Vaidyanatha Ashtakam
|| श्री वैद्यनाथाष्टकम् ||
Please note that sometimes the first verse of stanza 7 can be linked to a different meaning while explaining the greatness of Vaiteshwaran Koil of Chidambaram. It was believed that taking a dip in Angasanatana tirtha and Siddhamrutha tirtha and then mixing the soil under the divine neem tree along with holy ash, later offering it to the Vaiteeshwara linga, and when taken it with the waters of the siddhamrutha tirtha can remove any prevalent diseases. This was explained with the words Svateertha which means the tirthas, mruda which means soil, bhasma the holy ash and bruthanga bhujam indicating applying to the lingam. So that verse has such internal meaning too, although opinions vary. Also the Jatayu name in first verse of stanza one not only just indicated that the linga is worshipped by mighty bird Jatayu but also indicates that the cremation of Jatayu occurred in this vicinity. Vaidyanatha Ashtakam Benefits By reciting this Vaidyanatha ashtakam lyrics understanding its meaning, one can get bestowed with good health. If this hymn is chanted by a diseased, their suffering and disease will be removed by the grace of God Shiva in the form of Vaidyanatha. The phalastuti part also explains vaidyanatha ashtakam benefits. By chanting the three names Balaambikesa, Vaidyanatha, Bhavarogahara, the forms of God shiva, to which the divine song depicts and praises, can keep their diseases away and bestows good health to the canted person. Vaidyanatha Ashtakam Lyrics in English with Meaning. Vaidhyanatha Ashtakam is a beautiful hymn of Lord Shiva composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya. This divine hymn explains Lord Shiva’s greatness as the God of Health, Sri Vaidyanatha. Vaitheeswaran Kovil in Tamil Nadu is a temple of Shiva where the God is worshipped in the form of Vaidyanathar or Vaitheeswaran meaning the “God of healing”. Above recitation is by C.Saroja & C.Lalitha (Bombay Sisters).
Verse 1
श्रीराम-सौमित्रि-जटायु-वेद-षडाननादित्य-कुजार्चिताय । श्रीनीलकण्ठाय दयामयाय श्रीवैद्यनाथाय नमः शिवाय ॥१॥ śrīrāmasaumitrijaṭāyuvēda ṣaḍānanāditya kujārchitāya । śrīnīlakaṇṭhāya dayāmayāya śrīvaidyanāthāya namaḥśivāya ॥ 1॥
O the Lord, who is worshipped by the Rama, Lakshmana, Jatayu, and the Vedas themselves The one who is worshipped by Shadanana (one with six faces, Lord Subrahmanya), O the one worshipped by Sun and Kuja or Angaraka Who is blue throated (Neelakantha), the merciful one I bow to you, God Shiva present in the form of Sri Vaidyanatha.
Verse 2
गङ्गाप्रवाहेन्दुजटाधराय त्रिलोचनाय स्मरकालहन्त्रे । समस्तदेवैरभिपूजिताय श्रीवैद्यनाथाय नमः शिवाय ॥२॥ महादेव महादेव … gaṅgāpravāhēndu jaṭādharāya trilōchanāya smara kālahantrē । samasta dēvairabhipūjitāya śrīvaidyanāthāya namaḥ śivāya ॥ 2॥
The one who controlled the flow of Akasha Ganga, adorned with a crescent moon and the one with the matted hair O the one with three eyes, who vanquished the Lord of love (Smara(Kamdeva) or Manmada) and the Lord of death (Yama , kala(time)) The one worshipped by all the devas(demi-gods) I bow to you, God Shiva present in the form of Sri Vaidyanatha.
Verse 3
भक्तःप्रियाय त्रिपुरान्तकाय पिनाकिने दुष्टहराय नित्यम् । प्रत्यक्षलीलाय मनुष्यलोके श्रीवैद्यनाथाय नमः शिवाय ॥३॥ महादेव महादेव … bhaktaḥpriyāya tripurāntakāya pinākinē duṣṭaharāya nityam । pratyakṣalīlāya manuṣyalōkē śrīvaidyanāthāya namaḥ śivāya ॥ 3॥
O the one who is dear to the devotees, the destroyer of Tripurasura, Who actively destroys the wicked with his powerful bow Pinaka, all the time The one who is known for his divine play on the earth I bow to you, God Shiva present in the form of Sri Vaidyanatha.
Verse 4
प्रभूतवातादि-समस्तरोगप्रनाशकर्त्रे मुनिवन्दिताय । प्रभाकरेन्द्वग्निविलोचनाय श्रीवैद्यनाथाय नमः शिवाय ॥४॥ महादेव महादेव … prabhūtavātādi samastarōga pranāśakartrē munivanditāya । prabhākarēndvagni vilōchanāya śrīvaidyanāthāya namaḥ śivāya ॥ 4॥
For all living beings and their morbid affections of the wind (diseases like rheumatism, gout, flatulence, etc.) O The Lord who can remove all the prevalent diseases The one worshipped by the sages Who has the sun, moon, and the fire as his three eyes I bow to you, God Shiva present in the form of Sri Vaidyanatha.
