shivapratah-smaranamorning-prayeradi-shankaracharya

Shiva Pratah Smarana Stotram

शिव प्रातः स्मरण स्तोत्रम् in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 At dawn, immediately upon waking, before beginning the day's activities·📜 Pratah Smarana Stotram tradition, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Shiva Pratah Smarana Stotram is a three-verse morning hymn traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, recited at dawn to begin the day by remembering Lord Shiva. Each verse — 'at dawn I remember,' 'at dawn I bow,' 'at dawn I worship' — moves from Shiva's loving form to his cosmic role and finally to his formless, infinite nature. Its refrain hails Shiva as the one peerless medicine that cures the disease of worldly existence.

Origin & Story

Pratah Smarana Stotram tradition, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya · Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya · Classical (associated with the 8th century CE)

The 'Pratah Smarana' (dawn remembrance) hymns form a cherished class of morning prayers in the Hindu tradition, with verses devoted to Shiva, Vishnu and the Devi. The Shiva Pratah Smarana Stotram, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, was composed so that a devotee's very first thought on waking would be of Lord Shiva. Its three verses deliberately ascend from Shiva as the loving, ornament-bearing Lord, to the cosmic cause of the universe, to the attributeless Absolute of Vedanta — teaching that the same Shiva is both the personal deity of devotion and the infinite reality of knowledge.

✦ As told in scripture

Sages teach that the mind takes on the quality of whatever it dwells upon first at dawn; by remembering Shiva — the 'peerless medicine for the disease of worldly existence' — at the very start of the day, the devotee is said to be guarded through the day from fear and turned steadily toward liberation.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

Pratah Smarami Bhava-bhiti-haram Suresham Gangadharam Vrishabha-vahanam-ambikesham Khatvanga-shoola-varadabhaya-hastam-isham Samsara-roga-haram-aushadham-advitiyam

Meaning:At dawn I remember Shiva, the remover of the fear of worldly existence, the Lord of the gods, the bearer of the Ganga, whose vehicle is the bull, the Lord of Ambika; whose hands hold the skull-staff and the trident and show the gestures of boon-giving and fearlessness — the peerless medicine that cures the disease of worldly existence.

Verse 2

Pratar-namami Girisham Girija-ardha-deham Sarga-sthiti-pralaya-karanam-adi-devam Vishveshvaram Vijita-vishva-manobhiramam Samsara-roga-haram-aushadham-advitiyam

Meaning:At dawn I bow to Shiva, the Lord of the mountain, whose body is half Parvati (the mountain's daughter), the primordial God who is the cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution, the Lord of the universe, who has conquered the universe and is the delight of every mind — the peerless medicine that cures the disease of worldly existence.

Verse 3

Pratar-bhajami Shivam-ekam-anantam-aadyam Vedanta-vedyam-anagham Purusham Mahantam Nama-adi-bheda-rahitam Shad-bhava-shoonyam Samsara-roga-haram-aushadham-advitiyam

Meaning:At dawn I worship Shiva, the One, the infinite, the primordial, knowable through Vedanta, the sinless Supreme Person, the great One, free of all distinctions of name and form, beyond the six modifications of all that exists — the peerless medicine that cures the disease of worldly existence.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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Pratah Smarami🔊At dawn I remember / call to mind

Bhava-bhiti-haram🔊The remover of the fear of worldly existence (samsara)

Suresham🔊The Lord of the gods

Gangadharam🔊The bearer of the Ganga in his matted locks

Vrishabha-vahanam🔊One whose vehicle is the bull (Nandi)

Ambikesham🔊The Lord of Ambika (Parvati)

Khatvanga-shoola-varadabhaya-hastam🔊One whose hands hold the skull-staff and trident and show the boon-giving and fear-dispelling gestures

Samsara-roga-haram🔊The remover of the disease of worldly existence

Aushadham-advitiyam🔊The one without a second — the peerless medicine

Pratar-namami🔊At dawn I bow down

Girisham🔊The Lord of the mountain (Kailasa)

Girija-ardha-deham🔊One whose body is half the daughter of the mountain (Parvati) — Ardhanarishvara

Sarga-sthiti-pralaya-karanam🔊The cause of creation, preservation and dissolution

Adi-devam🔊The primordial God

Vishveshvaram🔊The Lord of the universe

Pratar-bhajami🔊At dawn I worship

Shivam-ekam-anantam-aadyam🔊Shiva, the One, the infinite, the primordial

Vedanta-vedyam🔊Knowable through Vedanta (the Upanishads)

Anagham🔊The sinless, the flawless one

Nama-adi-bheda-rahitam🔊Free of all distinctions such as name and form

Shad-bhava-shoonyam🔊Devoid of the six modifications (birth, existence, growth, change, decay, death)

Benefits of Chanting शिव प्रातः स्मरण स्तोत्रम्

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An auspicious way to begin the day by remembering Lord Shiva at dawn

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Removes the fear of samsara (bhava-bhiti) and steadies the mind for the day

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Each verse leads from Shiva's personal form to his formless, infinite nature

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Hailed as the 'peerless medicine' for the disease of worldly existence

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Short and easy to memorise, making daily morning recitation effortless

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Cultivates devotion, wisdom, and inner peace from the very start of the day

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Traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, carrying his blessing

How to Chant शिव प्रातः स्मरण स्तोत्रम्

Repetitions3times

Best TimeAt dawn, immediately upon waking, before beginning the day's activities

Recite the three verses first thing in the morning, ideally after washing, sitting up in bed or before your altar facing east. Remember Lord Shiva with each refrain — 'I remember,' 'I bow,' 'I worship.' Because it is short, it can be committed to memory and recited daily as the first prayer of the day to set a calm, devotional tone.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete शिव प्रातः स्मरण 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.

'Pratah Smarana' means 'remembrance at dawn.' It is a short three-verse hymn recited first thing in the morning to remember, bow to, and worship Lord Shiva, beginning the day with his name and grace.

Each verse ends with 'Samsara-roga-haram-aushadham-advitiyam' — 'the one without a second, the medicine that removes the disease of worldly existence.' Shiva is the cure for samsara, the endless cycle of birth, fear and suffering, healed by his remembrance and grace.

The first verse describes Shiva's gracious personal form (Gangadhara, bull-rider, Lord of Ambika). The second describes his cosmic role as cause of creation, preservation and dissolution. The third describes his absolute, formless nature — infinite, knowable through Vedanta, beyond name and change.

It is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. As a 'pratah smarana' (dawn remembrance), it is ideally chanted at sunrise or immediately upon waking, as the first devotional act of the day.