva's sacred names (namavali) into a prayer for protection. It is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya and begins 'He Chandrachuda Madana-Antaka Shula-Pane'.
What does the refrain 'Samsara-Duhkha-Gahanaj-Jagadisha Raksha' mean?
It means 'O Lord of the universe (Jagadisha), protect me from the dense forest (gahana) of the sorrows (duhkha) of worldly existence (samsara)!'. This plea ends the first seven verses, expressing complete surrender and a cry for refuge.
Why is this stotra associated with removing poverty?
The eighth and final verse salutes Shiva as 'Daridrya-Duhkha-Dahanaya' — the one who burns away the sorrow of poverty. For this reason the hymn is recited not only for protection but also to relieve material hardship and distress.
When should it be chanted?
It can be chanted any day as a daily prayer for protection, and is especially recited on Mondays, during Pradosha Kaal, in the month of Shravan, and on Maha Shivaratri.

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