gangaatarangaramaneeyajataakalaapan gaureenirantaravibhooshitavaamabhaagam. naaraayanapriyamanangamadaapahaaran vaaraanaseepurapatin bhaj vishvanaatham.
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.
vaachaamagocharamanekagunasvaroopan vaageeshavishnusurasevitapaadapeetham. vaamen vigrahavaren kalatravantan vaaraanaseepurapatin bhaj vishvanaatham.
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.
bhootaadhipan bhujagabhooshanabhooshitaangan vyaaghraajinaambaradharan jatilan trinetram. paashaankushaabhayavarapradashoolapaanin vaaraanaseepurapatin bhaj vishvanaatham.
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.
sheetaanshushobhitakireetaviraajamaanan bhaalekshanaanalavishoshitapanchabaanam. naagaadhipaarachitabhaasurakarnapooran vaaraanaseepurapatin bhaj vishvanaatham.
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.
panchaananan duritamattamatangajaanaan naagaantakan danujapungavapannagaanaam. daavaanalan maranashokajaraataveenaan vaaraanaseepurapatin bhaj vishvanaatham.
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.
tejomayan sagunanirgunamadviteeyamaanandakandamaparaajitamaprameyam. naagaatmakan sakalanishkalamaatmaroopan vaaraanaseepurapatin bhaj vishvanaatham.
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.
raagaadidosharahitan svajanaanuraagan vairaagyashaantinilayan girijaasahaayam. maadhuryadhairyasubhagan garalaabhiraaman vaaraanaseepurapatin bhaj vishvanaatham.
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.
aashaan vihaay parihrity parasy nindaan paape ratin ch sunivaary manah samaadhau. aadaay hritkamalamadhyagatan pareshan vaaraanaseepurapatin bhaj vishvanaatham.
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.
vaaraanaseepurapateh stavanan shivasy vyaakhyaatamashtakamidan pathate manushyah. vidyaan shriyan vipulasaukhyamanantakeertin sampraapy dehavilaye labhate ch moksham.
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.
vishvanaathaashtakamidan yah pathechchhivasannidhau. shivalokamavaapnoti shiven sah modate.
Whoever reads this Vishwanathashtakam in Shiva's presence reaches Shiva's world and takes his joy there with him.