Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam
Introduction to Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam
The Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam beginning with "Tasmai Namah Parama" is a profoundly devotional eight-verse hymn composed by the great Adi Shankaracharya in praise of Lord Shiva. This sacred composition is a masterpiece of Sanskrit poetry that captures the essence of Shiva's infinite glory, transcendent nature, and boundless compassion toward His devotees.
Adi Shankaracharya, the revered 8th-century philosopher-saint and proponent of Advaita Vedanta, composed numerous hymns dedicated to various deities, and this Shiva Ashtakam stands as one of his most beautiful offerings to Mahadeva. Each verse reverently salutes the supreme Lord Shiva, acknowledging Him as the ultimate reality beyond all forms and names.
Reciting this ashtakam with devotion is believed to invoke the grace of Lord Shiva, bestow spiritual wisdom, and lead the devotee toward liberation. It is especially powerful when chanted during Maha Shivaratri, on Mondays, and during the sacred month of Shravan.
Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam: Sanskrit, English & Tamil Verses
॥ शिवाष्टकम् ॥
तस्मै नमः परमकारणकारणाय
दीप्तोज्ज्वलज्ज्वलितपिङ्गललोचनाय।
नागेन्द्रहारकृतकुण्डलभूषणाय
ब्रह्मेन्द्रविष्णुवरदाय नमः शिवाय॥1॥
श्रीमत्प्रसन्नशशिपन्नगभूषणाय
शैलेन्द्रजावदनचुम्बितलोचनाय।
कैलासमन्दरमहेन्द्रनिकेतनाय
लोकत्रयार्तिहरणाय नमः शिवाय॥2॥
पद्मावदातमणिकुण्डलगोवृषाय
कृष्णागरुप्रचुरचन्दनचर्चिताय।
भस्मानुषक्तविकचोत्पलमल्लिकाय
नीलाब्जकण्ठसदृशाय नमः शिवाय॥3॥
लम्बत्सपिङ्गलजटामुकुटोत्कटाय
दंष्ट्राकरालविकटोत्कटभैरवाय।
व्याघ्राजिनाम्बरधराय मनोहराय
त्रैलोक्यनाथनमिताय नमः शिवाय॥4॥
दक्षप्रजापतिमहामखनाशनाय
क्षिप्रं महात्रिपुरदानवघातनाय।
ब्रह्मोर्जितोर्ध्वगकरोटिनिकृन्तनाय
योगाय योगनमिताय नमः शिवाय॥5॥
संसारसृष्टिघटनापरिवर्तनाय
रक्षः पिशाचगणसिद्धसमाकुलाय।
सिद्धोरगग्रहगणेन्द्रनिषेविताय
शार्दूलचर्मवसनाय नमः शिवाय॥6॥
भस्माङ्गरागकृतरूपमनोहराय
सौम्यावदातवनमाश्रितमाश्रिताय।
गौरीकटाक्षनयनार्धनिरीक्षणाय
गोक्षीरधारधवलाय नमः शिवाय॥7॥
आदित्यसोमवरुणानिलसेविताय
यज्ञाग्निहोत्रवरधूमनिकेतनाय।
ऋक्सामवेदमुनिभिः स्तुतिसंयुताय
गोपाय गोपनमिताय नमः शिवाय॥8॥
शिवाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेत् शिवसन्निधौ।
शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते॥
॥ इति श्री शङ्कराचार्यकृतं शिवाष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
॥ Shivashtakam ॥
Tasmai Namah Paramakaranakaranaya
Diptojjvalajjvalitapingalalochanaya।
Nagendraharakritakundalabhushanaya
Brahmendravishnuvaradaya Namah Shivaya॥1॥
Shrimatprasannashashipannagabhushanaya
Shailendrajavadanachumbitalochanaya।
Kailasamandaramahendraniketanaya
Lokatrayartiharanaya Namah Shivaya॥2॥
Padmavadatamanikundalagovrishaya
