The
Cosmic Dance of Destruction: How Ravana’s Ego Birthed the Shiva Tandava Stotram
A Tale of Power, Surrender, and Divine Grace
High in the icy solitude of Mount
Kailash, the air trembled with an unearthly energy. Ravana, the
mighty demon king of Lanka, had come to challenge the unconquerable—Lord
Shiva, the destroyer of worlds.
With his ten heads blazing with
arrogance and twenty arms wielding celestial weapons, Ravana sought to uproot
Shiva’s abode and prove his supremacy. He thrust his muscular arms beneath the
mountain, straining with monstrous strength to lift it.
But then—a
gentle press of Shiva’s toe.
The weight of infinity crushed
Ravana’s pride in an instant. His arms trapped, his ego shattered, the mighty
king let out a roar that shook the heavens. For years, he wailed in agony,
until finally—he began to sing.
Not a cry of pain, but a hymn of
surrender. A song so fierce and beautiful that even Shiva’s
serpents swayed to its rhythm. This was the birth of the Shiva Tandava
Stotram—a hymn born from suffering, devotion, and the raw power of the
cosmos.
Today, these sacred verses echo
through time, carrying the essence of Shiva’s tandava—the dance
that creates and destroys universes.
Here, we unveil the full Shiva Tandava Stotram—its lyrics, meaning, and the secret behind its transformative power…
🔱Verse 1🔱
Sanskrit:
जटाटवी गलज्जलप्रवाह पावितस्थले
गलेऽवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजङ्गतुङ्गमालिकाम् ।
डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनादवड्डमर्वयं
चकार चण्डताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिवः शिवम् ॥१॥
Transliteration:
jaṭāṭavī-galaj-jala-pravāha-pāvita-sthale
gale’valambya lambitāṁ bhujanga-tuṅga-mālikām |
ḍamaḍ-ḍamaḍ-ḍamaḍ-mannināda-vaḍḍa-marvayaṁ
cakāra caṇḍa-tāṇḍavaṁ tanotu naḥ śivaḥ śivam ||1||
Meaning:
Shiva, with His matted hair flowing and sanctified by the sacred Ganga,
Wearing a garland of great snakes hanging around His neck,
Who dances to the sound of His Damaru (drum) producing loud rhythmic
sounds,
May that fierce Tandava dance of Shiva bless us with auspiciousness.
🔱Verse 2🔱
Sanskrit:
जटाकटाह सम्भ्रमभ्रमन्निलिंपनिर्झरी
विलोलवीचिवल्लरी
विराजमानमूर्धनि ।
धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल्ललाटपट्टपावके
किशोरचन्द्रशेखरे
रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम ॥२॥
Transliteration:
jaṭā-kaṭāha-sambhrama-bhraman-nilimpa-nirjharī
vilola-vīci-vallarī-virājamāna-mūrdhani |
dhagad-dhagad-dhagad-jvalal-lalāṭa-paṭṭa-pāvake
kiśora-candra-śekhare ratiḥ pratikṣaṇaṁ mama ||2||
Meaning:
May I constantly find pleasure in Shiva,
Whose matted locks swirl and toss as the heavenly river Ganga cascades through
them,
Whose head shines with the young crescent moon,
And whose forehead blazes with fire during His vigorous dance.
🔱Verse 3🔱
Sanskrit:
धराधरेन्द्र
नन्दिनी विलास बन्धुबन्धुर
स्फुरद्दिगन्त
सन्तति प्रमोदमानमानसे ।
कृपाकटाक्षधोरणी
निरुद्धदुर्धरापदि
क्वचिद्दिगम्बरे
मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि ॥३॥
Transliteration:
dharādhara-indra-nandinī-vilāsa-bandhu-bandhura
sphurad-diganta-santati-pramodamāna-mānase |
kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-dhoraṇī-niruddha-dur-dharāpadi
kvacid digambare mano vinodametu vastu-ni ||3||
Meaning:
May my mind find delight in the Digambara (sky-clad, naked) Shiva,
Who charms the daughter of the mountain king,
Whose mind rejoices in the far-reaching directions,
And whose merciful glance destroys even the most formidable miseries.
