Rudrashtakam
॥ श्री रुद्राष्टकम् ॥
What is the Rudrashtakam?
Rudrashtakam is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn to Lord Shiva written by Goswami Tulsidas, found in the Uttara Kanda of the Ramcharitmanas, sung as a devotional plea for his grace.
The Rudrashtakam is one of the gentlest ways a devotee can approach Lord Shiva. Composed by Goswami Tulsidas, it describes Shiva’s form, his compassion, and his power across eight flowing verses, then closes with a simple admission: I know no ritual, only surrender.
Rudrashtakam Lyrics (Sanskrit & English)
Roman transliteration is shown first with the Devanagari beneath. Tap 'Meaning' under any verse for a plain-English explanation.
Namāmīśamīśāna nirvāṇarūpaṁ |
Vibhuṁ vyāpakaṁ brahmavēdasvarūpam ||
Nijaṁ nirguṇaṁ nirvikalpaṁ nirīhaṁ |
Cidākāśamākāśavāsaṁ bhajē’ham
नमामीशमीशान निर्वाणरूपं ।
विभुं व्यापकं ब्रह्मवेदस्वरूपम् ॥
निजं निर्गुणं निर्विकल्पं निरीहं ।
चिदाकाशमाकाशवासं भजेऽहम्
Meaning
I bow to Isha, Lord of the universe, whose true form is liberation itself. He is everywhere at once, the living embodiment of Brahman and the Vedas. I worship him as he truly is: self-manifested, without attributes, beyond duality, free of desire, the conscious sky who wears the sky itself as his only garment.
Nirākāramōṅkāramūlaṁ turīyaṁ |
Girājñānagōtītamīśaṁ girīśam ||
Karālaṁ mahākālakālaṁ kṛpālaṁ |
Guṇāgārasaṁsārapāraṁ natō’ham
निराकारमोंकारमूलं तुरीयं ।
गिराज्ञानगोतीतमीशं गिरीशम् ॥
करालं महाकालकालं कृपालं ।
गुणागारसंसारपारं नतोऽहम्
Meaning
I bow to him who is formless, the root of Om, the fourth state beyond waking, dream and deep sleep. He is beyond speech, thought and the senses, the Lord of the mountains. Fierce enough to conquer Death itself, yet full of compassion, he is the treasury of every virtue and carries us across the ocean of worldly life.
Tuṣārādrisaṅkāśagauraṁ gabhīraṁ |
Manōbhūtakōṭiprabhāśrī śarīram ||
Sphuranmaulikallōlinī cārugaṅgā |
Lasadbhālabālēndu kaṇṭhē bhujaṅgā
तुषाराद्रिसंकाशगौरं गभीरं ।
मनोभूतकोटिप्रभाश्री शरीरम् ॥
स्फुरन्मौलिकल्लोलिनी चारुगङ्गा ।
लसद्भालबालेन्दु कण्ठे भुजङ्गा
Meaning
I bow to him who is white as a snow-capped peak, deep and unfathomable, his body glowing with the radiance of countless Kamadevas. The Ganga tumbles in restless waves from his crown, a crescent moon rests on his brow, and serpents coil loosely around his throat.
Calatkuṇḍalaṁ bhrūsunētraṁ viśālaṁ |
Prasannānanaṁ nīlakaṇṭhaṁ dayālam ||
Mṛgādhīśacarmāmbaraṁ muṇḍamālaṁ |
Priyaṁ śaṅkaraṁ sarvanāthaṁ bhajāmi
चलत्कुण्डलं भ्रूसुनेत्रं विशालं ।
प्रसन्नाननं नीलकण्ठं दयालम् ॥
मृगाधीशचर्माम्बरं मुण्डमालं ।
प्रियं शङ्करं सर्वनाथं भजामि
Meaning
I worship beloved Shankara, Lord of all, his earrings swaying, his brow and wide eyes calm and clear. His face is joyful, his throat stained blue, and he is endlessly kind. He wears the hide of the great beast as his garment and a garland of skulls around his neck.