Krishnagaruprachurachandanacharchitaya।
Bhasmanushaktavikachotpalamallikaya
Nilabjakanthasadrishaya Namah Shivaya॥3॥
Lambatsapingalajatamukutotkataya
Damshtrakaralavikatotkatabhairavaya।
Vyaghrajinambaradharaya Manoharaya
Trailokyanathanamitaya Namah Shivaya॥4॥
Dakshaprajapatimahamakhanashanaya
Kshipram Mahatripuradanavaghatanaya।
Brahmorjitordhvagakarotinikrintanaya
Yogaya Yoganamitaya Namah Shivaya॥5॥
Samsarasrishtighatanaparivartanaya
Rakshah Pishachaganasiddhasamakulaya।
Siddhoragagrahaganendranishevitaya
Shardulacharmavasanaya Namah Shivaya॥6॥
Bhasmangaragakritarupamanoharaya
Saumyavadatavanamashritamashritaya।
Gaurikatakshanayanardhanirikshanaya
Gokshiradharadhavalaya Namah Shivaya॥7॥
Adityasomavarunanilasevitaya
Yajnagnihotravaradhumaniketanaya।
Riksamavedamunibhih Stutisamyutaya
Gopaya Gopanamitaya Namah Shivaya॥8॥
Shivashtakamidam Punyam Yah Pathet Shivasannidhau।
Shivalokamavapnoti Shivena Saha Modate॥
॥ Iti Shri Shankaracharyakritam Shivashtakam Sampurnam ॥
॥ ஶிவாஷ்டகம் ॥
தஸ்மை நமः பரமகாரணகாரணாய
தீப்தோஜ்ஜ்வலஜ்ஜ்வலிதபிங்கலலோசனாய।
நாகேந்த்ரஹாரக்ருதகுண்டலபூஷணாய
ப்ரஹ்மேந்த்ரவிஷ்ணுவரதாய நமः ஶிவாய॥1॥
ஶ்ரீமத்ப்ரஸன்னஶஶிபன்னகபூஷணாய
ஶைலேந்த்ரஜாவதனசும்பிதலோசனாய।
கைலாஸமந்தரமஹேந்த்ரநிகேதனாய
லோகத்ரயார்திஹரணாய நமः ஶிவாய॥2॥
பத்மாவதாதமணிகுண்டலகோவ்ருஷாய
க்ருஷ்ணாகருப்ரசுரசந்தனசர்சிதாய।
பஸ்மானுஷக்தவிகசோத்பலமல்லிகாய
நீலாப்ஜகண்டஸத்ருஶாய நமः ஶிவாய॥3॥
லம்பத்ஸபிங்கலஜடாமுகுடோத்கடாய
தம்ஷ்ட்ராகராலவிகடோத்கடபைரவாய।
வ்யாக்ராஜினாம்பரதராய மனோஹராய
த்ரைலோக்யநாதனமிதாய நமः ஶிவாய॥4॥
தக்ஷப்ரஜாபதிமஹாமகநாஶனாய
க்ஷிப்ரம் மஹாத்ரிபுரதானவகாதனாய।
ப்ரஹ்மோர்ஜிதோர்த்வககரோடிநிக்ருந்தனாய
யோகாய யோகனமிதாய நமः ஶிவாய॥5॥
ஸம்ஸாரஸ்ருஷ்டிகடனாபரிவர்தனாய
ரக்ஷः பிஶாசகணஸித்தஸமாகுலாய।
ஸித்தோரகக்ரஹகணேந்த்ரநிஷேவிதாய
ஶார்தூலசர்மவஸனாய நமः ஶிவாய॥6॥
பஸ்மாங்கராகக்ருதரூபமனோஹராய
ஸௌம்யாவதாதவனமாஶ்ரிதமாஶ்ரிதாய।
கௌரீகடாக்ஷநயனார்தநிரீக்ஷணாய
கோக்ஷீரதாரதவலாய நமः ஶிவாய॥7॥
ஆதித்யஸோமவருணானிலஸேவிதாய
யஜ்ஞாக்னிஹோத்ரவரதூமநிகேதனாய।
ருக்ஸாமவேதமுனிபிः ஸ்துதிஸம்யுதாய
கோபாய கோபனமிதாய நமः ஶிவாய॥8॥
ஶிவாஷ்டகமிதம் புண்யம் யः படேத் ஶிவஸந்நிதௌ।
ஶிவலோகமவாப்னோதி ஶிவேன ஸஹ மோததே॥
॥ இதி ஶ்ரீ ஶங்கராசார்யக்ருதம் ஶிவாஷ்டகம் ஸம்பூர்ணம் ॥
॥ శివాష్టకం ॥
తస్మై నమః పరమకారణకారణాయ
దీప్తోజ్జ్వలజ్జ్వలితపింగలలోచనాయ।
నాగేంద్రహారకృతకుండలభూషణాయ
బ్రహ్మేంద్రవిష్ణువరదాయ నమః శివాయ॥1॥
శ్రీమత్ప్రసన్నశశిపన్నగభూషణాయ
శైలేంద్రజావదనచుంబితలోచనాయ।
కైలాసమందరమహేంద్రనికేతనాయ
లోకత్రయార్తిహరణాయ నమః శివాయ॥2॥
పద్మావదాతమణికుండలగోవృషాయ
కృష్ణాగరుప్రచురచందనచర్చితాయ।
భస్మానుషక్తవికచోత్పలమల్లికాయ
నీలాబ్జకంఠసదృశాయ నమః శివాయ॥3॥
లంబత్సపింగలజటాముకుటోత్కటాయ
దంష్ట్రాకరాలవికటోత్కటభైరవాయ।
వ్యాఘ్రాజినాంబరధరాయ మనోహరాయ
త్రైలోక్యనాథనమితాయ నమః శివాయ॥4॥
దక్షప్రజాపతిమహామఖనాశనాయ
క్షిప్రం మహాత్రిపురదానవఘాతనాయ।
బ్రహ్మోర్జితోర్ధ్వగకరోటినికృంతనాయ
యోగాయ యోగనమితాయ నమః శివాయ॥5॥
సంసారసృష్టిఘటనాపరివర్తనాయ
రక్షః పిశాచగణసిద్ధసమాకులాయ।
