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Shiva Bhujanga Stotram

The Shiva Bhujanga Stotram - Adi Shankaracharya's flowing hymn to Lord Shiva, set in the graceful bhujangaprayata (serpent-glide) metre.

गलद्दानगण्डं मिलद्भृङ्गषण्डं
चलच्चारुशुण्डं जगत्त्राणशौण्डम्।
कनद्दन्तकाण्डं विपद्भङ्गचण्डं
शिवप्रेमपिण्डं भजे वक्रतुण्डम्॥१॥

अनाद्यन्तमाद्यं परं तत्त्वमर्थं
चिदाकारमेकं तुरीयं त्वमेयम्।
हरिब्रह्ममृग्यं परब्रह्मरूपं
मनोवागतीतं महः शैवमीडे॥२॥

स्वशक्त्यादिशक्त्यन्तसिंहासनस्थं
मनोहारिसर्वाङ्गरत्नोरुभूषम्।
जटाहीन्दुगङ्गास्थिशंयाकमौलिं
पराशक्तिमित्रं नुमः पञ्चवक्त्रम्॥३॥

शिवेशानतत्पूरुषाघोरवामा
दिभिः पञ्चभिर्हृन्मुखैः षड्भिरङ्गैः।
अनौपम्यषट्त्रिंशतं तत्त्वविद्या
मतीतं परं त्वां कथं वेत्ति को वा॥४॥

प्रवालप्रवाहप्रभाशोणमर्धं
मरुत्वन्मणिश्रीमहःश्याममर्धम्।
गुणस्यूतमेतद्वपुः शैवमन्तः
स्मरामि स्मरापत्तिसम्पत्तिहेतुम्॥५॥

स्वसेवासमायातदेवासुरेन्द्रा
नमन्मौलिमन्दारमालाभिषक्तम्।
नमस्यामि शम्भो पदाम्भोरुहं ते
भवाम्भोधिपोतं भवानीविभाव्यम्॥६॥

जगन्नाथ मन्नाथ गौरीसनाथ
प्रपन्नानुकम्पिन् विपन्नार्तिहारिन्।
महःस्तोममूर्ते समस्तैकबन्धो
नमस्ते नमस्ते पुनस्ते नमोऽस्तु॥७॥

विरूपाक्ष विश्वेश विश्वादिदेव
त्रयीमूल शम्भो शिव त्र्यम्बक त्वम्।
प्रसीद स्मर त्राहि पश्यावमुक्त्यै
क्षमां प्राप्नुहि त्र्यक्ष मां रक्ष मोदात्॥८॥

महादेव देवेश देवादिदेव
स्मरारे पुरारे यमारे हरेति।
ब्रुवाणः स्मरिष्यामि भक्त्या भवन्तं
ततो मे दयाशील देव प्रसीद॥९॥

शिरो दृष्टिहृद्रोगशूलप्रमेह
ज्वरार्शोजरायक्ष्महिक्काविषार्तान्।
त्वमाद्यो भिषग्भेषजं भस्म शम्भो
त्वमुल्लाघयास्मान् वपुर्लाघवाय॥१०॥

दरिद्रोऽस्म्यभद्रोऽस्मि भग्नोऽस्मि दूये
विषण्णोऽस्मि सन्नोऽस्मि खिन्नोऽस्मि चाहम्।
भवान् प्राणिनामन्तरात्मासि शम्भो
ममाधिं न वेत्सि प्रभो रक्ष मां त्वम्॥११॥

महादेव शम्भो गिरीश त्रिशूलिन्
त्वदीयं समस्तं विभातीति यस्मात्।
शिवादन्यथा दैवतं नाभिजाने
शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्॥१२॥

इदानीमिदानीं मृतिर्मे भवित्री
इत्यहो सन्ततं चिन्तया पीडितोऽस्मि।
कथं नाम मा भून्मृतौ भीतिरेषा
नमस्ते गतीनां गते नीलकण्ठ॥१३॥

अनेन स्तवेनादरादम्बिकेशं
परां भक्तिमासाद्य यं ये नमन्ति।
मृतौ निर्भयास्ते जनास्तं भजन्ते
हृदम्भोजमध्ये सदासीनमीशम्॥१४॥

