tasmai namah paramakaaranakaaranaay deeptojjvalajjvalitapingalalochanaay. naagendrahaarakritakundalabhooshanaay brahmendravishnuvaradaay namah shivaay.
To him who is the first cause even of causes, whose eyes burn bright and tawny, who wears the king of serpents as necklace and earrings, who grants boons to Brahma, Indra and Vishnu — to Shiv ji, my salutation.
shreematprasannashashipannagabhooshanaay shailendrajaavadanachumbitalochanaay. kailaasamandaramahendraniketanaay lokatrayaartiharanaay namah shivaay.
To him adorned with the bright clear crescent and with serpents, whose eyes the daughter of the mountain kisses, whose homes are Kailash and Mandara and Mahendra, who takes away the grief of the three worlds — to Shiv ji, my salutation.
padmaavadaatamanikundalagovrishaay krishnaagaruprachurachandanacharchitaay. bhasmaanushaktavikachotpalamallikaay neelaabjakanthasadrishaay namah shivaay.
To him whose jewelled earrings shed light like the lotus, who is anointed with dark aloe and much sandal, adorned with ash and open lotus and jasmine, whose throat is like the blue lotus — to Shiv ji, my salutation.
lambatsapingalajataamukutotkataay danshtraakaraalavikatotkatabhairavaay. vyaaghraajinaambaradharaay manoharaay trailokyanaathanamitaay namah shivaay.
To him made terrible by the crown upon his hanging tawny locks, fearsome with his tusks, clothed in the tiger's skin, yet beautiful, before whom the lords of the three worlds bow — to Shiv ji, my salutation.
dakshaprajaapatimahaamakhanaashanaay kshipran mahaatripuradaanavaghaatanaay. brahmorjitordhvagakarotinikrintanaay yogaay yoganamitaay namah shivaay.
To him who undid Daksha's great yajna, who swiftly slew the great Tripura asura, who severed the upturned fifth head of proud Brahma, who is yoga itself and is bowed to through yoga — to Shiv ji, my salutation.
sansaarasrishtighatanaaparivartanaay rakshahpishaachaganasiddhasamaakulaay. siddhoragagrahaganendranishevitaay shaardoolacharmavasanaay namah shivaay.
To him who turns the making of the world over from age to age, thronged by rakshasas, pishachas and siddhas, served by siddhas, serpents, the grahas and Indra, clothed in the tiger's skin — to Shiv ji, my salutation.
bhasmaangaraagakritaroopamanoharaay saumyaavadaatavanamaashritamaashritaay. gaureekataakshanayanaardhanireekshanaay goksheeradhaaradhavalaay namah shivaay.
To him who made his form lovely with ash for unguent, who shelters those who shelter in the quiet fair forest, who returns Gauri's sidelong glance with his own, white as a stream of cow's milk — to Shiv ji, my salutation.
aadityasomavarunaanilasevitaay yajnaagnihotravaradhoomaniketanaay. riksaamavedamunibhih stutisanyutaay gopaay gopanamitaay namah shivaay.
To him served by the Sun, the Moon, Varuna and the wind, who dwells in the smoke of the yajna and the agnihotra, praised by the Rik and Sama and by the munis, keeper of the cows and bowed to by them — to Shiv ji, my salutation.
shivaashtakamidan punyan yah pathechchhivasannidhau. shivalokamavaapnoti shiven sah modate.
Whoever reads this holy Shivashtakam in Shiv ji's presence reaches Shiva's own world and takes his joy there with him.