Verse 5
वाक्श्रोत्रनेत्राङ्घ्रि-विहीनजन्तोर्वाक्श्रोत्रनेत्राङ्घ्रि-सुखप्रदाय । कुष्ठादिसर्वोन्नतरोगहन्त्रे श्रीवैद्यनाथाय नमः शिवाय ॥५॥ महादेव महादेव … vāk śrōtra nētrāṅghri vihīnajantōḥ vākśrōtranētrāṅghrisukhapradāya । kuṣṭhādisarvōnnatarōgahantrē śrīvaidyanāthāya namaḥ śivāya ॥ 5॥
For those people who are with impaired speech, hearing, sight, and movement The wishful granter of all those abilities The remover of all the dreadful diseases like Leprosy I bow to you, God Shiva present in the form of Sri Vaidyanatha.
Verse 6
वेदान्तवेद्याय जगन्मयाय योगीश्वरध्येयपदाम्बुजाय । त्रिमूर्तिरूपाय सहस्रनाम्ने श्रीवैद्यनाथाय नमः शिवाय ॥६॥ महादेव महादेव … vēdāntavēdyāya jaganmayāya yōgīśvaradyēya padāmbujāya । trimūrtirūpāya sahasranāmnē śrīvaidyanāthāya namaḥ śivāya ॥ 6॥
The one who is known by the study of Vedanta (Upanishads), Who is all pervading and has manifested as the world, Whose lotus feet are meditated upon by the Lord of Yogis (Krishna), Who has manifested as the Trinity of Vishnu, Brahma, and Siva, and Who has thousands of names. I bow to you, God Shiva present in the form of Sri Vaidyanatha.
Verse 7
स्वतीर्थमृद्भस्मभृताङ्गभाजां पिशाचदुःखार्तिभयापहाय । आत्मस्वरूपाय शरीरभाजां श्रीवैद्यनाथाय नमः शिवाय ॥७॥ महादेव महादेव … svatīrthamṛdbhasmabhṛtāṅgabhājāṃ piśāchaduḥkhārtibhayāpahāya । ātmasvarūpāya śarīrabhājāṃ śrīvaidyanāthāya namaḥ śivāya ॥ 7॥
The one whose body is smeared with the holy ash, earth, and of the sacred tirthas Who removes the fears, sufferings that occurred due to the Pisachas or the evil forces Who is an embodied form of the ultimate soul that is spread all over the body I bow to you, God Shiva present in the form of Sri Vaidyanatha.
Verse 8
श्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय स्रग्गन्धभस्माद्यभिशोभिताय । सुपुत्रदारादिसुभाग्यदाय श्रीवैद्यनाथाय नमः शिवाय ॥८॥ महादेव महादेव … śrīnīlakaṇṭhāya vṛṣadhvajāya srakgandha bhasmādyabhiśōbhitāya । suputradārādi subhāgyadāya śrīvaidyanāthāya namaḥ śivāya ॥ 8॥
Bestower of the Good children, spouse, and the granter of good fortune
O the blue throated Lord, the one having ox as a symbol on his flag The one who looks resplendent with the garlands, pastes of trees like sandal wood and with holy ash I bow to you, God Shiva present in the form of Sri Vaidyanatha.
Verse 9
बालाम्बिकेश वैद्येश भवरोगहरेति च । जपेन्नामत्रयं नित्यं महारोगनिवारणम् ॥ महादेव महादेव … bālāmbikēśa vaidyēśa bhavarōga harēti cha । japēnnāmatrayaṃ nityaṃ mahārōganivāraṇam ॥ 9॥
The names Baalambikesa, Vaidhyesha, and Bhavarogahara For those who chant these three names daily, will get all their diseases cured.
Verse 10
महादेव महादेव …
महादेव महादेव महादेव महादेव महादेव महादेव महादेव महादेव । महादेव महादेव महादेव महादेव महादेव महादेव महादेव महादेव ॥ ॥ इति श्री वैद्यनाथाष्टकम् सम्पूर्णम् ॥
About this stotra
Vaidyanatha Ashtakam is a beautiful hymn of Lord Shiva composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya. This divine hymn explains Lord Shiva’s greatness as the God of Health — Sri Vaidyanatha. Vaitheeswaran Koil in Tamil Nadu is the temple where Shiva is worshipped as Vaidyanathar, meaning the “God of Healing.”
Some verses carry deeper meanings — the first verse’s reference to Jatayu indicates that the linga was worshipped by the mighty bird Jatayu and that his cremation occurred in that vicinity. The seventh verse describes sacred tirthas, sacred soil, and holy ash — linked to the healing practices at Vaitheeswaran Koil, where taking a dip in the sacred tanks and offering holy ash is believed to cure diseases.
The phalaśruti declares that chanting the three names — Balaambikesa, Vaidyanatha, and Bhavarogahara — frees one from diseases. Chanting this hymn with understanding bestows good health and removes suffering.
Above recitation is by C. Saroja and C. Lalitha (Bombay Sisters).