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Shiva Tandava Stotram

शिव तांडव स्तोत्रम्

The Shiva Tandava Stotram is one of the most magnificent compositions in all of Sanskrit literature, composed by the great scholar-king Ravana — a supreme devotee of Lord Shiva despite his role as the antagonist of the Ramayana. The stotra praises Shiva's awe-inspiring Tandava dance — the cosmic dance of creation and destruction — through the thunderous and rapid Druta Vilambita meter that itself mimics the rhythm of the dance. It describes Shiva's terrifying yet beautiful form: the coiled Ganga flowing from his matted locks, the serpents adorning his body, the crescent moon crowning his head, and the drum (damaru) in his hand — each detail a window into the supreme mystery of existence.

Sanskrit · By Ravana · 15 shlokas

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Shloka 1
जटाटवीगलज्जलप्रवाहपावितस्थले गलेऽवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजङ्गतुङ्गमालिकाम्। डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनादवड्डमर्वयं चकार चण्डताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिवः शिवम्॥
Shloka 2
जटाकटाहसंभ्रमभ्रमन्निलिम्पनिर्झरी- विलोलवीचिवल्लरीविराजमानमूर्धनि। धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल्ललाटपट्टपावके किशोरचन्द्रशेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम॥
Shloka 3
धराधरेन्द्रनंदिनीविलासबन्धुबन्धुर- स्फुरद्दिगन्तसन्तति प्रमोदमानमानसे। कृपाकटाक्षधोरणीनिरुद्धदुर्धरापदि क्वचिद्दिगम्बरे मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि॥
Shloka 4
जटाभुजङ्गपिङ्गलस्फुरत्फणामणिप्रभा- कदम्बकुङ्कुमद्रवप्रलिप्तदिग्वधूमुखे। मदान्धसिन्धुरस्फुरत्त्वगुत्तरीयमेदुरे मनो विनोदमद्भुतं बिभर्तु भूतभर्तरि॥
Shloka 5
सहस्रलोचनप्रभृत्यशेषलेखशेखर- प्रसूनधूलिधोरणीविधूसराङ्घ्रिपीठभूः। भुजङ्गराजमालया निबद्धजाटजूटकः श्रियै चिराय जायतां चकोरबन्धुशेखरः॥
Shloka 6
ललाटचत्वरज्वलद्धनञ्जयस्फुलिङ्गभा- nिपीतपञ्चसायकं नमन्निलिम्पनायकम्। सुधामयूखलेखया विराजमानशेखरं महाकपालिसम्पदे शिरोजटालमस्तु नः॥
Shloka 7
करालभालपट्टिकाधगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलद्- धनञ्जयाहुतीकृतप्रचण्डपञ्चसायके। धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीकुचाग्रचित्रपत्रक- प्रकल्पनैकशिल्पिनि त्रिलोचने रतिर्मम॥
Shloka 8
नवीनमेघमण्डलीनिरुद्धदुर्धरस्फुरत्- कुहूनिशीथिनीतमःप्रबद्धबद्धकन्धरः। निलिम्पनिर्झरीधरस्तनोतु कृत्तिसिन्धुरः कलानिधानबन्धुरः श्रियं जगद्धुरन्धरः॥
Shloka 9
प्रफुल्लनीलपङ्कजप्रपञ्चकालिमप्रभा- वलम्बिकण्ठकन्दलीरुचिप्रबद्धकन्धरम्। स्मरच्छिदं पुरच्छिदं भवच्छिदं मखच्छिदं गजच्छिदांधकच्छिदं तमन्तकच्छिदं भजे॥
Shloka 10
अखर्वसर्वमङ्गलाकलाकदम्बमञ्जरी- रसप्रवाहमाधुरीविजृम्भणामधुव्रतम्। स्मरान्तकं पुरान्तकं भवान्तकं मखान्तकं गजान्तकान्धकान्तकं तमन्तकान्तकं भजे॥
Shloka 11
जयत्वदभ्रविभ्रमभ्रमद्भुजङ्गमश्वस- द्विनिर्गमत्क्रमस्फुरत्करालभालहव्यवाट्। धिमिद्धिमिद्धिमिध्वनन्मृदङ्गतुङ्गमङ्गल- ध्वनिक्रमप्रवर्तित प्रचण्डताण्डवः शिवः॥
Shloka 12
दृषद्विचित्रतल्पयोर्भुजङ्गमौक्तिकस्रजोर्- गरिष्ठरत्नलोष्ठयोः सुहृद्विपक्षपक्षयोः। तृणारविन्दचक्षुषोः प्रजामहीमहेन्द्रयोः समप्रवृत्तिकः कदा सदाशिवं भजाम्यहम्॥
Shloka 13
कदा निलिम्पनिर्झरीनिकुञ्जकोटरे वसन् विमुक्तदुर्मतिः सदा शिरःस्थमञ्जलिं वहन्। विमुक्तलोललोचनो ललामभाललग्नकः शिवेति मन्त्रमुच्चरन्कदा सुखी भवाम्यहम्॥
Shloka 14
इमं हि नित्यमेव मुक्तमुत्तमोत्तमं स्तवं पठन्स्मरन्ब्रुवन्नरो विशुद्धिमेति सन्ततम्। हरे गुरौ सुभक्तिमाशु याति नान्यथा गतिं विमोहनं हि देहिनां सुशंकरस्य चिन्तनम्॥
Shloka 15
पूजावसानसमये दशवक्त्रगीतं यः शम्भुपूजनपरं पठति प्रदोषे। तस्य स्थिरां रथगजेन्द्रतुरङ्गयुक्तां लक्ष्मीं सदैव सुमुखीं प्रददाति शम्भुः॥

