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Shiva Shadakshara Stotram Meaning — Line by Line

श्री शिव षडक्षर स्तोत्रम्

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Meaning — Line by Line

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

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  1. Verse 1. oṃkāraṃ bindusaṃyuktaṃ nityaṃ dhyāyanti yoginaḥ |
  2. Verse 2. namanti ṛṣayo devā namantyapsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ |
  3. Verse 3. mahādevaṃ mahātmānaṃ mahādhyānaparāyaṇam |
  4. Verse 4. śivaṃ śāntaṃ jagannāthaṃ lokānugrahakārakam |
  5. Verse 5. vāhanaṃ vṛṣabho yasya vāsukiḥ kaṇṭhabhūṣaṇam |
  6. Verse 6. yatra yatra sthito devaḥ sarvavyāpī maheśvaraḥ |
  7. Verse 7. ṣaḍakṣaramidaṃ stotraṃ yaḥ paṭhecchivasannidhau |
Verse 1#

oṃkāraṃ bindusaṃyuktaṃ nityaṃ dhyāyanti yoginaḥ |

ॐकारं बिन्दुसंयुक्तं नित्यं ध्यायन्ति योगिनः । कामदं मोक्षदं चैव ॐकाराय नमो नमः ॥ १॥

oṃkāraṃ bindusaṃyuktaṃ nityaṃ dhyāyanti yoginaḥ | kāmadaṃ mokṣadaṃ caiva oṃkārāya namo namaḥ || 1||

MeaningYogis ever meditate upon Om joined with the bindu — granter of all desires and of liberation. To that syllable Om, salutations again and again.

Verse 2#

namanti ṛṣayo devā namantyapsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ |

नमन्ति ऋषयो देवा नमन्त्यप्सरसां गणाः । नरा नमन्ति देवेशं नकाराय नमो नमः ॥ २॥

namanti ṛṣayo devā namantyapsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ | narā namanti deveśaṃ nakārāya namo namaḥ || 2||

MeaningThe sages and gods bow down, the hosts of apsaras bow down, and humankind bows to the Lord of gods. To that syllable 'Na', salutations again and again.

Verse 3#

mahādevaṃ mahātmānaṃ mahādhyānaparāyaṇam |

महादेवं महात्मानं महाध्यानपरायणम् । महापापहरं देवं मकाराय नमो नमः ॥ ३॥

mahādevaṃ mahātmānaṃ mahādhyānaparāyaṇam | mahāpāpaharaṃ devaṃ makārāya namo namaḥ || 3||

MeaningTo the Great God, the great-souled one, ever absorbed in the highest meditation, the deity who removes even the gravest sins — to that syllable 'Ma', salutations again and again.

Verse 4#

śivaṃ śāntaṃ jagannāthaṃ lokānugrahakārakam |

शिवं शान्तं जगन्नाथं लोकानुग्रहकारकम् । शिवमेकपदं नित्यं शिकाराय नमो नमः ॥ ४॥

śivaṃ śāntaṃ jagannāthaṃ lokānugrahakārakam | śivamekapadaṃ nityaṃ śikārāya namo namaḥ || 4||

MeaningTo the auspicious, peaceful Lord of the universe, who showers grace upon all the worlds, the one eternal reality denoted by the single word 'Shiva' — to that syllable 'Shi', salutations again and again.

Verse 5#

vāhanaṃ vṛṣabho yasya vāsukiḥ kaṇṭhabhūṣaṇam |

वाहनं वृषभो यस्य वासुकिः कण्ठभूषणम् । वामे शक्तिधरं देवं वकाराय नमो नमः ॥ ५॥

vāhanaṃ vṛṣabho yasya vāsukiḥ kaṇṭhabhūṣaṇam | vāme śaktidharaṃ devaṃ vakārāya namo namaḥ || 5||

MeaningTo Him whose mount is the bull, who wears the serpent Vasuki as a neck-ornament, who bears Shakti on His left — to that syllable 'Va', salutations again and again.

Verse 6#

yatra yatra sthito devaḥ sarvavyāpī maheśvaraḥ |

यत्र यत्र स्थितो देवः सर्वव्यापी महेश्वरः । यो गुरुः सर्वदेवानां यकाराय नमो नमः ॥ ६॥

yatra yatra sthito devaḥ sarvavyāpī maheśvaraḥ | yo guruḥ sarvadevānāṃ yakārāya namo namaḥ || 6||

MeaningTo the God who dwells everywhere, the all-pervading Maheshvara, who is the Guru of all the gods — to that syllable 'Ya', salutations again and again.

