Diya Prayer & mantra guide

Shiv Tandav Stotram Lyrics in English, With Meaning

Shiv Tandav Stotram lyrics in English with the meaning of each passage, the original script, and the recording Diya plays to listen along.

The short answer

Shiv Tandav Stotram is a Sanskrit prayer to Shiva, describing his cosmic dance (tandava).

This page has all 25 passages of Shiv Tandav Stotram as sung in the recording Diya plays: the words in English letters, the original script where Diya's record has it, and the meaning of each passage in English, with the recording to listen along.

Shiv Tandav Stotram lyrics and meaning

Below are the 25 passages of Shiv Tandav Stotram as sung in the recording Diya plays, in the order they are sung. Each row gives the words in English letters under the original script, and their meaning in English. The meaning of 10 passages is still being reviewed and is marked.

Recording: T-Series Bhakti Sagar, on YouTube. Press play to listen while you read.
Words (original script and transliteration)Meaning in English
शिव ताण्डव

Shiv Taandav
Shiva's Tandava dance.
रावण ने शिव ताण्डव स्तोत्र से भगवान शंकर को इतना प्रसन्न कर लिया
कि आशुतोष भगवान शिव ने उसे केवल सकल समृद्धि
सिद्धि से युक्त सोने की लंका ही वरदान के रूप में नहीं दी
अपितु सम्पूर्ण ज्ञान विज्ञान एवं अमर होने का वरदान भी दिया

Raavan ne Shiv Taandav stotr se Bhagwaan Shankar ko itna prasann kar liya
ki Aashutosh Bhagwaan Shiv ne use keval sakal samriddhi
siddhi se yukt sone ki Lanka hi vardaan ke roop mein nahin dee
apitu sampoorn gyaan vigyaan evam amar hone ka vardaan bhi diya
The narrator says Ravana's hymn pleased Shiva, who granted him golden Lanka, prosperity and accomplishments, complete knowledge and science, and immortality.
रावण रचित शिव ताण्डव स्तोत्र के सुनने मात्र से व्यक्ति
समस्त बाधाओं से छूटकर समृद्धि संपत्ति और संतति प्राप्त करता है

