Shri Shiv Tandava Stotram: Introduction

Shiva Tandava

The Shiva Tandava Stotram was written by Ravana, the greatest devotee of Shiva and a great scholar. Lankesh, the ten-headed king of Lanka and the demons, composed this hymn for singing the glories of Shiva. Its lucidity highlights the intensity of Ravana`s loving devotion for Lord Shiva. Describing his beauty and powerful tandava or the frenzied dance of Shiva at the time of the dissolution of the world, the stotram praises the God for being the ultimate energy.

Shiva the Benefactor & Rudra, the Destroyer

 He is both Rudra the destroyer who is malignant or terrific and Shiva the benefactor who is benign or auspicious.

Ravana, Praying to Lord Shiva

Because of the intensity of his prayers and ascetic meditation, of which this hymn is a standing example, Ravana received from Shiva the boon of indestructibility by all the powers inhabiting heaven and earth except a human being.

Highly Revered Usha Bahenji

Revered Usha Bahenji or Bobo religiously read the Shri Shiv Tandava Stotram during the month of Shravan and advised us to do the same.

Lord Shiva Was Usha Bahenji's Guru

Lord Shiva, the Auspicious One

 Lord Shiva, 'The Auspicious One', works for our well being, is the refuge of loving tenderness, is splendidly generous, bestows religious devotion to Krishna and is Maha Yogeshwar. Shiva, the supreme Vaishnava, is often venerated as the adi guru who resides in the spiritual mentors of this mundane world.Easily pleased, Lord Shankar manifested for Bobo and made the spectral revelation that He was her spiritual preceptor for the pivotal concept of Krishna's madhurya or sweet love.

Bhaktimati Usha Bahenji

The incident dates back  to the time when Bobo had come to Vrindavan. After a bath in the Yamuna she was heading homewards accompanied by Sushila Bahenji, Vijay Bhaiya and others. It was Guru Purnima (the day of full moon in the month of Ashadh).

While walking in the fields opposite the Yugal Ghat, she wondered,"Today is Guru Purnima! Everyone says one can not attain salvation without a spiritual mentor -then my guru."

 Instantly the great Vaishnava, Lord Shankar along with His wife Parvati and son Ganesha were clearly visible in the sky, slightly higher than the temple's platform. 

Lord Shiva with Maa Parvati & Child Ganesha

Mother Parvati was clad in a red sari and adorned in the best of finery. Child Ganesha was also present with his spirited antics. Lord Shankar was resplendent with matted yellow hair which shone like heated gold.The holy Ganges and crescent moon rested on His head and a beautiful blue hue was apparent in His throat.

Garlanded with a serpent, He assured Bobo in a deep-throated voice," I am your guru." 

She reverentially bowed before Him,  at that very spot. With His radiant trishul or trident the Lord repeatedly touched Bobo's forehead and blessed her.

We will be coming out shortly with the English Version of 'Shri Shiva Tandav Stotram' which highly revered Usha Bahenji  chanted during the month of Shravan as a mark of respect to Lord Shiva.

Shri Somnath Lingam

Shravan is considered the holiest month of the year. Every Monday is a special day when the dharanatra hangs over the linga bathing it with holy water. The nandadeepa or lamp burns round the clock in Shiva temples.Devotees adorn the Shivlinga with bel patra as well as flowers and fast till sunset.

PraNamAmi Shiva Kalpatarum

Audio: Pranamami Shiva Kalpatarum.mp3

 prabhu misha manisha mashesha gunam

                                            gunahina mahisha garabharanam  |

rana nirjita-durjaya daityapuram

                                            pranamami shivam shiva kalpatarum  ||1||
 

Lord Shiva is Likened to the Kalpataru

I respectfully bow before Lord Shiva who works for our well-being like the *kalpataru. You are the storehouse of all qualities which are godly and not godly, and are beyond the *gunas. You wear the *Naga around your throat and triumph over hordes of demons in the battlefield. I respectfully salute Shiva who works for our well-being like the kalpataru.

giriraja sutanit vamatanum

                                          tanu nindita rajita koti vidhum  |

vidhi vishnu-shirodhrita pada-yugam

                                          pranamami shivam shiva kalpatarum  ||2||

Goddess Parvati is the Left Half of Lord Shiva's Body

The daughter of Himachal is constantly radiant on your *left. You are beautifully fair-hued and surpass the whiteness of crores of moons.  Brahma and Vishnu lovingly revere your divine pair of feet. I respectfully salute you, O Shiva, who forever fulfils our wishes just like the kalpataru.

sasha lanchita-ranjita-sanmukutam

                        kati lambita sundara kirtipattam  |

sura shaivalini krita puta jattam  |

                        pranamami shivam shiva kalpatarum  ||3||

Lord Shiva Wearing the Crescent Moon & river Ganga

Whose beautiful crest is adorned by the moon, and who is wearing an *elephant skin around His waist.