సిద్ధోరగగ్రహగణేంద్రనిషేవితాయ
శార్దూలచర్మవసనాయ నమః శివాయ॥6॥
భస్మాంగరాగకృతరూపమనోహరాయ
సౌమ్యావదాతవనమాశ్రితమాశ్రితాయ।
గౌరీకటాక్షనయనార్ధనిరీక్షణాయ
గోక్షీరధారధవలాయ నమః శివాయ॥7॥
ఆదిత్యసోమవరుణానిలసేవితాయ
యజ్ఞాగ్నిహోత్రవరధూమనికేతనాయ।
ఋక్సామవేదమునిభిః స్తుతిసంయుతాయ
గోపాయ గోపనమితాయ నమః శివాయ॥8॥
శివాష్టకమిదం పుణ్యం యః పఠేత్ శివసన్నిధౌ।
శివలోకమవాప్నోతి శివేన సహ మోదతే॥
॥ ఇతి శ్రీ శంకరాచార్యకృతం శివాష్టకం సంపూర్ణం ॥
Verse-by-Verse Meaning of Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam
1 First Verse
दीप्तोज्ज्वलज्ज्वलितपिङ्गललोचनाय।
नागेन्द्रहारकृतकुण्डलभूषणाय
ब्रह्मेन्द्रविष्णुवरदाय नमः शिवाय॥1॥
2 Second Verse
शैलेन्द्रजावदनचुम्बितलोचनाय।
कैलासमन्दरमहेन्द्रनिकेतनाय
लोकत्रयार्तिहरणाय नमः शिवाय॥2॥
3 Third Verse
कृष्णागरुप्रचुरचन्दनचर्चिताय।
भस्मानुषक्तविकचोत्पलमल्लिकाय
नीलाब्जकण्ठसदृशाय नमः शिवाय॥3॥
4 Fourth Verse
दंष्ट्राकरालविकटोत्कटभैरवाय।
व्याघ्राजिनाम्बरधराय मनोहराय
त्रैलोक्यनाथनमिताय नमः शिवाय॥4॥
5 Fifth Verse
क्षिप्रं महात्रिपुरदानवघातनाय।
ब्रह्मोर्जितोर्ध्वगकरोटिनिकृन्तनाय
योगाय योगनमिताय नमः शिवाय॥5॥
6 Sixth Verse
रक्षः पिशाचगणसिद्धसमाकुलाय।
सिद्धोरगग्रहगणेन्द्रनिषेविताय
शार्दूलचर्मवसनाय नमः शिवाय॥6॥
7 Seventh Verse
सौम्यावदातवनमाश्रितमाश्रिताय।
गौरीकटाक्षनयनार्धनिरीक्षणाय
गोक्षीरधारधवलाय नमः शिवाय॥7॥
8 Eighth Verse
यज्ञाग्निहोत्रवरधूमनिकेतनाय।
ऋक्सामवेदमुनिभिः स्तुतिसंयुताय
गोपाय गोपनमिताय नमः शिवाय॥8॥
✦ Phala Shruti (Fruit of Recitation)
शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते॥
Spiritual Benefits of Reciting Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam
- Divine Wisdom: Bestows the spiritual wisdom of Adi Shankaracharya's Advaita realization
- Shiva's Grace: Invokes the supreme blessings and protection of Lord Shiva
- Liberation Path: Accelerates the journey toward moksha and self-realization
- Purifies Consciousness: Cleanses the mind of ignorance and worldly attachments
- Inner Transformation: Awakens higher consciousness and spiritual awareness
- Removes Suffering: Alleviates sorrow, fear, and the cycle of worldly misery
- Deepens Devotion: Strengthens the bond between devotee and Mahadeva
- Karmic Purification: Burns accumulated negative karma through sincere recitation
Chanting Instructions
- Sit facing east or north in a clean, quiet place
- Light a diya (lamp) and incense before Lord Shiva's image or Shiva Lingam
- Offer bilva leaves, water, and white flowers to Mahadeva
- Chant with pure devotion and clear pronunciation
- Ideal times: early morning, during Maha Shivaratri, or Mondays
- Recite 1, 3, or 11 times for maximum spiritual benefit
- Conclude with a prayer seeking Lord Shiva's continued blessings
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam
What is Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam?
Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam is a sacred eight-verse hymn composed by Adi Shankaracharya, the renowned 8th-century philosopher-saint and proponent of Advaita Vedanta. Beginning with "Tasmai Namah Parama Karana Karanaya," it extols the supreme glory, transcendent attributes, and boundless compassion of Lord Shiva through profound Sanskrit verses.
Who composed this Shiva Ashtakam and when?
This Shiva Ashtakam was composed by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya (788–820 CE), the great Hindu philosopher, theologian, and consolidator of the Advaita Vedanta school of thought. He composed numerous devotional hymns (stotras) to various deities, and this ashtakam is one of his most revered offerings to Lord Shiva.
What is the best time to chant this ashtakam?
The most auspicious times to chant Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam are during the Brahma Muhurta (pre-dawn hours), on Mondays (which are sacred to Lord Shiva), during the month of Shravan, and especially on Maha Shivaratri. However, it can be recited at any time with sincere devotion for Lord Shiva's blessings.
What are the spiritual benefits of reciting this ashtakam?
Regular recitation of this ashtakam invokes Lord Shiva's supreme grace, bestows spiritual wisdom and inner purification, removes suffering and fear, burns accumulated negative karma, accelerates the path toward moksha (liberation), and deepens one's devotion to Mahadeva. The Phala Shruti states that the reciter attains Shiva Loka and rejoices with Lord Shiva.
How is this different from the other Shiva Ashtakam?
While there are several Shiva Ashtakams in Hindu literature, this particular one is distinguished by its authorship by Adi Shankaracharya. It begins with "Tasmai Namah Parama" and focuses on the philosophical and transcendent aspects of Lord Shiva, reflecting Shankaracharya's Advaitic perspective. Other Shiva Ashtakams, such as the one beginning with "Prabhu Deva," have different meters, themes, and composers.
Can beginners chant this ashtakam without knowing Sanskrit?
Yes, beginners can absolutely chant this ashtakam. While understanding the Sanskrit meanings enhances the spiritual experience, the divine vibrations produced by sincere recitation itself carry immense spiritual power. Start with the English transliteration provided, practice the pronunciation gradually, and chant with heartfelt devotion — Lord Shiva values the sincerity of the heart above all.
Is Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam available in Tamil?
Yes. This page includes the complete Shankaracharya Krit Shiva Ashtakam in Tamil script along with Sanskrit (Devanagari) and English transliteration, so devotees can read and chant in their preferred script.