Pashupatinath Stotram
पशुपतिनाथ स्तोत्रम्
What is the Pashupatinath Stotram?
Pashupatinath Stotram The Pashupatinath Stotram, traditionally known as the Pashupatyashtakam, is an eight verse Sanskrit hymn composed by Prithvipati Suri in praise of Shiva as Pashupati, lord of all beings. Devotees at the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, and across the Shiva-worshipping world recite it for protection, inner steadiness and freedom from the fear of birth, old age and death.
The name Pashupatinath belongs first to a temple on the banks of the Bagmati river in Kathmandu, Nepal, and then to the form of Shiva enshrined there as Pashu-pati, lord of every living creature. The Pashupatinath Stotram carries that same idea in eight compact verses. Each verse lists a fresh reason to bow before Shiva, and each one closes on the same call: bhajata re manuja girijapatim, worship him, the husband of Girija, Parvati’s mountain-born form. Reciting it is less like reading a description of Shiva and more like being nudged, verse after verse, toward the same door.Sanskrit tradition credits the hymn to a poet named Prithvipati Suri, who signs his own name into the ninth and closing verse, a common courtesy in old stotra literature so later reciters would know whom to thank. The text travels under two names, Pashupati Ashtakam and Pashupatyashtakam, and it is chanted well beyond Kathmandu, but its strongest home remains the Pashupatinath Temple itself, where pilgrims file past the four-faced Shiva linga chanting verses very close to these.
Pashupatinath Stotram Lyrics (Sanskrit & English)
Text per shaivam.org (Pashupathy Ashtakam, English-Script transliteration) and templesinindiainfo.com (Pashupatya Ashtakam Lyrics), cross-checked against stotram.co.in for the dhyana opening and refrain. Devanagari and IAST transliteration prepared from the source ITRANS text; the words themselves are unchanged from the sources.
Dhyana
dhyāyennityaṃ maheśaṃ rajatagirinibhaṃ cārucandrāvataṃsaṃ
ratnākalpojjvalāṅgaṃ paraśumṛgavarābhītihastaṃ prasannam
padmāsīnaṃ samantāt stutamamaragaṇair vyāghrakṛttiṃ vasānaṃ
viśvādyaṃ viśvabījaṃ nikhilabhayaharaṃ pañcavaktraṃ trinetram
ध्यायेन्नित्यं महेशं रजतगिरिनिभं चारुचन्द्रावतंसं
रत्नाकल्पोज्ज्वलाङ्गं परशुमृगवराभीतिहस्तं प्रसन्नम्
पद्मासीनं समन्तात्स्तुतममरगणैर्व्याघ्रकृत्तिं वसानं
विश्वाद्यं विश्वबीजं निखिलभयहरं पञ्चवक्त्रं त्रिनेत्रम्
Meaning
Before the verses begin, the hymn asks you to picture Shiva as Mahesha: bright as a silver mountain, a crescent moon resting on his hair, his limbs lit with jewelled ornaments, one hand holding an axe and a deer, another raised in reassurance. He sits at ease on a lotus, tiger skin around him, praised on every side by the gods, the seed and starting point of the universe, five-faced and three-eyed, clearing every fear from those who look at him this way.
paśupatīndupatiṃ dharaṇīpatiṃ bhujagalokapatiṃ ca satīpatim
praṇatabhaktajanārtiharaṃ paraṃ bhajata re manujā girijāpatim
पशुपतीन्दुपतिं धरणीपतिं भुजगलोकपतिं च सतीपतिम्
प्रणतभक्तजनार्तिहरं परं भजत रे मनुजा गिरिजापतिम्
Meaning
He is lord of every creature and lord of the moon, lord of this earth and lord of the serpent world below it, and he is Sati's own husband. Whoever bows to him with devotion has their suffering lifted by this supreme being. Mortals, worship him, the husband of Girija.
na janako jananī na ca sodaro na tanayo na ca bhūribalaṃ kulam
avati ko’pi na kālavaśaṃ gataṃ bhajata re manujā girijāpatim
न जनको जननी न च सोदरो न तनयो न च भूरिबलं कुलम्
अवति को’पि न कालवशं गतं भजत रे मनुजा गिरिजापतिम्
Meaning
No father can save you, no mother, no brother, no child, no army and no family name, once time has closed its hand around you. None of them can shield you then. Mortals, worship him, the husband of Girija, before that hour arrives.
murajaḍiṇḍimavādyavilakṣaṇaṃ madhurapañcamanādaviśāradam
pramathabhūtagaṇairapi sevitaṃ bhajata re manujā girijāpatim
मुरजडिण्डिमवाद्यविलक्षणं मधुरपञ्चमनादविशारदम्
प्रमथभूतगणैरपि सेवितं भजत रे मनुजा गिरिजापतिम्
Meaning
Around him play the muraja and dindima drums, sounding a distinct rhythm, and he himself is skilled in the sweet fifth note of music. Even the pramatha spirits and ghostly attendants who follow him serve him with respect. Mortals, worship him, the husband of Girija.