Pracaṇḍaṁ prakṛṣṭaṁ pragalbhaṁ parēśaṁ |
Akhaṇḍaṁ ajaṁ bhānukōṭiprakāśam ||
Trayaḥśūlanirmūlanaṁ śūlapāṇiṁ |
Bhajē’haṁ bhavānīpatiṁ bhāvagamyam
प्रचण्डं प्रकृष्टं प्रगल्भं परेशं ।
अखण्डं अजं भानुकोटिप्रकाशम् ॥
त्रयःशूलनिर्मूलनं शूलपाणिं ।
भजेऽहं भवानीपतिं भावगम्यम्
Meaning
I worship the Lord of Bhavani, reachable only through devotion. He is intense, exalted, supremely confident, the Supreme Lord, undivided, unborn, blazing with the light of a million suns. Trident in hand, he uproots the threefold suffering of body, mind and spirit.
Kalātītakalyāṇa kalpāntakārī |
Sadā sajjanānandadātā purārī ||
Cidānandasandōha mōhāpahārī |
Prasīda prasīda prabhō manmathārī
कलातीतकल्याण कल्पान्तकारी ।
सदा सज्जनानन्ददाता पुरारी ॥
चिदानन्दसन्दोह मोहापहारी ।
प्रसीद प्रसीद प्रभो मन्मथारी
Meaning
O one whose auspiciousness lies beyond time, who brings each cosmic cycle to its close, who forever gladdens the hearts of the good, destroyer of the demon Tripura. You are pure consciousness and bliss condensed, the remover of delusion. O slayer of Kama, be pleased with me, be pleased.
Na yāvad umānāthapādāravindaṁ |
Bhajantīha lōkē parē vā narāṇām ||
Na tāvatsukhaṁ śānti santāpanāśaṁ |
Prasīda prabhō sarvabhūtādhivāsam
न यावद् उमानाथपादारविन्दं ।
भजन्तीह लोके परे वा नराणाम् ॥
न तावत्सुखं शान्ति सन्तापनाशं ।
प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वभूताधिवासम्
Meaning
Until people turn to the lotus feet of Uma's Lord, whether in this world or the next, they find no real happiness, no peace, no end to their suffering. Be pleased with me, O Lord who dwells within every living being.
Na jānāmi yōgaṁ japaṁ naiva pūjāṁ |
Natō’haṁ sadā sarvadā śambhutubhyam ||
Jarājanmaduḥkhaugha tātapyamānaṁ |
Prabhō pāhi āpannamāmīśa śambhō
न जानामि योगं जपं नैव पूजां ।
नतोऽहं सदा सर्वदा शम्भुतुभ्यम् ॥
जराजन्मदुःखौघ तातप्यमानं ।
प्रभो पाहि आपन्नमामीश शम्भो
Meaning
I know no yoga, no chanting, no formal worship. All I do is bow to you, Shambhu, always and in every way. Scorched by the endless waves of old age, birth and worldly pain, I have come to you for shelter. O Lord Ishana Shambhu, protect this one who has surrendered.
Phalashruti
Rudrāṣṭakamidaṁ prōktaṁ viprēṇa haratōṣayē |
Yē paṭhanti narā bhaktyā tēṣāṁ śambhuḥ prasīdati
रुद्राष्टकमिदं प्रोक्तं विप्रेण हरतोषये ।
ये पठन्ति नरा भक्त्या तेषां शम्भुः प्रसीदति
Meaning
This Rudrashtakam was spoken by a Brahmin sage to please Hara. Whoever recites it with devotion finds Lord Shambhu quick to be pleased with them.
What Does the Rudrashtakam Mean?
The hymn opens in the language of pure philosophy. Shiva is called Nirvana-rupa, the very form of liberation, without attributes, without duality, present as the sky that holds everything else within it. Tulsidas is not describing a person here so much as pointing at the ground of being that later Vedanta calls Brahman.
