shivashankarmarathiaarti

𑌲𑌵𑌥𑌵𑌤𑍀 𑌵𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌳𑌾 (𑌶𑌂𑌕𑌰𑌾𑌚𑍀 𑌆𑌰𑌤𑍀)

Lavthavti Vikrala (Shankarachi Aarti) in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Daily evening aarti; especially Mondays, Pradosh and Maha Shivaratri·📜 Marathi aarti tradition (composition of Sant Samarth Ramdas)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Marathi aarti tradition (composition of Sant Samarth Ramdas) · Sant Samarth Ramdas · 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.

✦ As told in scripture

The aarti recalls Shiva's greatest act of compassion: at the churning of the cosmic ocean, when the Halahala poison threatened to destroy all creation, Shiva drank it down, holding it in His throat, which turned blue. Devotees hold that the Lord who once swallowed the poison of the worlds will likewise absorb the troubles of those who sing His praise with love.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌲𑌵𑌥𑌵𑌤𑍀 𑌵𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌳𑌾 𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌂𑌡𑍀𑌂 𑌮𑌾𑌳𑌾 । 𑌵𑍀𑌷𑍇𑌂 𑌕𑌂𑌠 𑌕𑌾𑌳𑌾 𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌨𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌂 𑌜𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌳𑌾 ॥ 𑌲𑌾𑌵𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌸𑍁𑌂𑌦𑌰 𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌕𑍀𑌂 𑌬𑌾𑌳𑌾 । 𑌤𑍇𑌥𑍁𑌨𑌿𑌯𑌾𑌂 𑌜𑌲 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌳 𑌵𑌾𑌹𑍇 𑌝𑍁𑌳𑌝𑍁𑌳𑌾𑌂 ॥ ௧ ॥

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

Meaning:Swaying and awe-inspiring, a garland of the cosmos upon Him; His throat dark with poison, a flame in His third eye; the lovely crescent moon upon His head, from which pure water (Ganga) flows down murmuring.

Verse 2

𑌜𑌯 𑌦𑍇𑌵 𑌜𑌯 𑌦𑍇𑌵 𑌜𑌯 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌶𑌂𑌕𑌰𑌾 । 𑌆𑌰𑌤𑍀 𑌓𑌵𑌾𑌳𑍂𑌂 𑌤𑍁𑌜 𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌪𑍂𑌰𑌗𑍗𑌰𑌾 ॥ 𑌧𑍃 ॥

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

Meaning:Victory to You, O Lord, victory, victory to Shri Shankara! I wave the lamp of aarti before You, O camphor-white one.

Verse 3

𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌪𑍂𑌰𑌗𑍗𑌰𑌾 𑌭𑍋𑌳𑌾 𑌨𑌯𑌨𑍀𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑌾𑌳𑌾 । 𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌂𑌗𑍀𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍀 𑌸𑍁𑌮𑌨𑌾𑌂𑌚𑍍𑌯𑌾 𑌮𑌾𑌳𑌾 ॥ 𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍁𑌤𑍀𑌚𑍇𑌂 𑌉𑌧𑌳𑌣 𑌶𑌿𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌂𑌠 𑌨𑍀𑌳𑌾 । 𑌐𑌸𑌾 𑌶𑌂𑌕𑌰 𑌶𑍋𑌭𑍇 𑌉𑌮𑌾𑌵𑍇𑌲𑍍𑌹𑌾𑌳𑌾 ॥ ௨ ॥

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

Meaning:Fair as camphor, the innocent one with wide eyes, Parvati upon His half-body, garlands of flowers about Him; smeared with sacred ash, the blue-throated one — thus shines Shankara, the beloved of Uma.

Verse 4

𑌦𑍇𑌵𑍀𑌂 𑌦𑍈𑌤𑍍𑌯𑍀𑌂 𑌸𑌾𑌗𑌰𑌮𑌂𑌥𑌨 𑌪𑍈𑌂 𑌕𑍇𑌲𑍇𑌂 । 𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌜𑍀𑌂 𑌅𑌵𑌚𑌿𑌤 𑌹𑌳𑌾𑌹𑌳 𑌉𑌠𑌿𑌲𑍇𑌂 ॥ 𑌤𑍇𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌂 𑌅𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌪𑌣𑍇𑌂 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌶𑌨 𑌕𑍇𑌲𑍇𑌂 । 𑌨𑍀𑌳𑌕𑌂𑌠 𑌨𑌾𑌮 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌸𑌿𑌦𑍍𑌧 𑌝𑌾𑌲𑍇𑌂 ॥ ௩ ॥

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

Meaning:When the gods and demons churned the ocean, suddenly the deadly Halahala poison arose; You, taking on the demon's part, drank it down, and the name Nilakantha (blue-throated) became renowned.