śaraṇadaṃ sukhadaṃ śaraṇānvitaṃ śiva śiveti śiveti nataṃ nṛṇām
abhayadaṃ karuṇāvaruṇālayaṃ bhajata re manujā girijāpatim
शरणदं सुखदं शरणान्वितं शिव शिवेति शिवेति नतं नृणाम्
अभयदं करुणावरुणालयं भजत रे मनुजा गिरिजापतिम्
Meaning
He gives refuge, he gives joy, and he himself is a refuge for those who bow before him repeating Shiva, Shiva, Shiva. He removes fear and holds compassion the way an ocean holds water, endlessly. Mortals, worship him, the husband of Girija.
naraśiroracitaṃ maṇikuṇḍalaṃ bhujagahāramudaṃ vṛṣabhadhvajam
citirajodhavalīkṛtavigrahaṃ bhajata re manujā girijāpatim
नरशिरोरचितं मणिकुण्डलं भुजगहारमुदं वृषभध्वजम्
चितिरजोधवलीकृतविग्रहं भजत रे मनुजा गिरिजापतिम्
Meaning
A garland of skulls rests on him, gem-studded earrings catch the light, a serpent circles his neck like a favourite ornament, and a bull marks his banner. Ash from the cremation ground whitens his whole form, turning what most people fear into something he wears calmly. Mortals, worship him, the husband of Girija.
makhavināśakaraṃ śaśiśekharaṃ satatamadhvarabhājiphalapradam
praḷayadagdhasurāsuramānavaṃ bhajata re manujā girijāpatim
मखविनाशकरं शशिशेखरं सततमध्वरभाजिफलप्रदम्
प्रळयदग्धसुरासुरमानवं भजत रे मनुजा गिरिजापतिम्
Meaning
He is the one who once broke apart Daksha's sacrifice, yet he still wears the moon as his crest and constantly grants the fruit earned by those who keep their sacred rites with sincerity. At the great dissolution he consumes gods, demons and humans alike, sparing no one from that final reckoning. Mortals, worship him, the husband of Girija.
madamapāsya ciraṃ hṛdi saṃsthitaṃ maraṇajanmajarāmayapīḍitam
jagadudīkṣya samīpabhayākulaṃ bhajata re manujā girijāpatim
मदमपास्य चिरं हृदि संस्थितं मरणजन्मजरामयपीडितम्
जगदुदीक्ष्य समीपभयाकुलं भजत रे मनुजा गिरिजापतिम्
Meaning
Set aside the pride that has sat in your heart for so long, and look honestly at a world worn down by birth, death, old age and disease, with fear pressing close on every side. Once you see that clearly, mortals, worship him, the husband of Girija.
harivirañcisurādhipapūjitaṃ yamajaneśadhaneśanamaskṛtam
trinayanaṃ bhuvanatritayādhipaṃ bhajata re manujā girijāpatim
हरिविरञ्चिसुराधिपपूजितं यमजनेशधनेशनमस्कृतम्
त्रिनयनं भुवनत्रितयाधिपं भजत रे मनुजा गिरिजापतिम्
Meaning
Vishnu, Brahma and the chief of the gods worship him; Yama who rules over departed souls and Kubera who rules over wealth both bow to him. Three-eyed, he governs all three worlds without exception. Mortals, worship him, the husband of Girija.
Phalashruti
paśupateridamaṣṭakamadbhutaṃ viracitaṃ pṛthivīpatisūriṇā
paṭhati saṃśrṛṇute manujaḥ sadā śivapurīṃ vasate labhate mudam
पशुपतेरिदमष्टकमद्भुतं विरचितं पृथिवीपतिसूरिणा
पठति संश्रृणुते मनुजः सदा शिवपुरीं वसते लभते मुदम्
Meaning
This wondrous eight-verse hymn to Pashupati was composed by Prithvipati Suri. Whoever reads it or simply listens to it regularly comes to dwell, in effect, in Shiva's own city, and finds real happiness there.
