1st and 2nd Verses of Shri Rudrashtakam

Verse 1

Namaa miisha mishaana-nirvaana rupam |

Vibhum vyaapakam brahma-veda-svaroopam ||
Nijam nirgunam nirvikalpam niriham |

Chidaakaasha maakaasha-vaasam bhaje ham ||1||

Lord Shiva, the Supreme Being

I respectfully salute the svarupa or form of liberation, the all pervasive Brahma who is the impersonal Ultimate Being and a living presence of the Vedas. Shiva is master of the northeast and the Lord of everyone. I worship the one who radiant in his eternal form is stripped off worldly illusion and deceptive senses,devoid of discrimination and desires, the conscious digambar ( an epithet of Shiva) who is wearing the sky itself as a garment (and covering the sky as well).

Verse 2

Niraakaara monkaara-moolam turiiyam |
Giraa gnaana gotiita miisham giriisham ||
Karaalam mahaa-kaala-kaalam krpaalam |
gunaagaara samsara paaram nato ham ||2||

Lord Shiva as Mahakaal or the Destroyer

I respectfully salute the formless source of the sound Om, the turiya (detached from the three constituents of sattva or goddness, rajas or passion and tamas or darkness) who is beyond speech, knowledge and the senses; the ruler of Kailash who is the fearsome Mahakaal (Shiva in his character as the destroyer when he is represented as black and as a personification of time), the merciful one who is the abode of virtues and is Parmeshwar or the Supreme Lord, beyond reach of the mundane world.

The Origin of Shri Rudrashtakam

Goswami Tulsidas

Rudrashtakam has its origins in the Ramayana, the great Sanskrit epic, written by Goswami Tulsidas(16th century AD) in Varanasi, the city sacred to Lord Shiva. Tulsidasji was writing the Ramcharitmanas in the

Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi

Kashi Vishwanath Temple when this hymn singing the glories of Shiva, could be composed due to the grace of Lord Shiva.


The temple houses the famous Vishwanath Jyotirlinga.

 

Kakbhusundi

There is another story which says that this hymn was sung on behalf of Kakbhusundi to appease Lord Shiva and seek his blessings. Kakbhusundi was not a crow earlier and was born in Ayodhya as a Shudra. He was a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva and had an aversion for all other forms of God including Rama. Once a draught ravaged Ayodhya and he migrated to Ujjain where he met an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, having great respect for Lord Vishnu as well.He tried to convince Kakbhusundi,“There is only one path of worshipping Lord Shiva and that is devotion to Lord Rama. It is said that Lord Shiva himself constantly chants of the name of Rama.”

One day Bhusundi was doing japa in Lord Shiva's temple when his guru walked in. Ignoring him, he went on with the incantation. The guru overlooked this rude behaviour but Lord Shiva, being Adi Dakshinamurti could not and spoke furiously through an asarira-vaak, "You stupid fool! I've had enough of your arrogance. Now I'm going to curse you!" When the preceptor heard this, he was very anxious whereas young Bhusundi trembled in fear.

The Curse of Lord Shiva Transforms Into a Blessing

Lord Shiva continued: "Since you were too lazy to stand up and offer due respect to your guru when he walked in, I'm going to turn you into a serpent. Henceforth you will become a python and dwell in the hollow of a tree!" When Lord Shiva raged thus, the guru was overwhelmed with compassion for his errant disciple. He begged Lord Shiva for mercy and sang his glories in the 'Rudrashtakam'.This beautiful hymn of eight verses is given in the Uttarakhand of the Ramcharit Manas (107th doha or couplet). Sung on behalf of Bhusundi, it nullifies the curse and transforms it into a blessing instead.

Lord Shiva is Pleased on Hearing the Rudrashtakam

Lord Shiva was pleased with the Rudrashtakam and confirmed that He would grant a boon.The preceptor asked for devotion of Shiva's feet and the forgiveness of Bhusundi who was ignorant because of worldly illusion.After having listened to this wonderful stuthi, Lord Shiva assured the Brahmin, “Even though Bhusundhi has sinned, just because of your prayer, he will go through cycles of births and deaths but not undergo the painful suffering."

