लवथवती विक्राळा (शंकराची आरती) Meaning — Line by Line

लवथवती विक्राळा (शंकराची आरती)

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

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Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of लवथवती विक्राळा (शंकराची आरती) with its Hindi meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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Verse 1. Lavathavati Vikrala Brahmandi Mala |
Verse 2. Jai Dev Jai Dev Jai Shri Shankara |
Verse 3. Karpura-Gaura Bhola Nayani Vishala |
Verse 4. Devi Daityi Sagara-Manthan Pai Kele |
Verse 5. Vyaghrambar Phanivara-Dhar Sundar Madanari |

Verse 1#

लवथवती विक्राळा ब्रह्मांडीं माळा । वीषें कंठ काळा त्रिनेत्रीं ज्वाळा ॥ लावण्यसुंदर मस्तकीं बाळा । तेथुनियां जल निर्मळ वाहे झुळझुळां ॥ १ ॥

Lavathavati Vikrala Brahmandi Mala | Vishe Kantha Kala Trinetri Jwala || Lavanya-Sundar Mastaki Bala | Tethuniya Jal Nirmal Vahe Zhulazhula || 1 ||

Meaningलहराता हुआ विकराल, ब्रह्मांड की माला धारण किए; विष से कंठ काला, तीसरे नेत्र में ज्वाला; मस्तक पर सुंदर बाल-चंद्र, जहाँ से निर्मल जल (गंगा) झुळझुळ बहता है।

Verse 2#

जय देव जय देव जय श्रीशंकरा । आरती ओवाळूं तुज कर्पूरगौरा ॥ धृ ॥

Jai Dev Jai Dev Jai Shri Shankara | Aarati Ovalu Tuj Karpura-Gaura || Dhru ||

Meaningजय देव जय देव, जय श्रीशंकर! हे कर्पूरगौर, मैं तुम्हारी आरती उतारता हूँ।

Verse 3#

कर्पूरगौरा भोळा नयनीं विशाळा । अर्धांगीं पार्वती सुमनांच्या माळा ॥ विभुतीचें उधळण शितिकंठ नीळा । ऐसा शंकर शोभे उमावेल्हाळा ॥ २ ॥

Karpura-Gaura Bhola Nayani Vishala | Ardhangi Parvati Sumananchya Mala || Vibhutiche Udhalana Shiti-Kantha Nila | Aisa Shankar Shobhe Uma-Velhala || 2 ||

Meaningकर्पूर-से गौर, भोले, विशाल नेत्रों वाले, अर्धांग में पार्वती, पुष्पों की मालाएँ; विभूति से लिपटे, नीलकंठ — ऐसे शंकर उमावल्लभ शोभायमान हैं।

Verse 4#

देवीं दैत्यीं सागरमंथन पैं केलें । त्यामाजीं अवचित हळाहळ उठिलें ॥ तें त्वां असुरपणें प्राशन केलें । नीळकंठ नाम प्रसिद्ध झालें ॥ ३ ॥

Devi Daityi Sagara-Manthan Pai Kele | Tyamaji Avachit Halahala Uthile || Te Tva Asurapane Prashan Kele | Nilakantha Nam Prasiddha Zhale || 3 ||

Meaningदेवों-दैत्यों ने सागर-मंथन किया, उसमें अचानक हलाहल उठा; तुमने असुरत्व धारण कर उसे पी लिया, और 'नीलकंठ' नाम प्रसिद्ध हो गया।

Verse 5#

व्याघ्रांबर फणिवरधर सुंदर मदनारी । पंचानन मनमोहन मुनिजनसुखकारी ॥ शतकोटीचें बीज वाचे उच्चारी । रघुकुळटिळक रामदासा अंतरीं ॥ ४ ॥

Vyaghrambar Phanivara-Dhar Sundar Madanari | Panchanan Manamohan Munijana-Sukhakari || Shata-Kotiche Bija Vache Uchchari | Raghukula-Tilaka Ramadasa Antari || 4 ||

