Sri Neelakanta Stava (Parvathi Vallabha Ashtakam) - श्री नीलकण्ठ स्तवः (श्री पार्वतीवल्लभाष्टकम्)
About this stotra
Parvathi Vallabhashtakam, also known as Sri Neelakanta Stava, is a nine-stanza hymn traditionally attributed to Sri Shankarayogindra in praise of Lord Shiva as the consort of Parvathi.
|| श्री पार्वतीवल्लभाष्टकम् ||
Verse 1
नमो भूतनाथं नमो देवदेवं नमः कालकालं नमो दिव्यतेजम् । नमः कामभस्मं नमः शान्तशीलं भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥ १ ॥
namo bhūtanāthaṃ namo devadevaṃ namaḥ kālakālaṃ namo divyatejam | namaḥ kāmabhasmaṃ namaḥ śāntaśīlaṃ bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham || 1 ||
Salutations to lord of all beings, Salutations to god of Gods, Salutations to the death to god of death, salutations to the great light, Salutations to he who he made Manmatha in to ashes, Salutations to one who is calm by nature, Salutations to the consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Verse 2
सदा तीर्थसिद्धं सदा भक्तरक्षं सदा शैवपूज्यं सदा शुभ्रभस्मम् । सदा ध्यानयुक्तं सदा ज्ञानतल्पं भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥ २ ॥
sadā tīrthasiddhaṃ sadā bhaktarakṣaṃ sadā śaivapūjyaṃ sadā śubhrabhasmam | sadā dhyānayuktaṃ sadā jñānatalpaṃ bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham || 2 || Always ready near sacred waters, Always on the side of his devotees, Always worshipped by Shaivaites, Always wearing the holy ash, Always in pose of meditation, Always interested in wisdom,
Salutations to the consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Verse 3
श्मशाने शयानं महास्थानवासं शरीरं गजानां सदा चर्मवेष्टम् । पिशाचादिनाथं पशूनां प्रतिष्ठं भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥ ३ ॥
śmaśāne śayānaṃ mahāsthānavāsaṃ śarīraṃ gajānāṃ sadā carmaveṣṭam | piśācādināthaṃ paśūnāṃ pratiṣṭhaṃ bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham || 3 ||
He who lives in the very fearful ground of cremation, He who always covers himself with the hide of elephant, He who is seen with beings equal to devils and ghosts. Salutations to the consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Verse 4
फणीनागकण्ठे भुजङ्गाद्यनेकं गले रुण्डमालं महावीर शूरम् । कटिव्याघ्रचर्मं चिताभस्मलेपं भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥ ४ ॥
phaṇīnāgakaṇṭhe bhujaṅgādyanekaṃ gale ruṇḍamālaṃ mahāvīra śūram | kaṭivyāghracarmaṃ citābhasmalepaṃ bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham || 4 ||
He who has tied a cobra in his neck is in company of many snakes, He wears a garland of skulls and he is a greatly valorous hero, He wears the skin of a dead tiger and applies ash of cremation on his body, Salutations to the consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Verse 5
शिरः शुद्धगङ्गा शिवा वामभागं वियद्दीर्घकेशं सदा मां त्रिणेत्रम् । फणीनागकर्णं सदा फालचन्द्रं भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥ ५ ॥
śiraḥ śuddhagaṅgā śivā vāmabhāgaṃ viyaddīrghakeśaṃ sadā māṃ triṇetram | phaṇīnāgakarṇaṃ sadā phālacandraṃ bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham || 5 ||
He has pure Ganga on his head and Parvathi on his left side, He always has long uncut hair on his head and he has three eyes, He wears hooded snake on his ears and always keeps the young moon, Salutations to the consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Verse 6
करे शूलधारं महाकष्टनाशं सुरेशं परेशं महेशं जनेशम् । धनेशामरेशं ध्वजेशं गिरीशं भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥ ६ ॥
kare śūladhāraṃ mahākaṣṭanāśaṃ sureśaṃ pareśaṃ maheśaṃ janeśam | dhaneśāmareśaṃ dhvajeśaṃ girīśaṃ bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham || 6 ||