🔱Verse 4🔱
Sanskrit:
जटाभुजङ्गपिङ्गलस्फुरत्फणामणिप्रभा
कदम्बकुङ्कुमद्रवप्रलिप्तदिग्वधूमुखे
।
मदान्धसिन्धुरस्फुरत्त्वगुत्तरीयमेदुरे
मनो विनोदमद्भुतं
बिभर्तु भूतभर्तरि ॥४॥
Transliteration:
jaṭā-bhujanga-piṅgala-sphurat-phaṇā-maṇi-prabhā
kadamba-kunkuma-drava-pralipta-dig-vadhū-mukhe |
madāndha-sindhu-rasphurat-tvag-uttarīya-medure
mano vinodam-adbhutaṁ bibhartu bhūta-bhartari ||4||
Meaning:
May my mind revel in the marvelous Lord of beings,
Whose matted hair holds glowing snakes adorned with gem-studded hoods,
Whose divine presence smears the directions like brides with saffron,
And who wears an elephant hide as His upper garment.
🔱Verse 5🔱
Sanskrit:
सहस्रलोचनप्रभृत्य
शेषलेखशेखर
प्रसूनधूलिधोरणी
विधूसराङ्घ्रिपीठभूः ।
भुजङ्गराजमालया
निबद्धजाटजूटकः
श्रियै चिराय
जायतां चकोरबन्धुशेखरः ॥५॥
Transliteration:
sahasra-locana-prabhṛtya-śeṣa-lekha-śekhara
prasūna-dhūli-dhoraṇī-vidhūsarāṅghri-pīṭha-bhūḥ |
bhujanga-rāja-mālayā nibaddha-jaṭa-jūṭakaḥ
śriyai cirāya jāyatāṁ cakora-bandhu-śekharaḥ ||5||
Meaning:
May the Lord, adorned with the crescent moon (dear to the chakora bird),
Whose feet are dusted by the flowers offered by Indra and other gods,
Whose hair is entwined with the King of serpents,
Bestow prosperity and divine wealth for eternity.
🔱Verse 6🔱
Sanskrit:
ललाटचत्वरज्वलद्धनञ्जयस्फुलिङ्गभा-
निपीतपञ्चसायकं
नमन्निलिंपनायकम् ।
सुधामयूखलेखया
विराजमानशेखरं
महाकपालिसम्पदेशिरोजटालमस्तु
नः ॥६॥
Transliteration:
lalāṭa-catvara-jvalad-dhanañjaya-sphuliṅga-bhā
nipīta-pañca-sāyakaṁ naman-nilimpa-nāyakam |
sudhā-mayūkha-lekhayā virājamāna-śekharaṁ
mahā-kapāli-sampade śiro-jaṭāla-mastu naḥ ||6||
Meaning:
May our minds rest in the matted locks of the Lord of great skulls,
Whose forehead blazes with the fire of Dhananjaya (Arjuna-like) flames,
Who incinerated Kama (the god of desire),
And who is crowned by the shining crescent moon.
🔱Verse 7🔱
Sanskrit:
करालभालपट्टिकाधगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वल
द्धनञ्जयाहुतीकृतप्रचण्डपञ्चसायके
।
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीकुचाग्रचित्रपत्रक
प्रकल्पनैकशिल्पिनि
त्रिलोचने रतिर्मम ॥७॥
Transliteration:
karāla-bhāla-paṭṭikā-dhagad-dhagad-dhagad-jvala
d-dhanañjayāhutī-kṛta-pracaṇḍa-pañca-sāyake |
dharādhara-indra-nandinī-kucāgra-citra-patraka
prakalpanaika-śilpini trilocane ratir mama ||7||
Meaning:
My devotion is to the Three-eyed Lord,
The master sculptor who painted intricate designs on the breast of Parvati,
Who incinerated Kama Deva with the fierce fire from His terrifying forehead.