Raavan rachit Shiv Taandav stotr ke sunne maatr se vyakti
samast baadhaon se chhootkar samriddhi sampatti aur santati praapt karta hai
The narrator declares that merely hearing this Shiva Tandava hymn, composed by Ravana, frees a person from all obstacles and brings prosperity, wealth, and descendants.
jataa kataaha sambhrama bhraman nilimpa nirjharee
vilola veechi vallaree viraajamaana moordhani
dhagad dhagad dhagajjvalal lalaata patta paavake
kishora chandra shekhare ratih pratikshanam mama
May I love Shiva at every moment: Ganga swirls through his matted hair, fire blazes on his forehead, and a young crescent crowns him.
jataatavee galajjala pravaaha paavita sthale
gale'valambya lambitaam bhujanga tunga maalikaam
damad damad damad daman ninaadavad damarvayam
chakaara chanda taandavam tanotu nah shivah shivam
May Shiva bring us auspiciousness, dancing his fierce Tandava to the damaru, with water streaming from his matted hair and a serpent garland around his neck.
dharaadharendra nandinee vilaasa bandhu bandhura
sphurad diganta santati pramodamaana maanase
kripaa kataaksha dhoranee niruddha durdharaapadi
kvachid digambare mano vinodam etu vastuni
May my mind delight in sky-clad Shiva, companion of the mountain king's daughter, whose compassionate glance checks unbearable calamity.
jataa bhujanga pingala sphurat phanaa mani prabhaa
kadamba kunkuma drava pralipta digvadhoo mukhe
madaandha sindhura sphurat tvaguttareeya medure
mano vinodam adbhutam bibhartu bhoota bhartari
Meaning still under review.
lalaata chatvara jvalad dhananjaya sphulinga bhaa
nipeeta pancha saayakam naman nilimpa naayakam
sudhaa mayookha lekhayaa viraajamaana shekharam
mahaakapaali sampade shiro jataalam astu nah
Meaning still under review.
sahasra lochana prabhrityashesha lekha shekhara
prasoona dhooli dhoranee vidhoosaraanghri peethabhooh
bhujanga raaja maalayaa nibaddha jaata jootakah
shriyai chiraaya jaayataam chakora bandhu shekharah
May Shiva bring lasting prosperity, his feet dusted with flowers from the gods' crowns, his hair bound by the serpent king, and the moon upon his head.
karaala bhaala pattikaa dhagad dhagad dhagajjvalad
dhananjayaahuteekrita prachanda pancha saayake
dharaadharendra nandinee kuchaagra chitrapatraka
prakalpanaika shilpini trilochane ratir mama
Meaning still under review.
naveena megha mandalee niruddha durdhara sphurat
kuhoo nisheethinee tamah prabandha baddha kandharah
nilimpa nirjharee dharas tanotu kritti sindhurah
kalaanidhaana bandhurah shriyam jagaddhurandharah
May Shiva grant prosperity, his neck dark as a clouded, moonless midnight, carrying Ganga, wearing elephant hide, moon-adorned, and sustaining the universe.
praphulla neela pankaja prapancha kaalimachchhataa
valambi kantha kandalee ruchi prabaddha kandharam
smarachchhidam purachchhidam bhavachchhidam makhachchhidam
gajachchhidaandhakachchhidam tam antakachchhidam bhaje
Meaning still under review.
akharva sarva mangalaa kalaa kadamba manjaree
rasa pravaaha maadhuree vijrimbhanaa madhuvratam
smaraantakam puraantakam bhavaantakam makhaantakam
gajaantakaandhakaantakam tam antakaantakam bhaje
I worship Shiva, delighting like a bee in the nectar of Parvati's arts, who ends Kama, the cities, worldly existence, the sacrifice, the elephant, Andhaka, and Death.
jayatu adabhra vibhrama bhramad bhujangama sphurat
dhagad dhagad vinirgamat karaala bhaala havyavaat
dhimid dhimid dhimi dhvanan mridanga tunga mangala
dhvani krama pravartita prachanda taandavah shivah
Victory to Shiva, dancing his fierce Tandava to deep mridanga beats, with whirling serpents and crackling fire blazing from his forehead.
drishad vichitra talpayor bhujanga mauktika srajor
garishtha ratna loshthayoh suhrid vipaksha pakshayoh
trinaaravinda chakshushoh prajaa mahee mahendrayoh
samam pravartayan manah kadaa sadaashivam bhaje
When shall I worship Sadashiva with an even mind toward comfort and hardship, jewels and earth, friends and enemies, beauty, ordinary people and rulers?
kadaa nilimpa nirjharee nikunja kotare vasan
vimukta durmatih sadaa shirahstham anjalim vahan
vimukta lola lochano lalaama bhaala lagnakah
shiveti mantram uchcharan kadaa sukhee bhavaamyaham
Meaning still under review.
nilimpa naatha naagaree kadamba maula mallikaa
nigumpha nirbhara ksharan madhooshnikaa manoharah
Meaning still under review.
tanotu no manomudam vinodineem aharnisham
parashriyah param padam tadangaja tvishaam chayah
Meaning still under review.
prachanda vaadavaanala prabhaa shubha prachaaranee
mahaashta siddhi kaaminee janaavahoota jalpanaa
vimukta vaama lochanaa vivaaha kaalika dhvanih
shiveti mantra-bhooshano jagajjayaaya jaayataam
Meaning still under review.
imam hi nityam evam uktam uttamottamam stavam
pathan smaran bruvan naro vishuddhim eti santatam
hare gurau subhaktim aashu yaati naanyathaa gatim
The person who daily reads, remembers, and recites this finest of hymns in this way is continually purified, soon gains deep devotion to Hara as the guru, and takes no other course.
विमोहनं हि देहिनां सुशङ्करस्य चिन्तनम्

vimohanam hi dehinaam sushankarasya chintanam
Indeed, contemplation of gracious Shankara enchants embodied beings.
सुशङ्करस्य चिन्तनम्

sushankarasya chintanam
Contemplation of gracious Shankara.
sushankarasya chintanamMeaning still under review.
poojaavasaana samaye dashavaktra geetam
yah shambhu poojanaparam pathati pradoshe
tasya sthiraam ratha gajendra turanga yuktaam
lakshmeem sadaiva sumukheem pradadaati shambhuh
Meaning still under review.
इति श्रीरावणविरचितं शिवताण्डवस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम्

iti shree-raavana-virachitam shiva-taandava-stotram sampoornam
Thus ends the Shiva Tandava hymn, composed by the revered Ravana.

Listen and chant along in Diya

Diya's English explains each passage in plain language; it is not a word-for-word translation.

About Shiv Tandav Stotram

Shiv Tandav Stotram is a Sanskrit prayer to Shiva, describing his cosmic dance (tandava). Diya's listening library notes: Traditionally attributed to Ravana in the supplied colophon and inspected witnesses.

In Diya you can listen to mantras, prayers, aartis, bhajans, and devotional recordings, including Shiv Tandav Stotram. Diya is available for iPhone. See the Diya app.

Download the Shiv Tandav Stotram PDF

Download the Shiv Tandav Stotram lyrics in English (PDF): the full text in the original script with transliteration, and the meaning of each passage, ready to print.

Questions people ask

What is Shiv Tandav Stotram?

Shiv Tandav Stotram is a Sanskrit prayer to Shiva, describing his cosmic dance (tandava).

Can I listen to Shiv Tandav Stotram while reading the words?

Yes. The recording Diya plays is on this page, above the words. In Diya you can listen to mantras, prayers, aartis, bhajans, and devotional recordings.

Is the English a word-for-word translation?

No. Diya's English gives the meaning of each passage in plain language, not a word-for-word translation. The meaning of 10 passages is still being reviewed and is marked.

Research notes

Sources

Follow the reading behind this article through the references below. Each source represents its own author, institution, or tradition.

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