shivabhujangamshankaracharyadakshinamurti

Shiva Bhujanga Prayata Stotram

श्री शिव भुजङ्गप्रयात स्तोत्रम् in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 9× repetitions·🕐 Pradosha Kaal (twilight), Mondays, and Maha Shivaratri·📜 Shaiva stotra corpus attributed to Adi Shankaracharya

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Shiva Bhujanga Prayata Stotram is a devotional hymn by Adi Shankaracharya, composed in the graceful, serpentine Bhujanga-prayata metre, praising Shiva as Shankara — the gracious Guru who bestows poetry, fulfils all wishes, and grants Self-knowledge. Its verses adore Shiva's matted locks bearing the Ganga, his Ardhanarishvara form, and his presence with Bhavani. The closing verse promises that whoever recites it with a focused mind conquers death and attains union with the Lord.

Origin & Story

Shaiva stotra corpus attributed to Adi Shankaracharya · Adi Shankaracharya (traditionally) · c. 8th century CE

Adi Shankaracharya, the founder of the Advaita Vedanta tradition and establisher of the four mathas, composed numerous lyrical stotras during his travels across India. Several of these — to Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Ganesha and Subrahmanya — were set in the elegant Bhujanga-prayata metre. This hymn celebrates Shiva as 'Shankara', the auspicious Guru who, like Dakshinamurti, silently bestows Self-knowledge upon seekers, while also adoring his Ardhanarishvara form united with Bhavani.

✦ As told in scripture

Devotees hold that because the hymn invokes Shiva as Mrityunjaya — the conqueror of death — and ends with the promise that its reciter 'conquers death by Shambhu's grace', earnest recitation during illness or danger is believed to grant protection, fearlessness, and a peaceful, liberated end.

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Complete Text with Meaning

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

Verse 1

Kripa-Sagaraya-Ashu-Kavya-Pradaya Pranamra-Akhila-Abhishta-Sandayakaya Yatindrair-Upasya-Anghri-Pathoruhaya Prabodha-Pradatre Namah Shankaraya (1)

Meaning:Salutations to Shankara, the ocean of compassion, who swiftly grants the gift of poetry, who fulfils every wish of those who bow to him, whose lotus feet are worshipped by the greatest of sages, and who bestows the awakening of Self-knowledge.

Verse 2

Chidananda-Rupaya Chinmudrik-Odyat- Karaya-Isha-Paryaya-Rupaya Tubhyam Muda Giyamanaya Vedottamangaih Shrita-Ananda-Datre Namah Shankaraya (2)

Meaning:Salutations to Shankara, whose very form is consciousness and bliss, whose hand is raised in the Chin-mudra of knowledge, who is another name for the Supreme Lord, and who is joyfully sung by the Upanishads, the bestower of bliss upon his devotees.

Verse 3

Jata-Juta-Madhye Pura Ya Suranam Dhuni Sadya Karmandi-Rupasya Shambhoh Gale Mallika-Malika-Vyajatas-Te Vibhati-Iti Manye Namah Shankaraya (3)

Meaning:In the midst of his matted locks once flowed the celestial river of the gods; now, on the throat of Shambhu in his ascetic form, that same Ganga seems to shine in the guise of a garland of jasmine — salutations to Shankara.

Verse 4

Tatil-Lola-Kesha-Pravala-Prabha-Angam Lasach-Chandra-Koti-Prakasha-Adhika-Angam Sudha-Sara-Saukhya-Anukulam Smarami Prasannam Sada Shankaram Loka-Natham (4)

Meaning:I remember the ever-gracious Shankara, Lord of the worlds, whose limbs glow like coral amid hair that flashes like lightning, whose body outshines a crore of moons, and who is the very source of nectarine bliss.

Verse 5

Pravala-Pravaha-Prabha-Shona-Mardham Marutvan-Mani-Shri-Mahah-Shyama-Mardham Gunasyutam-Etad-Vapuh Shaivam-Antah Smarami Smara-Apatti-Sampatti-Hetoh (5)

Meaning:One half of his body is red like a flowing stream of coral, the other half dark like the lustre of a sapphire gem; I meditate upon this conjoined Shaiva form (Ardhanarishvara) for the attainment of the fortune that conquers desire.

Verse 6

Mahadeva Shambho Girisha Trishulin Tvadiyam Samastam Vibhati-Iti Manye Bhavani-Eti Varna-Trayam Te Samastam Namaste Namaste Vibho Shankaraya (6)

Meaning:O Mahadeva, Shambhu, Lord of the mountain, wielder of the trident — I realise that all this universe shines as your own; the three syllables 'Bha-va-ni' too are wholly yours. Salutations, salutations to you, O all-pervading Shankara.

Verse 7

Rucham Te Dadhanasya Pada-Aravinde Nimagnasya Yogindra-Vrindair-Ajasram Samudyat-Kripa-Pura-Purna-Ikshanasya Namaste Namaste Maheshaya Tubhyam (7)

Meaning:Salutations again and again to you, O Mahesha, whose lotus feet the hosts of supreme yogis are forever absorbed in, and whose eyes brim over with a flood of rising compassion.