🔱Verse 8🔱
Sanskrit:
नवीनमेघमण्डली
निरुद्धदुर्धरस्फुरत्
कुहूनिशीथिनी तमः
प्रबन्धबद्धकन्धरः ।
निलिम्पनिर्झरीधरस्तनोतु
कृत्तिसिन्धुरः
कलानिधानबन्धुरः
श्रियं जगद्धुरन्धरः ॥८॥
Transliteration:
navīna-megha-maṇḍalī-niruddha-durdhara-sphurat-
kuhū-niśīthinī tamaḥ prabandha-baddha-kandharaḥ |
nilimpa-nirjharī-dharas-tanotu kṛtti-sindhuraḥ
kalā-nidhāna-bandhuraḥ śriyaṁ jagad-dhurandharaḥ ||8||
Meaning:
May the Lord who supports the universe grant us prosperity,
Whose throat holds back the dark venom like a new cloud covers the night,
Who wears the celestial river as an ornament,
And who looks splendid with the moon and the elephant hide.
🔱Verse 9🔱
Sanskrit:
प्रफुल्लनीलपङ्कजप्रपञ्चकालिमप्रभा-
वलम्बिकण्ठकन्दलीरुचिप्रबद्धकन्धरम्
।
स्मरच्छिदं
पुरच्छिदं भवच्छिदं मखच्छिदं
गजच्छिदांधकच्छिदं
तमन्तकच्छिदं भजे ॥९॥
Transliteration:
prafulla-nīla-paṅkaja-prapañca-kālima-prabhā-
valambikaṇṭha-kandalī-ruci-prabaddha-kandharam |
smara-cchidaṁ pura-cchidaṁ bhava-cchidaṁ makha-cchidaṁ
gaja-cchidaṁ dhaka-cchidaṁ tam-antaka-cchidaṁ bhaje ||9||
Meaning:
I worship Shiva who destroyed:
Kama (desire), the Tripura cities (ego), worldly bondage,
Daksha’s sacrifice, Gajasura, Andhaka, and even Yama (death) himself,
Whose neck shines with the hue of a blooming blue lotus.
🔱Verse 10🔱
Sanskrit:
अगर्वसर्वमङ्गलाकलाकदम्बमञ्जरी
रसप्रवाहमाधुरीविजृम्भणामधुव्रतम्
।
स्मरान्तकं
पुरान्तकं भवान्तकं मखान्तकं
गजान्तकान्धकान्तकं
तमन्तकान्तकं भजे ॥१०॥
Transliteration:
agarva-sarva-maṅgalā-kalā-kadamba-mañjarī
rasa-pravāha-mādhurī-vijṛmbhaṇā-madhu-vratam |
smarāntakaṁ purāntakaṁ bhavāntakaṁ makhāntakaṁ
gajāntakāndhakāntakaṁ tam-antakāntakaṁ bhaje ||10||
Meaning:
I bow to the one who is the destroyer of all destroyers—
Of desire, of illusion, of birth and death, of ego and sacrifices.
He is the bee attracted to the sweet nectar of auspicious arts and music.
🔱Verse 11🔱
Sanskrit:
जयत्वदभ्रविभ्रमभ्रमद्भुजङ्गमश्वस
द्विनिर्गमत्क्रमस्फुरत्करालभालहव्यवाट्
।
धिमिद्धिमिद्धिमिध्वनन्मृदङ्गतुङ्गमङ्गल
ध्वनिक्रमप्रवर्तितप्रचण्डताण्डवः
शिवः ॥११॥
Transliteration:
jayatvad-abhra-vibhrama-bhramad-bhujanga-maśvasa
dvinirgamat-krama-sphurat-karāla-bhāla-havyavāṭ |
dhimi-dhimi-dhimi-dhvanan-mṛdaṅga-tuṅga-maṅgala-
dhvani-krama-pravartita-pracaṇḍa-tāṇḍavaḥ śivaḥ ||11||
Meaning:
Victory to Shiva, whose fierce Tandava is begun
By the beats of loud mridanga drums,
And whose wild dance causes the flames from His forehead
To burn brighter with each breath from the snakes in His hair.
🔱Verse 12🔱
Sanskrit:
दृषद्विचित्रतल्पयोर्भुजङ्गमौक्तिकस्रजोर्
गरिष्ठरत्नलोष्ठयोः
सुहृद्विपक्षपक्षयोः ।
तृष्णारविन्दचक्षुषोः
क्रपानिरिक्षणं कृतः
शिवं किमर्पयेत्
कवा फलेन तप्यते ॥१२॥
Transliteration:
dṛṣad-vicitrat-alpayoḥ bhujanga-mauktika-srajor
gariṣṭha-ratna-loṣṭhayoḥ suhṛd-vipakṣa-pakṣayoḥ |
tṛṣṇā-ravinda-cakṣuṣoḥ kṛpā-nirikṣaṇaṁ kṛtaḥ
śivaṁ kim-arpayet kavā phalena tapyate ||12||
Meaning:
Shiva makes no distinction between:
A priceless gem or a stone bed, a snake or a pearl necklace,
A friend or foe, a lotus-eyed beauty or a dry ascetic.