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Frequently Asked Questions about Shiva Tandava Stotram

Who composed the Shiva Tandava Stotram?

The Shiva Tandava Stotram is traditionally attributed to Ravana, the great scholar-king of Lanka who is the primary antagonist of the Ramayana. Despite his role as the villain who abducted Sita, Ravana was a supremely learned brahmin and one of the greatest devotees of Lord Shiva. According to tradition, he composed this stotra in a moment of ecstatic devotion to Shiva, and the power of its recitation reveals the level of his spiritual attainment. This makes the Stotram a fascinating study in how the same person can be both a great devotee and a great wrongdoer.

What is the Tandava — Shiva's cosmic dance?

The Tandava is the divine dance of Lord Shiva, performed with wild, fierce energy that represents the cosmic cycles of creation, preservation, and destruction. Unlike the gentle Lasya dance attributed to Goddess Parvati, the Tandava is powerful and transformative — it is the dance through which Shiva creates and destroys the universe. The most famous form is the Ananda Tandava, depicted in the iconic Nataraja bronze sculpture, where Shiva dances within a circle of fire, trampling ignorance underfoot and holding creation and liberation simultaneously in his four hands.

What is significant about Ravana being Shiva's devotee?

The paradox of Ravana — supremely learned, powerful, and devoted to Shiva, yet driven by ego and desire to commit terrible acts — is one of the great theological puzzles of Hindu literature. His case shows that even genuine devotion to God does not automatically transform a person's character if the ego remains intact. Conversely, it demonstrates Shiva's boundless grace: he receives the worship of even the most flawed devotee, and the Shiva Tandava Stotram stands as testimony that the highest artistic and devotional achievement is not incompatible with moral failure. It is a study in complexity, not a simple morality tale.

What is the Druta Vilambita meter used in this Stotram?

Druta Vilambita (meaning "fast-slow") is one of the most technically demanding meters in Sanskrit prosody. Each line consists of 12 syllables arranged in a specific pattern that creates a rushing, thunderous rhythmic effect — perfectly suited to describing Shiva's fierce Tandava dance. The meter itself seems to embody the dance: it has the quality of rapid forward momentum interspersed with moments of held tension. The opening verse's famous repetition of "damadam, damadam" (mimicking the damaru drum) exemplifies how the meter creates a sonic experience of the deity's dance, not just a description of it.

When is the best time to recite the Shiva Tandava Stotram?

The Shiva Tandava Stotram is most powerfully recited on Monday (Somvaar, the day of Shiva), during the Pradosha period (evening twilight on the 13th lunar day, Trayodashi), and on the night of Maha Shivaratri — the great night of Shiva worship. It is also recited during the auspicious month of Shravan. For daily practice, early morning after bathing is considered appropriate. Given the power and intensity of this stotra, it is traditionally recommended to recite it with proper pronunciation, a focused mind, and ideally before a Shiva linga or an image of the Nataraja (dancing Shiva).

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