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Vedasara Shiva Stava

Stotram · 11 verses · 7 min read

|| वेदसार शिवस्तव स्तोत्रम् ||

Vedasara Shiva Stava is a profound hymn composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya that encapsulates the essence (sara) of the Vedas in praise of Lord Shiva. In 11 verses, it presents Shiva as the supreme Brahman — the lord of all beings, the destroyer of sins, the transcendental reality beyond earth, water, fire, air, and space, and the substratum of the entire universe. Each verse beautifully weaves together Vedantic philosophy with devotional fervor, making this stotram a unique offering that uplifts both the heart and the intellect. Recitation of this stava is said to bestow purity of mind, devotion, and liberation.

The Above Recitation is by Hansa Dave · Hemangini Desai · Purushottam Upadhyay.

Verse 1

पशूनां पतिं पापनाशं परेशं गजेन्द्रस्य कृत्तिं वसानं वरेण्यम् । जटाजूटमध्ये स्फुरद्गाङ्गवारिं महादेवमेकं स्मरामि स्मरारिम् ॥१॥

paśūnāṃ patiṃ pāpanāśaṃ pareśaṃ gajendrasya kṛttiṃ vasānaṃ vareṇyam . jaṭājūṭamadhye sphuradgāṅgavāriṃ mahādevamekaṃ smarāmi smarārim ..1.. (I meditate on him) who is the lord of the living beings (Pashus), who destroys our sins, and who is the transcendental god, who wears the hide of the best of elephants, and who is himself the best, on that mahadeva (with one-pointed mind) I meditate, the one who is the enemy of smara (Kamadeva, representing desires).

From whose matted hairs is spurting out the holy waters of the great river ganga,

Verse 2

महेशं सुरेशं सुरारार्तिनाशं विभुं विश्वनाथं विभूत्यङ्गभूषम् । विरूपाक्षमिन्द्वर्क वह्नित्रिनेत्रं सदानन्दमीडे प्रभुं पञ्चवक्त्रम् ॥२॥

maheśaṃ sureśaṃ surārārtināśaṃ vibhuṃ viśvanāthaṃ vibhūtyaṅgabhūṣam . virūpākṣamindvarka vahnitrinetraṃ sadānandamīḍe prabhuṃ pañcavaktram ..2.. (I meditate on him) who is the great lord (Mahesha), who is the lord of the devas (suresha) and who removes the afflictions of the devas, who is the all-pervading lord of the universe (Vishwanatha) and whose body is adorned with sacred ashes (Vibhuti), whose unique eyes consists of the triad of the moon (Indu), sun (Arka) and fire (Vahni),

I extol that ever-blissful lord who has five faces (Pancha Vaktra).

Verse 3

गिरीशं गणेशं गले नीलवर्णं गवेन्द्राधिरूढं गणातीतरूपम् । भवं भास्वरं भस्मना भूषिताङ्गं भवानीकलत्रं भजे भावगम्यम् ॥३॥

girīśaṃ gaṇeśaṃ gale nīlavarṇaṃ gavendrādhirūḍhaṃ gaṇātītarūpam . bhavaṃ bhāsvaraṃ bhasmanā bhūṣitāṅgaṃ bhavānīkalatraṃ bhaje bhāvagamyam ..3.. (I meditate on him) who is the lord of the (Kailasha) mountain (Girisha), who is the lord of the celestial attendants (Ganesha) and in whose throat is blue-colored (due to poison), who is mounted on the king of bulls (Nandi), and whose forms are innumerable, who is existence itself shining as the underlying consciousness (prakasha) (internally), and whose body is adorned with sacred ashes (externally), who is the consort of devi Bhavani; who by love can be gained.

Verse 4

शिवाकान्त शम्भो शशाङ्कार्धमौले महेशान शूलिन् जटाजूटधारिन् । त्वमेको जगद्‍व्यापको विश्वरूप प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो पूर्णरूप ॥४॥

śivākānta śambho śaśāṅkārdhamaule maheśāna śūlin jaṭājūṭadhārin . tvameko jagadvyāpako viśvarūpa prasīda prasīda prabho pūrṇarūpa ..4.. you are the one who pervades the entire universe; and whose form is the universe itself (Vishwarupa), Be pleased with us, be pleased with us, O lord, whose form is the fullness (of consciousness); (be pleased with us and make us merge in your fullness).

O Shambhu (giver of happiness), the beloved of Shiva (devi Parvati); O the one with the half-moon on his head, O the great master (Maheshana) holding the trident (in his hand) and bearing the matted hairs (on his head),

Verse 5

परात्मानमेकं जगद्वीजमाद्यं निरीहं निराकारमोङ्कारवेद्यम् । यतो जायते पाल्यते येन विश्वं तमीशं भजे लीयते यत्र विश्वम् ॥५॥

parātmānamekaṃ jagadvījamādyaṃ nirīhaṃ nirākāramoṅkāravedyam . yato jāyate pālyate yena viśvaṃ tamīśaṃ bhaje līyate yatra viśvam ..5.. (I meditate on him) who is the one transcendental consciousness which is the primeval seed of the universe, who is without any desire (attaching him to anything) (Niriha), who is without any form (binding him to anything) (Nirakara), and who is known by meditating on the Omkara,

From whom is created the universe, by whom is sustained the universe, I worship that lord, in whom finally the whole universe merges.