Verse 5

𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌘𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌂𑌬𑌰 𑌫𑌣𑌿𑌵𑌰𑌧𑌰 𑌸𑍁𑌂𑌦𑌰 𑌮𑌦𑌨𑌾𑌰𑍀 । 𑌪𑌂𑌚𑌾𑌨𑌨 𑌮𑌨𑌮𑍋𑌹𑌨 𑌮𑍁𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌨𑌸𑍁𑌖𑌕𑌾𑌰𑍀 ॥ 𑌶𑌤𑌕𑍋𑌟𑍀𑌚𑍇𑌂 𑌬𑍀𑌜 𑌵𑌾𑌚𑍇 𑌉𑌚𑍍𑌚𑌾𑌰𑍀 । 𑌰𑌘𑍁𑌕𑍁𑌳𑌟𑌿𑌳𑌕 𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌦𑌾𑌸𑌾 𑌅𑌂𑌤𑌰𑍀𑌂 ॥ ௪ ॥

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

Meaning:Clad in tiger-skin, wearer of the serpent-king, beautiful enemy of Kama; five-faced, enchanter of hearts, giver of joy to the sages — utter the seed of a hundred crore (recitations of His name); Ramdas, ornament of the Raghu line, holds You in his heart.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌲𑌵𑌥𑌵𑌤𑍀 𑌵𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌳𑌾🔊Lavathavati VikralaSwaying and awe-inspiring / fearsome (the cosmic dance and form of Shiva)

𑌬𑍍𑌰𑌹𑍍𑌮𑌾𑌂𑌡𑍀𑌂 𑌮𑌾𑌳𑌾🔊Brahmandi MalaA garland (of skulls / of the universes) encompassing the cosmos

𑌵𑍀𑌷𑍇𑌂 𑌕𑌂𑌠 𑌕𑌾𑌳𑌾🔊Vishe Kantha KalaHis throat is dark-blue from the poison (he drank)

𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌨𑍇𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌂 𑌜𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌳𑌾🔊Trinetri JwalaA flame (blazes) in his third eye

𑌮𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌕𑍀𑌂 𑌬𑌾𑌳𑌾🔊Mastaki BalaUpon his head the (crescent) child-moon

𑌜𑌲 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌳 𑌵𑌾𑌹𑍇 𑌝𑍁𑌳𑌝𑍁𑌳𑌾𑌂🔊Jal Nirmal Vahe ZhulazhulaFrom there the pure water (Ganga) flows murmuring gently

𑌜𑌯 𑌦𑍇𑌵 𑌜𑌯 𑌦𑍇𑌵🔊Jai Dev Jai DevVictory to you, O Lord, victory to you

𑌆𑌰𑌤𑍀 𑌓𑌵𑌾𑌳𑍂𑌂🔊Aarati OvaluI wave the lamp of aarti (in worship)

𑌕𑌰𑍍𑌪𑍂𑌰𑌗𑍗𑌰𑌾🔊Karpura-GauraO you who are white/fair as camphor

𑌭𑍋𑌳𑌾 𑌨𑌯𑌨𑍀𑌂 𑌵𑌿𑌶𑌾𑌳𑌾🔊Bhola Nayani VishalaThe innocent (Bholanath) one, with large (wide) eyes

𑌅𑌰𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌂𑌗𑍀𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍀🔊Ardhangi ParvatiParvati on (his) half-body (Ardhanarishvara)

𑌵𑌿𑌭𑍁𑌤𑍀𑌚𑍇𑌂 𑌉𑌧𑌳𑌣🔊Vibhutiche UdhalanaSmeared / scattered with sacred ash (vibhuti)

𑌶𑌿𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌂𑌠 𑌨𑍀𑌳𑌾🔊Shiti-Kantha NilaThe blue-throated one (Nilakantha)

𑌸𑌾𑌗𑌰𑌮𑌂𑌥𑌨🔊Sagara-ManthanThe churning of the ocean (by gods and demons)

𑌹𑌳𑌾𑌹𑌳🔊HalahalaThe deadly Halahala poison (that arose from the churning)

𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌶𑌨 𑌕𑍇𑌲𑍇𑌂🔊Prashan Kele(You) drank it down

𑌨𑍀𑌳𑌕𑌂𑌠 𑌨𑌾𑌮🔊Nilakantha NamThe name 'Nilakantha' (the blue-throated)

𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌘𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌂𑌬𑌰🔊VyaghrambarClad in a tiger-skin

𑌫𑌣𑌿𑌵𑌰𑌧𑌰🔊Phanivara-DharWearer of the great serpent (king of snakes)

𑌮𑌦𑌨𑌾𑌰𑍀🔊MadanariThe enemy of Madana (Kama, whom he burned)

𑌰𑌾𑌮𑌦𑌾𑌸𑌾 𑌅𑌂𑌤𑌰𑍀𑌂🔊Ramadasa AntariIn the heart of Ramdas (the poet's signature)

Benefits of Chanting Lavthavti Vikrala (Shankarachi Aarti)

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Invokes the grace and protection of Lord Shiva, the auspicious Shankara

✦

A complete devotional meditation on Shiva's form, deeds and names (Nilakantha, Madanari, Panchanan)

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Sung daily in Shiva temples and homes as the closing aarti of worship

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Recalls Shiva's supreme compassion in drinking the world-destroying poison to save creation

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Brings peace, courage and auspiciousness, especially when sung on Mondays and Maha Shivaratri

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Easy and uplifting to sing in family and temple congregations

How to Chant Lavthavti Vikrala (Shankarachi Aarti)

Repetitions1times

Best TimeDaily evening aarti; especially Mondays, Pradosh and Maha Shivaratri

Sing this aarti while waving the lamp before a Shiva Linga or image of Shankara, joining the refrain 'Jai Dev Jai Dev Jai Shri Shankara'. It is offered at the close of worship, particularly on Mondays, during Pradosh kaal and on Maha Shivaratri. Sing each verse contemplating the form of Shiva it describes, ending with the inner remembrance of the Lord's name as the poet Ramdas advises.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Lavthavti Vikrala (Shankarachi Aarti) written in the Grantha 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 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.

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).

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'.

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.