He has trident in his hands , He destroys great troubles, He is the Lord of devas, Lord of blessings, greatest Lord and Lord of the people, The pretty one is Lord of our body , God with a flag and Lord of mountains, Salutations the to consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Verse 7
उदासं सुदासं सुकैलासवासं धरानिर्झरे संस्थितं ह्यादिदेवम् । अजं हेमकल्पद्रुमं कल्पसेव्यं भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥ ७ ॥
udāsaṃ sudāsaṃ sukailāsavāsaṃ dharānirjhare saṃsthitaṃ hyādidevam | ajaṃ hemakalpadrumaṃ kalpasevyaṃ bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham || 7 ||
Not very particular of his looks , having great servants , he lives on the great Kailsa, He helps the poor of this earth , he is the great God of who controls the past, He is served by the invincible golden wish giving tree and also by the eons Salutations to the consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Verse 8
मुनीनां वरेण्यं गुणं रूपवर्णं द्विजैः सम्पठन्तं शिवं वेदशास्त्रम् । अहो दीनवत्सं कृपालुं शिवं तं भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥ ८ ॥
munīnāṃ vareṇyaṃ guṇaṃ rūpavarṇaṃ dvijaiḥ sampaṭhantaṃ śivaṃ vedaśāstram | aho dīnavatsaṃ kṛpāluṃ śivaṃ taṃ bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham || 8 ||
He is sought after by great sages for character, looks as well as class, He leads the twice born properly , He is Shiva of the Vedas, He loves the oppressed and is store house of mercy and peace, Salutations to the consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
Verse 9
सदा भावनाथं सदा सेव्यमानं सदा भक्तिदेवं सदा पूज्यमानम् । महातीर्थवासं सदा सेव्यमेकं भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥ ९ ॥
sadā bhāvanāthaṃ sadā sevyamānaṃ sadā bhaktidevaṃ sadā pūjyamānam | mahātīrthavāsaṃ sadā sevyamekaṃ bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham || 9 ||
He is always the lord of birth and death , He is always being served by all, He is always Lord of all his devotees, He is a lord suitable to be worshipped, He lives near the sacred waters, And he is one served by other always, Salutations to consort of Parvathi who has a blue neck.
॥ इति श्रीमच्छङ्करयोगीन्द्रविरचितं पार्वतीवल्लभाष्टकं नाम नीलकण्ठस्तवः ॥
iti śrīmacchaṅkarayogīndraviracitaṃ pārvatīvallabhāṣṭakaṃ nāma nīlakaṇṭhastavaḥ ||
About this stotra
The Parvathi Vallabha Ashtakam (also known as Sri Neelakanta Stava) is a nine-stanza hymn in praise of Lord Shiva as Neelakanta (the blue-throated one), the beloved consort of Parvathi. Traditionally attributed to Shri Shankarayogindra, each stanza describes a different aspect of Shiva’s divine attributes - from his fearsome nature as the destroyer of Kama (Manmatha) and the lord of beings, to his benevolent role as the protector of devotees and the storehouse of wisdom.
The hymn beautifully portrays Shiva’s iconic imagery: the holy Ganga flowing from his matted locks, the crescent moon adorning his forehead, the serpent coiled around his neck, the garland of skulls, the tiger skin he wears, and the sacred ash smeared on his body. It describes him as the three-eyed lord who lives on Mount Kailasa, holds the trident, and is the supreme lord of all gods, yet remains accessible to sages and devotees alike.
Each verse concludes with the refrain “Bhaje Parvathi Vallabham Neelakantham” - I worship the blue-throated consort of Parvathi. The hymn serves as a powerful prayer for protection, wisdom, and liberation.
The source tradition preserves variant readings in several verses. Verse 6 is presented here with the primary reading “धनेशामरेशं ध्वजेशं गिरीशं”; some editions print an alternate reading in its place.