Meaning & Significance
Read straight through, the Pashupatinath Stotram is less a list of Shiva’s features than a short argument. Verse one names him lord of moon, earth and serpent world and the remover of a devotee’s pain. Verse two turns blunt: no parent, sibling, child, army or family line can hold off time, so lean on something time cannot touch. Verses three through six move through his image, the drums around him, the refuge and fearlessness he offers, the skull garland and ash he wears without flinching, and the sacrifice at Daksha’s court that he did not spare even though he still wears the moon calmly on his head. Verse seven asks the listener directly to put pride down and look at how birth, old age, disease and death actually press on a life. Verse eight closes with Vishnu, Brahma, Yama and Kubera all bowing to the same three-eyed ruler of the three worlds. The phalashruti then names the author, Prithvipati Suri, and promises that steady recitation brings a person, in a real if inward sense, to live in Shiva’s own city.
How to Chant the Pashupatinath Stotram
- Settle and face a Shiva image or linga – Sit facing a picture, idol or linga of Shiva, or simply close your eyes and picture the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu if you have visited or seen it.
- Begin with the dhyana verse – Recite the opening meditation verse slowly, picturing Shiva as Mahesha, five-faced and three-eyed, seated calmly on a lotus.
- Chant the eight verses in order – Move through verses one to eight at a steady pace, letting the closing line 'bhajata re manuja girijapatim' land each time as a personal reminder, not just a refrain.
- Close with the phalashruti – Recite the ninth verse, which names Prithvipati Suri and states the benefit of regular recitation.
- Sit quietly for a moment – Pause for a few breaths before returning to your day, rather than rushing straight from the last verse into other activity.
What Are the Benefits of Chanting?
Traditional practice around the Pashupatinath Stotram links steady recitation to a calmer mind and a lighter grip of everyday fear, though these benefits are matters of faith and personal experience rather than medical claims.
- Steadies the mind before facing fear: The refrain repeated eight times gives the mind one clear point to return to, which many reciters find settles racing thoughts.
- Puts mortality in perspective: Verse two's blunt reminder that no relative or resource can hold off time is often described as freeing rather than frightening once it is sat with.
- Connects daily practice to the Kathmandu shrine: For devotees who have visited or hope to visit Pashupatinath Temple, reciting this hymn at home keeps that connection alive between visits.
- Supports a Monday or Shivaratri routine: Its short length makes it practical to add to an existing Monday or Shivaratri Shiva puja without extending the ritual by much.
- Encourages honest self-reflection: Verse seven's call to set aside pride and look at life's real pressures gives the hymn a reflective, not just devotional, quality.
Who Composed This Stotram?
The Pashupatinath Temple sits on the western bank of the Bagmati river in Kathmandu, Nepal, and is among the most visited Shiva shrines anywhere, drawing pilgrims from Nepal and India alike, especially at Maha Shivaratri. The temple’s central deity, a four-faced Pashupati linga, gives the site its name: Pashu, meaning every bound or living creature, and pati, meaning lord or protector. The Pashupatinath Stotram was not written as an official temple liturgy tied to a specific priestly lineage there. It circulates instead as a freestanding Sanskrit ashtaka, an eight-verse form common across Shiva devotional literature, composed by a poet named Prithvipati Suri who signs his own name into the closing verse. What ties the hymn to Kathmandu is the shared title, Pashupati, and the way devotees across the Shiva tradition use it as a portable piece of that same reverence, whether they are standing at the temple gates or reciting it far from Nepal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Pashupatinath mean?
Pashupatinath combines pashu, meaning living or bound creatures, with pati, meaning lord or master, and natha, another word for lord. Together it names Shiva as the protector and ruler of every living being, and it is also the name of the temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, where this form of Shiva is enshrined.
Who wrote the Pashupatinath Stotram?
The hymn's own ninth verse, the phalashruti, names its author as Prithvipati Suri, who composed this eight-verse ashtaka in praise of Shiva as Pashupati.
Is the Pashupatinath Stotram the same as the Pashupati Ashtakam?
Yes. Pashupatinath Stotram, Pashupati Ashtakam and Pashupatyashtakam all refer to the same eight-verse Sanskrit hymn beginning 'pashupatIndupatiM dharaNIpatiM' and closing each verse with 'bhajata re manuja girijapatim'.
When should I chant this stotram?
It fits naturally into a Monday Shiva puja, Maha Shivaratri observance, or Shravan month practice, and can also be recited any time you want a short, focused reminder of Shiva's protection.
What is the meaning of the refrain 'bhajata re manuja girijapatim'?
It translates roughly as 'O mortals, worship the husband of Girija,' Girija being another name for Parvati as the mountain-born goddess. The line repeats at the end of all eight verses, turning the hymn into a direct, personal call to worship rather than only a description of Shiva.
Can this stotram be recited by anyone, or only at the Pashupatinath Temple?
It can be recited anywhere. While its name and spirit connect it to the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, the hymn is a personal devotional text, not a ritual restricted to priests or to the temple premises.
इति श्रीपशुपत्यष्टकं सम्पूर्णम् ॥ ॐ नमः शिवाय ॥