namāmīśamīśāna nirvāṇarūpaṁ vibhuṁ vyāpakaṁ brahma vedasvarūpam. nijaṁ nirguṇaṁ nirvikalpaṁ nirīhaṁ cidākāśamākāśavāsaṁ bhaje'ham.
Ishana, I bow to you — you who are release itself, able, all-pervading, Brahman, the Veda's own form; resting in your own nature, without quality, without division, without want; the sky of pure awareness, dwelling in space — you I adore.
nirākāramoṅkāramūlaṁ turīyaṁ girā gyāna gotītamīśaṁ girīśam. karālaṁ mahākāla kālaṁ kr̥pālaṁ guṇāgāra saṁsārapāraṁ nato'ham.
Formless, the root that is Om, the fourth state; beyond the reach of speech and mind and sense; lord of the mountain; terrible, the death even of Mahakala, yet full of grace; the house of every virtue, the far shore of the world — to you I bow.
tuṣārādri saṁkāśa gauraṁ gabhīraṁ manobhūta koṭi prabhā śrī śarīram. sphuranmauli kallolinī cāru gaṁgā lasadbhālabālendu kaṁṭhe bhujaṁgā.
White as the snow mountain, deep, his body bright as a crore of Kamadevas; on his head fair Ganga tosses her waves, on his brow the young moon shines, and at his throat the serpents.
calatkuṁḍalaṁ bhrū sunetraṁ viśālaṁ prasannānanaṁ nīlakaṁṭha dayālam. mr̥gādhīśacarmāmbaraṁ muṁḍamālaṁ priyaṁ śaṁkaraṁ sarvanāthaṁ bhajāmi.
His earrings swinging, his brows and eyes wide and fair, his face glad, his throat blue, and full of mercy; clothed in the lion's skin, garlanded with skulls — Shankar, beloved, lord of all, I adore.
pracaṁḍaṁ prakr̥ṣṭaṁ pragalbhaṁ pareśaṁ akhaṁḍaṁ ajaṁ bhānukoṭiprakāśam. trayaḥ śūla nirmūlanaṁ śūlapāṇiṁ bhaje'haṁ bhavānīpatiṁ bhāvagamyam.
Fierce, highest, bold, the supreme lord; undivided, unborn, bright as a crore of suns; uprooter of the three pains, the trident in his hand — Bhavani's lord, reached by feeling alone, I adore.
kalātīta kalyāṇa kalpāntakārī sadā sajjanānandadātā purārī. cidānaṁda saṁdoha mohāpahārī prasīda prasīda prabho manmathārī.
Beyond all parts, the bringer of good, the ender of the age; always the joy of the true; the undoer of Tripura; a mass of awareness and bliss, taker-away of delusion; foe of Kamadeva — be pleased with me, be pleased, my lord.
na yāvad umānātha pādāravindaṁ bhajaṁtīha loke pare vā narāṇām. na tāvatsukhaṁ śānti santāpanāśaṁ prasīda prabho sarvabhūtādhivāsam.
Until a person adores the lotus feet of Uma's lord, in this world or the next there is no ease, no peace, no end of burning. You in whom all beings dwell — be pleased with me.
na jānāmi yogaṁ japaṁ naiva pūjāṁ nato'haṁ sadā sarvadā śaṁbhu tubhyam. jarā janma duḥkhaugha tātapyamānaṁ prabho pāhi āpannamāmīśa śaṁbho.
I know nothing of yoga, nor of japa, nor of puja; Shambhu, I only bow to you, always and at all times. Burnt by age, by birth, by the mass of sorrow — lord, keep me who have come to you.
rudrāṣṭakamidaṁ proktaṁ vipreṇa haratoṣaye. ye paṭhanti narā bhaktyā teṣāṁ śambhuḥ prasīdati.
This Rudrashtakam was spoken by the brahmin for Hara's pleasing. Those who read it with love — on them Shambhu is pleased.