Verse 8

Bhava-Ambhodhi-Magnan Janan Duhkha-Yuktan Jagan-Matarah Pahi Deva-Iti Kechit Namanti-Iti Manye Girisha-Anka-Samstham Bhavanim Namasye Namah Shankaraya (8)

Meaning:Some cry, 'O Divine Mother, save these afflicted beings drowning in the ocean of existence!' — and bowing thus, I worship Bhavani who is seated at the side of the Lord of the mountain. Salutations to Shankara.

Verse 9

Idam Yo Bhujanga-Prayatam Pathed-Va Shrinote Samadhaya Chittam Manushyah Sa Mrityum Vijitya-Ashu Shambhoh Prasadat Chiram Deva-Devasya Sayujyam-Eti (9)

Meaning:Whoever recites or listens to this hymn in the Bhujanga-prayata metre with a concentrated mind quickly conquers death by the grace of Shambhu and, in time, attains eternal union with the God of gods.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

Kripa-Sagaraya🔊To the ocean of compassion

Ashu-Kavya-Pradaya🔊Who swiftly grants the gift of poetry (eloquence)

Pranamra-Akhila-Abhishta-Sandayakaya🔊Who fulfils every desire of those who bow to him

Yatindraih Upasya-Anghri-Pathoruhaya🔊Whose lotus feet are worshipped by the foremost of ascetics

Prabodha-Pradatre🔊To the bestower of awakening (Self-knowledge)

Namah Shankaraya🔊Salutations to Shankara (Shiva, the doer of good)

Chidananda-Rupaya🔊To the one whose form is consciousness and bliss

Chinmudrika-Udyat-Karaya🔊Whose hand is raised in the Chin-mudra (gesture of knowledge)

Vedottamangaih🔊By the Upanishads (the crowning portion of the Vedas)

Jata-Juta-Madhye🔊In the midst of the matted locks

Dhuni🔊The river (Ganga)

Mallika-Malika🔊A garland of jasmine flowers

Pravala-Pravaha-Prabha-Shonam🔊Red like a flowing stream of coral (one half of the body)

Shyamam🔊Dark blue, like a sapphire (the other half)

Gunasyutam🔊Woven together as one (the Ardhanarishvara form)

Trishulin🔊O wielder of the trident

Pada-Aravinde Nimagnasya🔊Of him who is immersed at the lotus feet

Bhava-Ambhodhi-Magnan🔊Those drowning in the ocean of worldly existence

Mrityum Vijitya🔊Having conquered death

Sayujyam-Eti🔊Attains union (oneness) with the Lord

Benefits of Chanting श्री शिव भुजङ्गप्रयात स्तोत्रम्

✦

Invokes Shiva as the supreme Guru (Dakshinamurti) who bestows Self-knowledge and awakening

✦

Said to swiftly grant the gift of eloquence and poetry (ashu-kavya)

✦

The phalashruti promises victory over death and eventual union (sayujya) with the Lord

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Cultivates one-pointed devotion through its flowing, musical Bhujanga-prayata metre

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Fulfils the heartfelt wishes of those who bow with surrender

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Calms the mind and steadies it in the remembrance of Shiva and Bhavani

How to Chant श्री शिव भुजङ्गप्रयात स्तोत्रम्

Repetitions9times

Best TimePradosha Kaal (twilight), Mondays, and Maha Shivaratri

Recite all nine verses with a calm, concentrated mind, ideally before a Shiva Lingam or an image of Dakshinamurti. The hymn is set in the Bhujanga-prayata metre (four feet of laghu-guru-guru per line), so let the recitation flow smoothly and rhythmically. The final (ninth) verse is the phalashruti and is included in the recitation. Daily chanting, or weekly on Mondays, is traditional.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete श्री शिव भुजङ्गप्रयात स्तोत्रम् 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.

It is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE), the great Advaita Vedanta teacher, who composed many devotional stotras in the Bhujanga-prayata metre on Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Subrahmanya and others.

Bhujanga-prayata literally means 'the gliding of a serpent'. It is the name of the Sanskrit metre in which the hymn is composed — each line has four feet of one short and two long syllables, giving a smooth, undulating, snake-like rhythm.

Both are Shiva hymns in the serpent metre, but they are distinct compositions. This Bhujanga-prayata Stotram is the shorter nine-verse hymn beginning 'Kripa-sagaraya' that addresses Shiva as the gracious Guru Shankara; the longer Shivabhujangam (beginning 'Kadachit-kadamba...') is a separate, lengthier work.

The ninth verse is the phalashruti (declaration of fruits). It states that one who recites or hears this stotra with a focused mind quickly conquers death by Shiva's grace and ultimately attains sayujya — eternal union with the God of gods.