Vedasara Shivastavam

वेदसार शिवस्तवम्

Vedasara Shivastavam means the hymn (stavam) of Shiva which contains the essence (sara) of the Veda. It is a beautiful prayer and one of my favorites. It was composed by Adi Shankara Bhagavatpadacharya. This prayer incorporates both the mental image we have of Shiva per texts of tradition, and much Shaivite theology as well. Simultaneously, it extols Shiva as the formful Lord and formless Reality; as Immanent Divine and Transcendent Absolute. (Note: there are actually two versions of this prayer, listed here is the shorter of the two versions)

paSumnAM patiM pApa nASaM pareSaM
gajendrasya kR^ittiM vasAnAM vareNyam |
jaTAjUTamadhye sphurad ga.ngavAriM
mahAdevamekaM smarAmi smarAmim ||

The Lord of all beings, the Destroyer of sins,
That praiseworthy One donned in elephant skins,
From whose matted locks issues forth the Ganga,
On that Great Lord alone, I meditate, I meditate.

maheSaM sureSaM surArAtinASaM
vibhuM viSvarUpam vibhutyAnga bhUSham |
virUpAkSha mindvarka vahni trinetraM
sadAnanda mIDe prabhu pancha vaktram ||

O Great God, Lord of the Devas, Destroyer of the Asuras,
O Lord of the Universe besmeared with ashes,
O wide-eyed One, whose three eyes are the sun, moon and fire,
Ever with bliss I worship You, O Lord of faces five.

SivAkAnta Sambho SaSA.nkArdha maule
maheSAnaSUlin jaTAjUTadhArin |
tvameko jagadvyApako viSvarUpa
prasIda prasIda prabho pUrNa rUpa ||

O Lord of Shakti, O Shambhu, Bearer of the crescent moon,
O Great Lord of the Trident, Wearer of matted locks,
You alone are the all-pervasive One, the universal form,
Be pleased, O Lord, the form of Fullness (Plenum).

parAtmAnamekaM jagatbIjamAdyaM
nirIham nirAkAramomkAra vedyam |
yatho jAyate palyate yena viSvaM
tamIshaM bhaje lIyate yatra vishvam ||

That Supreme Soul, the Seed of the world,
Who is without desire or shape, known through the AUM
Who creates and sustains this universe,
I worship Him, in whom this universe merges.

na bhUmir na capo na vahnir na vAyur
na akASamAste na tandrA na nidrA |
na grIShmo na SItaM na desho na veSho
na yasyAstimUrti trimUrtiM tamIDe ||

He, who is the Trimurti, remains ever unaffected,
Unaffected He is by the earth, water, fire or wind
Unaffected by space, by lassitude, by sleep,
Unaffected by heat or cold, by dwelling place or garments.

ajaM SASvataM kAraNaM kAraNAnAM
SivaM kevalaM bhAsakaM bhAsakAnAm |
turIyam tamaH pAramAdhyanta hInaM
prapadye paraM pAvanaM dvaita hInam ||

To the Unborn Lord, the Eternal One, the Cause of all causes,
That Supremely Auspicious (Shiva) One, the Light of all lights,
He who is the Turiya state; without beginning, middle or end,
I praise the Supremely Holy Lord who is without any duality.

namaste namaste vibho vishvamUrte
namaste namaste cidAnanda mUrte |
namaste namaste tapo yoga gamya
namaste namaste shruti jnAna gamya ||

Salutations, salutations to the Lord, the form of the universe,
Salutations, salutations to Him who is Consciousness and Bliss,
Salutations, salutations to Him known by meditation and yoga,
Salutations, salutations to the Him known through the Shruti.

|| ॐ नमः शिवाय ||

For printable version, click here (Sanskrit text, transliteration and translation)