Rudrashtakam
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Rudrashtakam

The Rudrashtakam — Goswami Tulsidas's eight-verse hymn to Lord Shiva (Rudra), sung by Lord Rama in the Ramcharitmanas.

नमामीशमीशान निर्वाणरूपं
विभुं व्यापकं ब्रह्मवेदस्वरूपम्।
निजं निर्गुणं निर्विकल्पं निरीहं
चिदाकाशमाकाशवासं भजेऽहम्॥१॥

निराकारमोङ्कारमूलं तुरीयं
गिराज्ञानगोतीतमीशं गिरीशम्।
करालं महाकालकालं कृपालं
गुणागारसंसारपारं नतोऽहम्॥२॥

तुषाराद्रिसंकाशगौरं गभीरं
मनोभूतकोटिप्रभा श्रीशरीरम्।
स्फुरन्मौलिकल्लोलिनीचारुगङ्गा
लसद्भालबालेन्दु कण्ठे भुजङ्गा॥३॥

चलत्कुण्डलं भ्रूसुनेत्रं विशालं
प्रसन्नाननं नीलकण्ठं दयालम्।
मृगाधीशचर्माम्बरं मुण्डमालं
प्रियं शङ्करं सर्वनाथं भजामि॥४॥

प्रचण्डं प्रकृष्टं प्रगल्भं परेशं
अखण्डं अजं भानुकोटिप्रकाशम्।
त्रयःशूलनिर्मूलनं शूलपाणिं
भजेऽहं भवानीपतिं भावगम्यम्॥५॥

कलातीतकल्याण कल्पान्तकारी
सदा सज्जनानन्ददाता पुरारी।
चिदानन्दसन्दोह मोहापहारी
प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो मन्मथारी॥६॥

न यावद् उमानाथपादारविन्दं
भजन्तीह लोके परे वा नराणाम्।
न तावत्सुखं शान्ति सन्तापनाशं
प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वभूताधिवासम्॥७॥

न जानामि योगं जपं नैव पूजां
नतोऽहं सदा सर्वदा शम्भु तुभ्यम्।
जराजन्मदुःखौघ तातप्यमानं
प्रभो पाहि आपन्नमामीश शम्भो॥८॥

रुद्राष्टकमिदं प्रोक्तं विप्रेण हरतोषये।
ये पठन्ति नरा भक्त्या तेषां शम्भुः प्रसीदति॥

namamishamishana nirvanarupam
vibhum vyapakam brahmavedasvarupam।
nijam nirgunam nirvikalpam niriham
chidakashamakashavasam bhaje'ham॥1॥

nirakaramonkaramulam turiyam
girajnanagotitamisham girisham।
karalam mahakalakalam kripalam
gunagarasamsaraparam nato'ham॥2॥

tusharadrisamkashagauram gabhiram
manobhutakotiprabha shrishariram।
sphuranmaulikallolinicharuganga
lasadbhalabalendu kanthe bhujanga॥3॥

chalatkundalam bhrusunetram vishalam
prasannananam nilakantham dayalam।
mrigadhishacharmambaram mundamalam
priyam shankaram sarvanatham bhajami॥4॥

prachandam prakrishtam pragalbham paresham
akhandam ajam bhanukotiprakasham।
trayahshulanirmulanam shulapanim
bhaje'ham bhavanipatim bhavagamyam॥5॥

kalatitakalyana kalpantakari
sada sajjananandadata purari।
chidanandasandoha mohapahari
prasida prasida prabho manmathari॥6॥

na yavad umanathapadaravindam
bhajantiha loke pare va naranam।
na tavatsukham shanti santapanasham
prasida prabho sarvabhutadhivasam॥7॥

na janami yogam japam naiva pujam
nato'ham sada sarvada shambhu tubhyam।
jarajanmaduhkhaugha tatapyamanam
prabho pahi apannamamisha shambho॥8॥

rudrashtakamidam proktam viprena haratoshaye।
ye pathanti nara bhaktya tesham shambhuh prasidati॥

About the Rudrashtakam

The Rudrashtakam — Goswami Tulsidas's eight-verse hymn to Lord Shiva (Rudra), sung by Lord Rama in the Ramcharitmanas.

Meaning

Tulsidas praises Shiva as the formless, blissful absolute, lord of the universe, ever-pure and compassionate, seeking his grace and devotion.

Benefits

A favourite daily Shiva hymn; recited for devotion, the removal of sins and afflictions, and to please Shiva quickly, as Rama pleased him with these very verses.

The Rudrashtakam above is given in both Devanagari (Sanskrit) and Roman transliteration so you can read it in whichever script you are comfortable with — switch between the two using the buttons above, share the link, or download a PDF.