Verse 7#

ṣaḍakṣaramidaṃ stotraṃ yaḥ paṭhecchivasannidhau |

षडक्षरमिदं स्तोत्रं यः पठेच्छिवसन्निधौ । शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते ॥ ७॥

ṣaḍakṣaramidaṃ stotraṃ yaḥ paṭhecchivasannidhau | śivalokamavāpnoti śivena saha modate || 7||

MeaningWhoever recites this hymn of the six syllables in the presence of Shiva attains the abode of Shiva and rejoices forever in His company.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

ॐकारं
oṃkāraṃ
The sacred syllable Om — the first of the six syllables of 'Om Namah Shivaya'
बिन्दुसंयुक्तं
bindu-saṃyuktaṃ
United with the bindu (the nasal point/dot, the seed of cosmic sound)
नित्यं ध्यायन्ति योगिनः
nityaṃ dhyāyanti yoginaḥ
The yogis meditate upon it constantly
कामदं मोक्षदं
kāmadaṃ mokṣadaṃ
Granter of desires and bestower of liberation
नमो नमः
namo namaḥ
Salutations again and again
नमन्ति ऋषयो देवा
namanti ṛṣayo devā
The sages and gods bow down
अप्सरसां गणाः
apsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ
The hosts of celestial nymphs (apsaras)
नकाराय
nakārāya
To the syllable 'Na'
महादेवं महात्मानं
mahādevaṃ mahātmānaṃ
The Great God (Mahadeva), the great-souled one
महाध्यानपरायणम्
mahādhyāna-parāyaṇam
Ever absorbed in supreme meditation
महापापहरं
mahāpāpaharaṃ
Remover of even the greatest sins
मकाराय
makārāya
To the syllable 'Ma'
शिवं शान्तं जगन्नाथं
śivaṃ śāntaṃ jagannāthaṃ
The auspicious one, the peaceful one, the Lord of the universe
लोकानुग्रहकारकम्
lokānugraha-kārakam
The bestower of grace upon all the worlds
शिकाराय
śikārāya
To the syllable 'Shi'
वाहनं वृषभो यस्य
vāhanaṃ vṛṣabho yasya
He whose vehicle is the bull (Nandi)
वासुकिः कण्ठभूषणम्
vāsukiḥ kaṇṭhabhūṣaṇam
Who wears the serpent Vasuki as the ornament of his neck
वामे शक्तिधरं
vāme śaktidharaṃ
Who holds Shakti (the Goddess) on his left side
वकाराय
vakārāya
To the syllable 'Va'
यत्र यत्र स्थितो देवः
yatra yatra sthito devaḥ
The God who abides everywhere, wherever one looks
सर्वव्यापी महेश्वरः
sarvavyāpī maheśvaraḥ
The all-pervading Supreme Lord (Maheshvara)
यो गुरुः सर्वदेवानां
yo guruḥ sarvadevānāṃ
Who is the Guru (teacher) of all the gods
यकाराय
yakārāya
To the syllable 'Ya'
षडक्षरमिदं स्तोत्रं
ṣaḍakṣaram-idaṃ stotraṃ
This hymn of the six syllables
शिवलोकमवाप्नोति
śivalokam-avāpnoti
Attains the abode of Shiva (Shivaloka)
शिवेन सह मोदते
śivena saha modate
And rejoices forever in the company of Shiva

Origin & History

Source: Traditional Shaiva stotra on the Shadakshara (six-syllable) mantra

Author: Unknown (traditional)

Period: Ancient / classical

The mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya' is the heart of Shaivism, its core 'Namah Shivaya' drawn from the Shri Rudram of the Yajurveda and prefixed with the praṇava Om to form the six-syllabled Shadakshara. This stotra garlands those six syllables, devoting a verse to each so that the very letters of the mantra become a meditation on the form, mount, ornaments and grace of Mahadeva, culminating in a verse on Shiva as the all-pervading Guru of the gods.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Shiva Shadakshara Stotram?▼
It is a seven-verse Sanskrit hymn that garlands the six syllables of the great Shiva mantra 'Om Namah Shivaya'. Each of the first six verses is devoted to one syllable — Om, Na, Ma, Shi, Va, Ya — praising a different aspect of Lord Shiva and ending with 'namo namaḥ' (salutations) to that letter.
What are the six syllables (Shadakshara)?▼
Om, Na, Ma, Shi, Va and Ya — together forming 'Om Namah Shivaya'. 'Shadakshara' means 'six syllables'. Unlike the Panchakshara (the five-syllabled 'Namah Shivaya'), the Shadakshara includes the praṇava Om at the beginning.
How is it different from the Shiv Panchakshar Stotra?▼
The Panchakshara Stotra praises the five syllables 'Na-Ma-Shi-Va-Ya', while the Shadakshara Stotram adds a verse for the sacred Om, covering all six syllables of 'Om Namah Shivaya'. Both devote one verse to each syllable of the mantra.
What is the benefit of reciting it?▼
The hymn's own closing verse declares that whoever recites this Shadakshara stotra in the presence of Shiva attains Shivaloka and rejoices forever in Shiva's company. It is also said to grant worldly wishes and to wash away grave sins.

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