Whose matted locks have been purified by the gurgling Ganga. O Shiva! I respectfully bow to You working for our well-being very much like the kalpavriksha.

nayanatraya bhushita charu mukham

                        mukha padma parajita koti vidhum  |

vidhu khanda vimandita bhalatattam

                        pranamami shivam shiva kalpatarum  ||4||

The Beautiful Lord Shiva is Three-eyed

Embellished with a beautiful face having three eyes, endowed with a lotus face which outstrips crores of moon, having a forehead which bears the new *crescent moon. I respectfully salute you, O Shiva! Conducive as You are to our well-being just like the kalpataru.

vrisha raja niketana madigurum

                        garalashana maji-vishana dharam

pramatha dhika sevaka ranjanakam

                        pranamami shivam shiva kalpatarum  ||5||

 

 Gurudev Shiva Drank Poison & Rides the Bull

 Great guru riding the bull, known to drink even *poison. Holding the *horn as a weapon in battle. Whose loving sevakas are the bhutas and pretas. I respectfully salute such a Shiva who is so much like the kalpataru.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       makaradhwaja-matta matanga hari

                        kari charmana naga vibodha karam  |

varamagana shula vishanakaram

                        pranamami shivam shiva kalpatarum  ||6||

Lord Shiva Controls Kamdev, The god of Love

Having control also over *Kamdev who lives life like a carefree elephant. Making even living beings like elephants understand the identity of the self with the Ultimate Being. Holding weapons like the trident and horn in your beautful hands. I salute you, O Shiva! Who fulfills each wish of ours like the kalpataru. 

jaga dudbhaba-palana-nashakaram

                        tridivesha shiromani grhista padam

priya manava sadhu janaikagatim

                        pranamami shivam shiva kalpatarum  || 7||

Lord Shiva, Deva of the Trinity

The Deva of even Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, who carry out the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction. Supreme amongst all *shiromanis, giving the very same *gati to his loved ones and ascetics. I respectfully salute Shiva, the complete Lord, who fulfills all our desires like the kalpataru.

anatham sudinam vibho vishwanahta  |

                       punarjanma dukhyata paritrahi shambho  |

bhajato akhilo dukha samuha haranam

                       pranamami shivam shiva kalpatarum  ||8||              

              

Lord Shiva, Isvara of the Universe

O Isvara! O Lord of the Universe! O Shiva! Save me, a helpless destitute, from the  misery of rebirth. O Shiva, identical to the kalpataru in destroying the multitudinal griefs of Your devotees who worship You! I respectfully bow before You.

                                                            
Bhaktimati Usha Bahenji, a famed saint of Vrindavan, who was fondly known as Bobo wanted us to chant this Shiv Stuti on Gurupurnima and Mondays, in particular.

kalpataru: is a mythological, wish-fulfilling divine tree said to fulfill all desires. The kapataru originated during the Samudra manthan or 'churning of the ocean of milk' along with the kamadhenu. Indra, the King of the gods, returned with this tree to his paradise.

gunas: sattva, rajas and tamas, the three consituents of nature

Naga::A snake Vasuki Naga is shown curled three times around the neck of  Lord Shiva, and looking towards His right. The three coils of the snake symbolize the past, present and future in cycles. The Lord wearing the curled snake like an ornament signifies that creation proceeds in cycles and is dependent on time, but the Lord Himself transcends time and is symbolic of the cosmic force about him.
Paravti is the left half of Shiva: Ardhanarishvara is depicted as half male and half female, split down the middle. The right half is usually the male Shiva. Ardhanarishvara represents the synthesis of masculine and feminine energies of the universe (Purusha and Prakriti) and illustrates how Shakti, the female principle of God, is inseparable from Shiva, the male principle of God. The union of these principles is exalted as the root of all creation.

elephant: Elephants represent pride. Wearing an elephant skin, Shiva indicates that he has conquered pride.

Crescent moon: the new moon on the second day of a lunar fortnight.

poison: According to the Puranas, Shiva was named Neelkanth as he drank the poison that emerged from the oceans after it was churned (Samudra manthan) for getting 'amrit' - the nectar of immortality. With his yogic powers, he stopped the poison in his throat, preventing it from going any further and harming his body. But the poison did turn his neck blue and hence he got this name.

trident: Shiva's distinctive weapon is the trident or the spear with three prongs. The weapon  symbolizes His three fundamental powers iccha(will), kriya(action) and jnana(knowledge). It also signifies His power to destroy evil and ignorance. As His instrument of punishment, the trident represents Lord Shiva's manner of punishing the evil doers on all three planes - the spiritual, subtle and physical.

Kamdev: the HIndu god of love and desire

Trinity: personified by the forms of Brahmā the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver, and Śhiva the destroyer or transformer.

Shiromani: a jewel worn on the head,one who is supreme, a paragon

gati:  the supreme movement of the astral body after death is moksha or becoming one with the supreme being