Then the verses turn visual. The Ganga tumbles from a coiled crown, a crescent moon rests on the forehead, serpents loop loosely around the throat, and the skin glows white like a snow-capped peak. This is Shiva the way ordinary devotees and sages alike picture him, fierce enough to swallow time itself and yet gentle enough to calm anyone who turns toward him.
The closing verses drop the imagery and speak plainly. Tulsidas admits he knows no formal yoga, no correct ritual, nothing but the act of bowing. That confession is really the heart of the hymn: Shiva is not asking for expertise, he is asking for an honest heart, worn down by age, birth and worldly struggle, and offered up anyway.
How Do You Chant the Rudrashtakam?
- Bathe and dress simply – clean clothes before you begin settle the mind as much as the body
- Sit facing north or east – choose a quiet spot in front of an image or linga of Shiva
- Light a lamp and make a small offering – a diya, some water, bilva leaves or white flowers are enough
- Read the meanings first – knowing what each verse says lets you feel it as you chant, rather than just recite the sounds
- Chant with full attention – some traditions repeat the hymn nine times in one sitting, or 108 times on a rudraksha mala
- Close in silence – end with a quiet moment of gratitude instead of rushing away
What Are the Benefits of Chanting the Rudrashtakam?
Tradition credits this hymn with a fairly wide range of effects, from a steadier mind to a fast route into Shiva’s grace.
- Calms the mind: regular recitation is said to ease anxiety and settle emotional turbulence
- Clears old burdens: many devotees chant it to work through past mistakes and lingering fear, including fear of death
- Supports the inward path: it is used as a stepping stone toward deeper meditation and self-realization
- Draws Shiva's grace quickly: among Shiva stotras it has a reputation for working fast, since Lomash first sang it to placate an angry Shiva
- Offers a sense of protection: some recite it as a shield against illness, hostility and difficult planetary periods
- Settles the space around you: chanting aloud is believed to clear and calm the energy of a room or home
Where Does the Rudrashtakam Come From?
Goswami Tulsidas wrote the Rudrashtakam in the sixteenth century as part of the Uttara Kanda, the final book of his Ramcharitmanas. Inside that epic it is not a stray hymn tucked in for effect. It is sung by the sage Lomash, who uses it to calm an angry Shiva and win pardon for a disciple who had fallen under a curse.
That backstory shapes the tone of the whole piece. It reads less like a formal Sanskrit prayer and more like someone talking their way back into good standing with a being they deeply respect, first through praise, then through honest confession. Centuries later it remains one of the most recited Shiva stotras in North India, especially through the month of Shravan and around Mahashivratri.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can anyone chant the Rudrashtakam, regardless of age or gender?
Yes. It is an open devotional hymn, not a restricted mantra requiring formal initiation, so men, women and children can all recite it with sincere devotion.
Do I need to get the Sanskrit pronunciation exactly right?
Correct pronunciation helps you feel the sound properly, but Tulsidas himself placed the real emphasis on bhava, the feeling behind the words. Genuine devotion matters more than perfect diction.
Can I chant it silently instead of out loud?
Yes. Once you know the verses, silent mental repetition is considered just as powerful in yogic tradition. Chanting aloud has the added benefit of clearing the sound and energy of the room you are in.
Will this help during a genuinely difficult period in life?
That is largely what verse eight is for. It asks Shiva directly for protection from the weight of old age, birth and worldly suffering, which is why many people turn to this hymn specifically during grief or hardship.
Is it fine to just listen to a recording rather than chant it myself?
Listening with real attention and an open heart carries much of the same benefit, particularly for beginners who have not yet memorized the verses.
How is the Rudrashtakam different from the Shiva Tandava Stotram?
The Rudrashtakam, written by Tulsidas, is a soft-spoken prayer of surrender that describes Shiva's qualities. The Shiva Tandava Stotram, attributed to Ravana, is a far more forceful hymn built around Shiva's cosmic dance of destruction. Both honor Shiva but sit at opposite ends of the mood.
॥ हर हर महादेव ॥