Who can offer Him anything, and what austerity can match His grace?
🔱Verse 13🔱
Sanskrit:
कदाचिदश्रुकल्पितं
दयाम्विधाय च क्षणं
दृगञ्चलं
भुजङ्गपार्ष्णिकस्त्र्यलेक्षणं मम ।
दशामुपैति नाम यः
प्रभुः पिनाकपाणिना
सदा स्मरामि तं
शिवं सदा नमाम्यहं प्रभुम् ॥१३॥
Transliteration:
kadācid-aśru-kalpitaṁ dayām vidhāya ca kṣaṇaṁ
dṛg-añcalaṁ bhujanga-pārṣṇi-kas-tri-lekṣaṇaṁ mama |
daśām-upaiti nāma yaḥ prabhuḥ pināka-pāṇinā
sadā smarāmi taṁ śivaṁ sadā namāmy ahaṁ prabhum ||13||
Meaning:
I always remember and bow to that Lord Shiva,
Who with three eyes, holding the bow Pinaka,
Sometimes glances mercifully with tearful compassion toward me,
Changing my entire fate in a moment.
🔱Verse 14🔱
Sanskrit:
नमः शिवाय शान्ताय
सर्वात्मनेऽविनाशिने ।
सदाशिवाय शुद्धाय
नित्याय परमेधसे ॥१४॥
Transliteration:
namaḥ śivāya śāntāya sarvātmane'vināśine |
sadāśivāya śuddhāya nityāya paramedhase ||14||
Meaning:
Salutations to the peaceful, eternal, and pure Lord Shiva,
The indestructible Self of all, the all-knowing Sadashiva.
🔱Verse 15🔱
Sanskrit:
यदा त्वया न
दृष्टरं कृपामयेन लोचनं
तदा ममापि सुखं न
जानामि किमापदि ।
कदा करिष्यसि
कृपां चकञ्चलोर्मिनर्मथं
धृतप्रचण्डताण्डवं
शिवेति मनोहरम् ॥१५॥
Transliteration:
yadā tvayā na dṛṣṭaṁ kṛpā-mayena locanam
tadā mamāpi sukhaṁ na jānāmi kim-āpadi |
kadā kariṣyasi kṛpāṁ cakañcala-urmi-narmathaṁ
dhṛta-pracaṇḍa-tāṇḍavaṁ śiveti manoharam ||15||
Meaning:
Without Your merciful glance, O Shiva,
Even pleasure seems like pain to me.
When will You shower compassion
While performing Your magnificent Tandava?
🔱Verse 16🔱
Sanskrit:
पुरारिपोः
प्रणयिनि स्मरशोषणं वपुः
कदा शिवं करिष्यति
त्रिजगतां मनोहरम् ।
भुजङ्गभूषणं भजे
जगद्गुरुं कृपानिधिं
त्रिलोचनं
पिनाकिनं भवापहं महेश्वरम् ॥१६॥
Transliteration:
purāripoḥ praṇayini smara-śoṣaṇaṁ vapuḥ
kadā śivaṁ kariṣyati trijagatāṁ manoharam |
bhujanga-bhūṣaṇaṁ bhaje jagad-guruṁ kṛpā-nidhiṁ
trilocanaṁ pinākinaṁ bhavāpahaṁ maheśvaram ||16||
Meaning:
I adore the Great Lord Shiva —
The destroyer of desire, the bearer of serpents as ornaments,
The three-eyed one, the wielder of Pinaka bow,
The Guru of the universe and ocean of compassion,
Who removes the miseries of worldly life.
“The last verse whispers what fire couldn't sever -
We move as Shiva steps, dancing forever.
Ravana's pride crashed like a temple bell,
Yet his Stotram still sings where the gods dwell.”
ॐ ║ हर हर महादेव ║ ॐ
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