Rudrashtakam: A Devotional Hymn to Bhagavan Shiva

Rudrashtakam

By Goswami Tulsidas
In praise of Bhagavan Shiva

The Rudrashtakam is a revered Sanskrit hymn composed by the 16th-century poet-saint Goswami Tulsidas, most widely known for the Ramcharitmanas. Unlike most of his works centered around Lord Rama, here Tulsidas offers deep, heartfelt praise to Lord Shiva, addressing Him as the supreme formless consciousness (Nirguna Brahman), yet also as a compassionate and tangible protector.

The hymn is composed in 8 verses (ashtakam) and is often recited by devotees seeking inner peace, surrender, and Shiva’s grace.

॥ 1 ॥

नमामीशमीशान निर्वाणरूपं
namami sha-mi-shaan nirvaan roopam
I bow to Lord Ishaana, the form of liberation,

विभुं व्यापकं ब्रह्मवेदस्वरूपम्।
vibhum vyaa-pa-kam brah-ma-ve-da swa-roo-pam
All-pervading, infinite, essence of Brahman and the Vedas.

निजं निर्गुणं निर्विकल्पं निरीहं
ni-jam nir-gu­nam nir-vi­kal­pam ni-ree­ham
Self-luminous, beyond qualities and thought,

चिदाकाशमाकाशवासं भजेऽहम्॥
chi-daa-kaa­sham aa-kaa­sha-vaa­sam bha-je’ham
Sky-like Consciousnes, I worship Him with devotion.

॥ 2 ॥

निराकारमोंकारमूलं तुरीयं
ni-raa­kar om-kaar moo-lam tu­ree­yam
Formless, root of Om, in the fourth supreme state,

गिरा ज्ञान गोतीतम् ईशं गिरीशम्।
gi-raa gyaa­nan go-tee­tam ee­sham gi­ree­sham
Beyond speech, thought, and senses; Lord of Kailash.

करालं महाकाल कालं कृपालं
ka-raalam ma-haa­kaal kaa­lam kri-paa­lam
Fierce, greater than Time, yet deeply compassionate,

गुणागार संसारपारं नतोऽहम्॥
gu-naa-gaar sam-saa­ra pa­aram na­to’ham
Who lifts us beyond worldly cycles, I bow to Him.

॥ 3 ॥

तुषाराद्रिसंकाशगौरं गभीरं
tu-shaa­raa­dri san-kaash gauram ga­bheeram
White as Himalayan snow, calm and profound,

मनोभूतकोटिप्रभाश्रीशरीरम्।
ma­no-bhoo­ta ko­tee pra-bhaa shree she­ree­ram
Body shining with the radiance of countless minds.

स्फुरन्मौलिकल्लोलिनी चारुगङ्गा
sphur­an mau­li kal-lo­li­nee chaa­ru gan­gaa
Ganga flows from His jeweled crown,

लसद्भालबालेंदु कण्ठे भुजङ्गा॥
la­sat bhaal baa­len­du kan­the bhu­jangaa
With crescent moon on His brow and serpent on His neck.

॥ 4 ॥

चलत्कुण्डलं भ्रूसुनेत्रं विशालं
cha­lat kund­a­lam bhru-su net­ram vi­shaa­lam
Earrings swinging, brows and eyes wide and graceful,

प्रसन्नाननं नीलकण्ठं दयालम्।
pra saan na­nam nee la kan­tham da­yaa­lam
Smiling face, blue-throated, full of compassion.

मृगाधीशचर्माम्बरं मुण्डमालं
mri gaa­dheesh char­maam ba­ram mun­da maa­lam
Draped in tiger skin, with skull garland,

प्रियं शङ्करं सर्वनाथं भजामि॥
pri yam shan­ka­ram sar­va naa­tham bha­jaa­mi
I worship Shankara, beloved Lord of all.

॥ 5 ॥

प्रचण्डं प्रकृष्टं प्रगल्भं परेशं
pra chan­dam pra krish­tam pra­galbham pa­resham
Fierce, supreme, fearless, highest of gods,

अखण्डं अजं भानुकोटिप्रकाशम्।
a­khan­dam a jam bhaa­nu ko­ti pra­kaa­sham
Undivided, unborn, shining like a million suns.

त्र्यःशूलनिर्मूलनं शूलपाणिं
trya shool nir moo­lanam shool paa­nim
Holder of the trident that uproots three-fold sorrows,

भजेऽहं भवानीपतिं भावगम्यम्॥
bha je’ham bha­vaa­nee pa­tim bhaa­va ga­myam
I worship Bhavani’s Lord, attained through devotion.

॥ 6 ॥

कलातीतकल्याण कल्पान्तकारी
ka­laa­teet ka­lya­an kal paa­nta kaa­ree
Beyond time, ever-auspicious, ender of creation,

सदा सज्जनानन्ददाता पुरारी।
sa­daa saj­ja­naa naan­da daa­taa pu­raa­ree
Giver of bliss to the righteous, slayer of Tripura.

चिदानन्दसंदोह मोहापहारी
chi daa naan­da san­doh mo­haa pa­haa­ree
Ocean of bliss and consciousness, remover of illusion,

प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो मन्मथारी॥
pra seed pra seed pra bho man ma­thaa­ree
Be gracious, O Lord, destroyer of desire, be gracious.

॥ 7 ॥

न यावदुमानाथपादारविन्दं
na yaa vad u maa­naath paa daa ra vin­dam
Until one worships Uma’s Lord’s lotus feet,

भजन्तीह लोके परे वा नराणाम्।
bha jan­tee hi lo ke pa­re va naa­raa­naam
No peace or joy in this world or the next.

न तावत्सुखं शान्तिसन्तापनाशं
na taa­vat su­kham shaan­tee san taa­pa naa­sham
No end to suffering nor attainment of bliss,

प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वभूताधिवासं॥
pra seed pra bho sar­va bhoo­taa dhi­vaa­sam
Be kind, O Lord who dwells in all beings.

॥ 8 ॥

न जानामि योगं जपं नैव पूजां
na jaa naa mi yo­gam ja­pam na­ev poo­jaam
I know not yoga, nor chant, nor ritual worship,

नतोऽहं सदा सर्वदा शम्भुतुभ्यम्।
na to’ham sa­daa sar­va daa sham­bhu tub­hyam
Always and forever, I bow to You, O Shambhu.

जराजन्मदुःखौघ तातप्यमानं
jaa raa jan ma du kh­ha ou ghat taa­ta­pya maa­nam
Burnt by pains of age, birth, and sorrow,

प्रभो पाहि आपन्नमामीश शंभो॥
pra bho paa hi aa­pan na maa­mee sha shambho
O Lord, protect me, Shambhu, I surrender to You.

रुद्राष्टकमिदं प्रोक्तं विप्रेण हरेतोषये।
rud­raa­shta­kam i­dam prokt­am vip­reṇ ha­re to­shaye
This Rudrashtakam, spoken by sages to please Lord Hare,

ये पठन्ति नरा भक्त्या तेषां शम्भुः प्रसीदति॥
ye pa­than­ti na­raa bhak­tyaa te­shaaṁ sham­bhuḥ pra­se­e­dati
Whoever recites it with devotion, Shambhu is pleased with them.