Meaningव्याघ्रचर्मधारी, नागराज को धारण करने वाले, सुंदर मदनारी; पंचानन, मनमोहन, मुनिजनों को सुख देने वाले; शतकोटि (नाम) के बीज का वाणी से उच्चारण करो — रघुकुलतिलक (राम) को रामदास अपने अंतर में धारण करते हैं।

Word-by-Word Breakdown

लवथवती विक्राळा

Lavathavati Vikrala

Swaying and awe-inspiring / fearsome (the cosmic dance and form of Shiva)

ब्रह्मांडीं माळा

Brahmandi Mala

A garland (of skulls / of the universes) encompassing the cosmos

वीषें कंठ काळा

Vishe Kantha Kala

His throat is dark-blue from the poison (he drank)

त्रिनेत्रीं ज्वाळा

Trinetri Jwala

A flame (blazes) in his third eye

मस्तकीं बाळा

Mastaki Bala

Upon his head the (crescent) child-moon

जल निर्मळ वाहे झुळझुळां

Jal Nirmal Vahe Zhulazhula

From there the pure water (Ganga) flows murmuring gently

जय देव जय देव

Jai Dev Jai Dev

Victory to you, O Lord, victory to you

आरती ओवाळूं

Aarati Ovalu

I wave the lamp of aarti (in worship)

कर्पूरगौरा

Karpura-Gaura

O you who are white/fair as camphor

भोळा नयनीं विशाळा

Bhola Nayani Vishala

The innocent (Bholanath) one, with large (wide) eyes

अर्धांगीं पार्वती

Ardhangi Parvati

Parvati on (his) half-body (Ardhanarishvara)

विभुतीचें उधळण

Vibhutiche Udhalana

Smeared / scattered with sacred ash (vibhuti)

शितिकंठ नीळा

Shiti-Kantha Nila

The blue-throated one (Nilakantha)

सागरमंथन

Sagara-Manthan

The churning of the ocean (by gods and demons)

हळाहळ

Halahala

The deadly Halahala poison (that arose from the churning)

प्राशन केलें

Prashan Kele

(You) drank it down

नीळकंठ नाम

Nilakantha Nam

The name 'Nilakantha' (the blue-throated)

व्याघ्रांबर

Vyaghrambar

Clad in a tiger-skin

फणिवरधर

Phanivara-Dhar

Wearer of the great serpent (king of snakes)

मदनारी

Madanari

The enemy of Madana (Kama, whom he burned)

रामदासा अंतरीं

Ramadasa Antari

In the heart of Ramdas (the poet's signature)

Origin & History

Source: Marathi aarti tradition (composition of Sant Samarth Ramdas)

Author: Sant Samarth Ramdas

Period: 17th century CE

Sant Samarth Ramdas of Sajjangad, the spiritual guide of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and author of the Dasbodh and Manache Shlok, composed this aarti in praise of Lord Shiva. In four vivid verses it celebrates Shankara's cosmic form, His marriage to Uma (Parvati), and above all His act of swallowing the Halahala poison at the churning of the ocean — by which He became Nilakantha. The closing verse bears Ramdas's signature and turns the heart toward the constant remembrance of the Lord's name.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'Lavthavti Vikrala' describe?▼

It is a Marathi aarti describing the glorious, awe-inspiring form of Lord Shiva (Shankara) — the crescent moon and the Ganga flowing from His head, His poison-darkened throat, the third eye, Parvati at His side, and His body smeared with sacred ash.

Who composed this Shiva aarti?▼

It was composed by Sant Samarth Ramdas (17th century), the guru of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, whose poetic signature 'Ramdas' appears in the final verse alongside a reference to Lord Rama (Raghukula-tilaka).

Why is Shiva called 'Nilakantha' in this aarti?▼

The third verse recalls the churning of the ocean (samudra manthan): when the deadly Halahala poison arose, Shiva drank it to save the worlds, and it stained His throat blue — hence the renowned name Nilakantha, 'the blue-throated one'.

When should this aarti be sung?▼

It is sung as the evening aarti in Shiva temples and homes, and with special devotion on Mondays, during Pradosh kaal, in the month of Shravan, and on Maha Shivaratri.

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