भुजङ्गप्रियाकल्प शम्भो मयैवं
भुजङ्गप्रयातेन वृत्तेन क्लृप्तम्।
नरः स्तोत्रमेतत् पठित्वोरुभक्त्या
सुपुत्रायुरारोग्यमैश्वर्यमेति॥१५॥

galaddanagandam miladbhringashandam
chalachcharushundam jagattranashaundam।
kanaddantakandam vipadbhangachandam
shivapremapindam bhaje vakratundam॥1॥

anadyantamadyam param tattvamartham
chidakaramekam turiyam tvameyam।
haribrahmamrigyam parabrahmarupam
manovagatitam mahah shaivamide॥2॥

svashaktyadishaktyantasimhasanastham
manoharisarvangaratnorubhusham।
jatahindugangasthishanyakamaulim
parashaktimitram numah panchavaktram॥3॥

shiveshanatatpurushaghoravama
dibhih panchabhirhrinmukhaih shadbhirangaih।
anaupamyashattrimshatam tattvavidya
matitam param tvam katham vetti ko va॥4॥

pravalapravahaprabhashonamardham
marutvanmanishrimahahshyamamardham।
gunasyutametadvapuh shaivamantah
smarami smarapattisampattihetum॥5॥

svasevasamayatadevasurendra
namanmaulimandaramalabhishaktam।
namasyami shambho padambhoruham te
bhavambhodhipotam bhavanivibhavyam॥6॥

jagannatha mannatha gaurisanatha
prapannanukampin vipannartiharin।
mahahstomamurte samastaikabandho
namaste namaste punaste namo'stu॥7॥

virupaksha vishvesha vishvadideva
trayimula shambho shiva tryambaka tvam।
prasida smara trahi pashyavamuktyai
kshamam prapnuhi tryaksha mam raksha modat॥8॥

mahadeva devesha devadideva
smarare purare yamare hareti।
bruvanah smarishyami bhaktya bhavantam
tato me dayashila deva prasida॥9॥

shiro drishtihridrogashulaprameha
jvararshojarayakshmahikkavishartan।
tvamadyo bhishagbheshajam bhasma shambho
tvamullaghayasman vapurlaghavaya॥10॥

daridro'smyabhadro'smi bhagno'smi duye
vishanno'smi sanno'smi khinno'smi chaham।
bhavan praninamantaratmasi shambho
mamadhim na vetsi prabho raksha mam tvam॥11॥

mahadeva shambho girisha trishulin
tvadiyam samastam vibhatiti yasmat।
shivadanyatha daivatam nabhijane
shivo'ham shivo'ham shivo'ham shivo'ham॥12॥

idanimidanim mritirme bhavitri
ityaho santatam chintaya pidito'smi।
katham nama ma bhunmritau bhitiresha
namaste gatinam gate nilakantha॥13॥

anena stavenadaradambikesham
param bhaktimasadya yam ye namanti।
mritau nirbhayaste janastam bhajante
hridambhojamadhye sadasinamisham॥14॥

bhujangapriyakalpa shambho mayaivam
bhujangaprayatena vrittena kliptam।
narah stotrametat pathitvorubhaktya
suputrayurarogyamaishvaryameti॥15॥

Frequently asked questions about Shiva Bhujanga Stotram

What does bhujanga mean here?

It names the metre - bhujangaprayata, the serpent's glide - whose long rolling feet give the hymn its characteristic sway. Adi Shankaracharya used the same metre for several of his hymns.

What is the hymn about?

Shiva praised through his forms and then approached in plain need: Shankara moves from description to a devotee's appeal for refuge, which is the shape of most of his bhujanga hymns.

When is it recited?

Mondays, Pradosh, Shravan and Maha Shivaratri, and by those who keep a longer Shiva recitation. It suits being recited aloud, since the metre is its pleasure.

Is it hard for a beginner?

Moderately. The metre is regular once the ear catches it, which makes it easier than the Tandava Stotram. Read a verse a day from the Roman text and it settles quickly.

Which other Shankara hymn is like it?

The Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram uses the same approach in the same register - description turning into an appeal for the Lord's hand.

About the Shiva Bhujanga Stotram

The Shiva Bhujanga Stotram - Adi Shankaracharya's flowing hymn to Lord Shiva, set in the graceful bhujangaprayata (serpent-glide) metre.

Meaning

In a melodious serpentine metre, Shankara surrenders to Shiva, describing his beauty and grace and pleading for refuge at the end of life and freedom from fear.

Benefits

Recited for surrender, fearlessness and a peaceful mind; valued especially as a prayer for Shiva's protection in difficult times and at life's end.

The Shiva Bhujanga Stotram 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.

A stotram is a longer Sanskrit hymn of praise, not a forty-verse chalisa and not the lamp-song of an aarti. Browse every stotra on the Stotram index. For japa of a short formula use a mantra. The steps of worship around the recitation are in Puja Vidhi.