Lord Shiva went on to clarify, “ And since Bhusundi was born in Ayodhya and worshipped me, he will achieve devotion for Lord Rama with the passage of time."

Soon after, leaving the temple, Bhusundi went into the forest, where he dropped his body and started the process of transmigration. He was born as a serpent and in a thousand other sub-human forms thereafter.

Lord Rama as a Child

Finally he was born in a family of Brahmins and became a great devotee of Rama.When his parents died he went to the forest where great sages raved about the formless virtues of God but he just wanted to listen to the glories of Rama. They cursed him to become a crow but asked him to meditate on the child form of Rama.

Garuda

Since the past twenty-seven kalpas or ages, Kakbhusundi lived in the Nilgiri Mountains and sang the glories of Lord Rama. When Lord Shiva appeared on earth,Kakbhusundi was Rama's companion in child play and narrated the Ramayana to Garuda, the celestial vehicle of Lord Vishnu.

Shri Manohar Baba,the Main Pillar of Sanatan Dharma & Acharya of Shri Hari Kirtan (1919-2009)

Lord Harihara

The mundane world flooded with the grace of Shri Harihar (Vishnu and Shiva), this earthly region resounding with Shri Ram-Krishna, the ten incarnations of Vishnu, the four Vedas,the Shrimad Bhagavat consisting of shlokas, all acharyas of religious devotion, and Shri Adi Shankaracharyaji, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shri Vallabhacharya, Bhakt Soordas, Mirabai, Tukaramji, Tulsidasji and Shri Ramakrishna Paramahansa thereafter are all icons of the Sanatan Dharma.

Shri Hanuman Prasad Poddar

In the year 1927, Lord Vishnu gave darshan to Shri Hanuman Prasad Podar in this context for the very first time. Soon after, the triple-braid of Bhaiji, Seth Goenkaji and Shri Radha Baba initiated such a current of religous devotion, knowledge and discernment that 'Kalyan',a monthly periodical and other publications of Gita Press Gorakhpur gushed forth and are delighting the world of bhakti or religious devotion even as of today.Shri Manohar Baba was the main bastion of this spiritual chain.

Narsingh Bhagwan

Though Bhagwan Narsingh was the family deity of Manohar Baba he had instinctive faith in Lord Shiva, the Aadi Guru of Vaishnavas and Shri Hanuman who was his incarnation. His conduct towards us was like the live Shri Ramcharit Manas, the celebrated epic which portrays the life and deeds of Lord Rama. The mahamantra ,

Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare |

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare ||

was extremely dear to him and he urged everyone to chant a mala (vaishnava rosary) religiously.

Shri Ram Harshan Das ji Maharaj of Ayodhya

True saints have a distinctive virtue,they wish to have darshan of other saints and do satsang (a congregation gathered to worship and sing bhajans.)Ardently longing to have darshan of a genuine saint,Shri Manohar Baba undertook a long arduous journey at the age of 88 and reached upto Ayodhya to have darshan of Shri Ram Harshan Dasji Maharaj. On coming back he raved that Maharaj Harshan Dasji is very similar to Shri Hanumanji and tears stream down his cheeks in his great love for Lord Rama.The condition of Shri Manohar Baba on his return became like-Sumiri so dasha magan gaureesa.

Revered Usha Bahenji or Bobo

Though devotees of Venu Vinod Kunj would address Shri Manohar Dasji as Baba, we the kids of hariharji fondly called him Bhaiya, simply because Bobo did so. It was a term particularly coined by Saint Ushaji for him.

Revered Manohar Baba & Saint Shri Usha Bahenji

His saintly attributes, affectionate nature and benevolent attitude were much admired by Usha Bahenji and she would often quote the famous quatrain sabke priya, sabke hitkari of Shri Ramcharitmanas in his honour.

Shri Manohar Baba

Shri Manohar Baba was born on the night of Akshay Teej in May, 1919 (Vaishakh shukla chaturthi). Maheshwar situated on the holy banks of the Narmada River in Nimar district of Madhya Pradesh, has the honour of being his birthplace. His father was the family priest of Rani Ahilyabai and hence a learned brahman or pandit. Manohar Baba belonged to an affluent family, the landed gentry which owned acres of land coupled with cattle and the likes.

