गङ्गातरङ्गरमणीयजटाकलापं गौरीनिरन्तरविभूषितवामभागम्।
नारायणप्रियमनङ्गमदापहारं वाराणसीपुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम्॥
Adore Vishwanath, lord of Varanasi — his matted hair made lovely by Ganga's waves, his left side forever graced by Gauri, dear to Narayana, who undid the pride of Kamadeva.
वाचामगोचरमनेकगुणस्वरूपं वागीशविष्णुसुरसेवितपादपीठम्।
वामेन विग्रहवरेण कलत्रवन्तं वाराणसीपुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम्॥
Adore Vishwanath — beyond what speech can reach, of many virtues and many forms, whose footstool Brahma, Vishnu and the devtas serve, who has his consort in his own fair left side.
भूताधिपं भुजगभूषणभूषिताङ्गं व्याघ्राजिनाम्बरधरं जटिलं त्रिनेत्रम्।
पाशाङ्कुशाभयवरप्रदशूलपाणिं वाराणसीपुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम्॥
Adore Vishwanath — lord of the bhutas, his body adorned with serpents for jewels, clothed in the tiger's skin, matted-haired and three-eyed, holding noose, goad, the sign of fearlessness, the boon and the trident.
शीतांशुशोभितकिरीटविराजमानं भालेक्षणानलविशोषितपञ्चबाणम्।
नागाधिपारचितभासुरकर्णपूरं वाराणसीपुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम्॥
Adore Vishwanath — shining in a crown lit by the moon, who burnt the five-arrowed one with the fire of the eye in his brow, great serpents flashing as rings in his ears.
पञ्चाननं दुरितमत्तमतङ्गजानां नागान्तकं दनुजपुङ्गवपन्नगानाम्।
दावानलं मरणशोकजराटवीनां वाराणसीपुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम्॥
Adore Vishwanath — the lion to the rutting elephants that are our sins, the Garuda to the serpents that are the daityas, the forest fire to the thicket of death and grief and age.
तेजोमयं सगुणनिर्गुणमद्वितीयमानन्दकन्दमपराजितमप्रमेयम्।
नागात्मकं सकलनिष्कलमात्मरूपं वाराणसीपुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम्॥
Adore Vishwanath — all light, with form and without, one without a second, the root of joy, unconquered and unmeasured, serpent-wreathed, whole and partless, the Self itself.
रागादिदोषरहितं स्वजनानुरागं वैराग्यशान्तिनिलयं गिरिजासहायम्।
माधुर्यधैर्यसुभगं गरलाभिरामं वाराणसीपुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम्॥
Adore Vishwanath — free of passion and its faults yet tender to his own, the house of detachment and peace, Girija beside him, lovely in his sweetness and steadiness, graced by the poison at his throat.
आशां विहाय परिहृत्य परस्य निन्दां पापे रतिं च सुनिवार्य मनः समाधौ।
आदाय हृत्कमलमध्यगतं परेशं वाराणसीपुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम्॥
Letting hope go, leaving off the blaming of others, turning love away from wrong, settling the mind — hold in the lotus of the heart and adore Vishwanath, lord of Varanasi.
वाराणसीपुरपतेः स्तवनं शिवस्य व्याख्यातमष्टकमिदं पठते मनुष्यः।
विद्यां श्रियं विपुलसौख्यमनन्तकीर्तिं सम्प्राप्य देहविलये लभते च मोक्षम्॥
Whoever reads this eight-versed praise of Shiva, lord of Varanasi, gains learning, wealth, great ease and unending renown, and at the body's end, release.
विश्वनाथाष्टकमिदं यः पठेच्छिवसन्निधौ।
शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते॥
Whoever reads this Vishwanathashtakam in Shiva's presence reaches Shiva's world and takes his joy there with him.