Verse 6

न भूमिर्न चापो न वह्निर्न वायुर् न चाकाश आस्ते न तन्द्रा न निद्रा । न ग्रीष्मो न शीतो न देशो न वेषो न यस्यास्ति मूर्तिस्त्रिमूर्ति तमीडे ॥६॥

na bhūmirna cāpo na vahnirna vāyur na cākāśa āste na tandrā na nidrā . na grīṣmo na śīto na deśo na veṣo na yasyāsti mūrtistrimūrti tamīḍe ..6.. Neither by earth (Bhumi), nor by water (apah), neither by fire (Vahni), nor by wind (Vayu), … neither by space is his presence limited; similarly neither by lassitude (Tandra), nor by sleep (nidra) (can he be realized), neither by summer (Grishma), nor by winter (Shita) (is he constrained); similarly neither by place (Desha), nor by attire (Vesha) (can he be restrained), and nor of whom there is an (exclusive) image (Murti); I extol that trimurti (the cosmic presence behind creation, sustenance and dissolution). then who is he? the next verse tells about that.

Verse 7

अजं शाश्वतं कारणं कारणानां शिवं केवलं भासकं भासकानाम् । तुरीयं तमःपारमाद्यन्तहीनं प्रपद्ये परं पावनं द्वैतहीनम् ॥७॥

ajaṃ śāśvataṃ kāraṇaṃ kāraṇānāṃ śivaṃ kevalaṃ bhāsakaṃ bhāsakānām . turīyaṃ tamaḥpāramādyantahīnaṃ prapadye paraṃ pāvanaṃ dvaitahīnam ..7.. he is auspicious (Shiva), he is one and only (Kevalam), he is the (internal) manifesting light (of consciousness) (Bhasaka) behind all the (external) manifesting lights (of appearances), he is Turiya (super-conscious state), beyond all ignorance, and without any beginning and end,

He is without birth (i.e. he did not have a beginning) (Aja), he is eternal (Shasvata) and he is the primal cause behind all the causes (Karana Karananam), I take refuge in that transcendental purity, who is beyond all dualities.

Verse 8

नमस्ते नमस्ते विभो विश्वमूर्ते नमस्ते नमस्ते चिदानन्दमूर्ते । नमस्ते नमस्ते तपोयोगगम्य नमस्ते नमस्ते श्रुतिज्ञानगम्य ॥८॥

namaste namaste vibho viśvamūrte namaste namaste cidānandamūrte . namaste namaste tapoyogagamya namaste namaste śrutijñānagamya ..8..

Salutations to you, salutations to you, O the all-pervading one (Vibhu), whose form is the whole universe (Vishwamurti), Salutations to you, salutations to you, O the one who is the embodiment of the bliss of consciousness (Cidananda), Salutations to you, salutations to you, who is attained by Tapas (penance) and Yoga, Salutations to you, salutations to you, who is attained by the Knowledge of the shrutis (vedas).

Verse 9

प्रभो शूलपाणे विभो विश्वनाथ महादेव शम्भो महेश त्रिनेत्र । शिवाकान्त शान्त स्मरारे पुरारे त्वदन्यो वरेण्यो न मान्यो न गण्यः ॥९॥

prabho śūlapāṇe vibho viśvanātha mahādeva śambho maheśa trinetra . śivākānta śānta smarāre purāre tvadanyo vareṇyo na mānyo na gaṇyaḥ ..9.. the beloved of devi Parvati (Shiva Kanta), an embodiment of peace (Shanta), the one who was an enemy of Kama (smarari) and tripura (Purari),

O lord (Prabhu), O the one with trident in his hand (Shulapani), O the all-pervading one (Vibhu), O the lord of the universe (Vishwanatha), O the great god (mahadeva), O the one who causes happiness to all (shambhu), O the great lord (Mahesha), the one with three eyes (Trinetra), O lord, apart from you there is no Other (for me) to be wished for, venerated and considered (for worship).

Verse 10

शम्भो महेश करुणामय शूलपाणे गौरीपते पशुपते पशुपाशनाशिन् । काशीपते करुणया जगदेतदेकः त्वं हंसि पासि विदधासि महेश्वरोऽसि ॥१०॥

śambho maheśa karuṇāmaya śūlapāṇe gaurīpate paśupate paśupāśanāśin . kāśīpate karuṇayā jagadetadekaḥ tvaṃ haṃsi pāsi vidadhāsi maheśvaro’si ..10.. destroy, protect and create, O you are the maheshwara (the great god).

O Shambhu, O Mahesha, O the compassionate one (Karunamaya) with trident in hand (Shulapani), O the consort of Gauri (Gauripati), the lord of all beings (Pashupati) who severe their bondages (Pashupasha nashi), O the lord of Kashi (Kashipati); By your compassion (and will), this universe, you alone …

Verse 11

त्वत्तो जगद्भवति देव भव स्मरारे त्वय्येव तिष्ठति जगन्मृड विश्वनाथ । त्वय्येव गच्छति लयं भजदेतदीश लिङ्गात्मकं हर चराचरविश्वरूपिन् ॥११॥

tvatto jagadbhavati deva bhava smarāre tvayyeva tiṣṭhati jaganmṛḍa viśvanātha . tvayyeva gacchati layaṃ bhajadetadish liṅgātmakaṃ hara carācaraviśvarūpin ..11.. (and then) in you abides the whole universe (after coming into being), O gracious Vishwanatha, (finally) in you goes this whole universe during dissolution (laya), O lord of this universe, you who are of the nature of linga (lingatmaka), you who take away afflictions (hara); you who are of the form of the world with all its moving and non-moving beings (Caracara Vishwarupin); I ever meditate on you.

From you the whole universe comes into being, O deva; existence (itself comes into being), O smarari,

॥ इति श्रीमच्छंकराचार्यविरचितो वेदसारशिवस्तवः संपूर्णः ॥

About this stotra

Vedasarashivastava is a hymn composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya in praise of Lord Shiva as the essence of the Vedas (Vedasara). Each of the eleven verses presents a different aspect of Shiva as the supreme Brahman — beyond attributes, yet the substratum of all existence. Recitation of this stotra is believed to bestow wisdom, peace, and liberation.