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

The great moment of renunciation surfaced in 1945. A saint came to Maheshwar and chanted the Hare Rama Hare Krishna mahamantra with such enthused exultation that Manohar Baba left for Shri Banke Bihariji Temple in Vrindavan, right away. Who knows the saint could be Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself come to bless the young soul, Manoharji.

Shri Shiva Tandava Stotram: In Sanskrit

Shiva's Tandava

Jatatavee galjjalapravah pavitasthale
Galeavalambya lamhitan bhujanga tunga malikam |
IDamaddamaddamaddamaddamanninadavadda marvayam
Chakar Chand tandavam tanotu nah Shivah Shivam ||1||
Jatakatah sambhram-bhramanni-limp nirjhari -
Vilol veechi vallari virajman moordhani |
Dhagaddhagadhagajjawallat pattapavake
Kishore Chandrashekhare ratih pratikshnan mum ||2||Dharadharendra nandini vilas bandhu bandhur -
Sphraddigant santati pramidman manse |
Kripakatakchha dhorani Niruddha - durharapadi
Kwachiddigambare manovinodmetu vastuni ||3||
Jatabhujanga pingalasphuratphanamani prabha -
Kadamba kumkumadrava pralipta digvla dhoomukhe |
Madandhasindhurasphuratva guttariya mdure
Mano Vinodmadbhutam vibhartu bhootabhatari ||4||
Sahastra lochana prabhritya shesh lekha shekhar -
Prasoondhooli dhorini vidhoosaran ghri peethabhuh: ||
Bhujang raj Malaya Nibadhajat jootakah:
Shriye Chiraya jayatam chakorbandhushekharah: ||5||
Lalatachatvara jwaladdhanan dhagaddhagaddhaga bha
Nipccta panchasayakam namannilimpanayakam |
Sudhamavookha lekhaya virajman shekharam
Mahakapali sampade shiro jatalmastu nah: ||6||
Karala bhalapattika dhagaddhagaddhagajjwala -
Dhananjayahutikrita- prachanda panch sayake
Dharadharendranadini kushagra chitra patraka -
Prakalpanaikashilpini trilochane ratirmum ||7||
Naveen meghamandali niruddhadurdharsphur -
Tkuhunisheethini tamah prabandhabaddha kan darah:
Nilipa nirjhari dharastanotu krittasindhurah:
Kalanidhan bandhurah shriyam jagatdhurandharah: ||8||
Praphullancela pankaja prapanch kalimaprabha -
Valambikanlhakandali ruchi prabaddha kandharam |
Smarchhidam purachhidam bhava chhidam makhachidain
Gaja chhidandhakachidam tamant kachidam bhaje ||9||
Akharvasarvamangla kala kadamabamanjari -
Rasapravah madhuri virjrimbhanam dhuvratam |
Smrantakam Purantakam bhavantakam Makhantakam
Gajanta kandha kantakam tamanta kantakam bhaje ||10||

Jayatvadabhravibhrama bhramadbhujangamasafur
Dhigdhigdhi nirgamatkarala bhaal havyavat
Dhimiddhimiddhimidhva nanmrudangatungam angala
Dhvanikramapravartita prachanda tandavah shivah ||11||

Drishadvvichitra talpayor-bhujangmaukti kasrajo -
Rgarishtha ratna loshtayon: Shuridwipakaha pakshyoh: |
Trinar vindachachakshushoh: Prajamahee mahendra yoh:
Sama pravritikah: kada sada Shivam bhajamyaham || 12 ||
Kada nilampa nirjhari nikunjakotare vasan
Vimuktadurmatih sada shirastha manjali vahan |
Vilola lolaochano lalambhalla lagnakah:
Shiveti mantramuccharan kada sukhi bhavamyaham ||13||
Imam hi nitya meva mottamam stvam
Pathansmaranbru vannaro vishudhameti santatam
Hare gurau subhaktimashu, yatinanyatha gatim
Vimohanam hi dchinam Sushankarasya chintanam ||14||

Poojavasan saniaye dashvaktrageetam

Yah Shambhu poojan param pathati pradoshc,

Tasya sthiran rath gajendra tungamukta,

Lakshmin sadaiva sumukheem prad-dati Shambhuh:||15||

15th Verse of Shri Shiv Tandava Stotram

Verse 15

Poojavasan saniaye dashvaktrageetam

Yah Shambhu poojan param pathati pradoshc,

Tasya sthiran rath gajendra tungamukta,

Lakshmin sadaiva sumukheem prad-dati Shambhuh:||15||

Lord Shiva Bestows Constant Wealth

Lord Shankar bestows constant wealth on the person who recites this stotram composed by Ravana, the ruler of Lanka. This hymn of praise is to be chanted at twilight in the evening or at the completion of puja or worship.

Thus ends the Shri Shiv Tandava Stotram written by Ravana.

--------------------

Chandrashekhar, chandrashekhar, chandrashekar paahimaam

Shaailjavar bhaal lochan chandrashekhar rakshamaam | (To be chanted once.)

Chandrashekhar, the Groom of Shailja

Chandrashekhar (an epithet of Shiva, wearing the moon) is the groom of Shailja (a title of Parvati who is mountain born), has lustrous eyes and protects us along with being our guardian.

Paahimaam Rakshamaam (To be chanted seven times.)

Shiva, Our Protector & Guardian.

13 and 14th Verses of Shri Shiv Tandava Stotram

Verse 13

Kada nilampa nirjhari nikunjakotare vasan

Vimuktadurmatih sada shirastha manjali vahan |

Vilola lolaochano lalambhalla lagnakah:

Shiveti mantramuccharan kada sukhi bhavamyaham ||13||

Chanting the Mantra of Lord Shiva

On which day will I stripped of wrongful desires, reside in seclusion on the supremely holy banks of the river Ganga,with hollowed hands placed together and raised to the forehead in salutation. When I will be forever ecstatic by chanting this mantra of

Lord Shiva & Capricious-eyed Parvati

Lord Shiva who was attained by the capricious-eyed Parvati, the Supreme Goddess and a gem among women, by great good fortune.


Verse 14

Imam hi nitya meva mottamam stvam

Pathansmaranbru vannaro vishudhameti santatam

Hare gurau subhaktimashu, yatinanyatha gatim

Vimohanam hi dchinam Sushankarasya chintanam ||14||

Lord Shiva, the Supreme Guru

The person who religiously reads the Shiv Tandava Stotram recited above and worships Lord Shiva everyday, will become absolutely pure and attain dedicated devotion for Shiva, the highest form of a Guru or spiritual preceptor, and he will never have to face any misfortune. Meditating upon Lord Shankar in this manner releases us from illusion or works for the good and well-being of living beings in every possible way.

11th and 12th Verses of Shri Shiv Tandava Stotram

Verse 11
Jayatvadabhravibhrama bhramadbhujangamasafur
Dhigdhigdhi nirgamatkarala bhaal havyavat
Dhimiddhimiddhimidhva nanmrudangatungamangala
Dhvanikramapravartita prachanda tandavah shivah II11II

The Terrifying Tandava of Lord Shiva

I hail Lord Siva who is proficient in the terrifying tandava dance in pace with the ascending scale of the mridanga which makes the auspicious sound of dhimid dhimid, and the fire blazing on whose forehead has become extremely fearsome due to the exhaled breaths of snakes slithering speedily.

Verse 12

Drishadvvichitra talpayor-bhujangmaukti kasrajo -

Rgarishtha ratna loshtayon: Shuridwipakaha pakshyoh: |

Trinar vindachachakshushoh: Prajamahee mahendra yoh:

Sama pravritikah: kada sada Shivam bhajamyaham || 12 ||

Sadashiva, the Cosmic Form of Lord Shiva

When will I worship Lord Sadashiva while viewing the common people and emperors, a lump of clay and valuable precious stones, a snake and a string of pearls, a stone-hearted and a lovingly tender person with equality in this strange world of varied ways.