Shiva Mahimna Stotram
श्री शिव महिम्नः स्तोत्रम्
What is the Shiva Mahimna Stotram?
Mahimna Stotram The Shiva Mahimna Stotram is a 43-verse Sanskrit hymn composed by the gandharva Pushpadanta that praises Shiva's greatness as something beyond the reach of speech, mind, and even the Vedas. It is one of the most widely recited Shiva stotras, especially on Mondays, Pradosham, and Maha Shivaratri.
Few hymns to Shiva are recited as often, or as fondly, as the Shiva Mahimna Stotram. Tradition credits it to Pushpadanta, a gandharva who composed it in a moment of desperate repentance, and its forty-three verses have been chanted by devotees, scholars, and saints for centuries since. Below is the complete Sanskrit text in Devanagari and English transliteration, a verse-by-verse meaning, and the story behind how this hymn came to be.
Shiva Mahimna Stotram Lyrics in Sanskrit and English
Each verse is given first in Devanagari and then in plain English transliteration without diacritics, so it can be read even without prior familiarity with Sanskrit script. Tap any verse to see its meaning. Verses 1 to 33 form the core hymn composed by Pushpadanta; verses 34 to 43, marked Phalashruti, describe the fruits of reciting it and are held by tradition to have been appended later.
mahimnah param te paramavidusho yadyasadrishi stutirbrahmadinamapi tadavasannastvayi girah
athavachyah sarvah svamatiparinamavadhi grinan mamapyesha stotre hara nirapavadah parikarah
महिम्नः पारं ते परमविदुषो यद्यसदृशी स्तुतिर्ब्रह्मादीनामपि तदवसन्नास्त्वयि गिरः
अथाऽवाच्यः सर्वः स्वमतिपरिणामावधि गृणन् ममाप्येष स्तोत्रे हर निरपवादः परिकरः
Meaning
Even Brahma and the other gods fall short when they try to put your greatness into words, so an offering from someone far less wise is bound to sound flawed too. Yet you are known to look kindly on such attempts, Shiva, which is why I dare to begin this hymn at all.
atitah panthanam tava cha mahima vanmanasayoratadvyavrittya yam chakitamabhidhatte shrutirapi
sa kasya stotavyah katividhagunah kasya vishayah pade tvarvachine patati na manah kasya na vachah
अतीतः पन्थानं तव च महिमा वाङ्मनसयोरतद्व्यावृत्त्या यं चकितमभिधत्ते श्रुतिरपि
स कस्य स्तोतव्यः कतिविधगुणः कस्य विषयः पदे त्वर्वाचीने पतति न मनः कस्य न वचः
Meaning
Your majesty lies beyond the reach of speech and thought, so far that even the Vedas, startled by their own limits, can only describe you by saying what you are not. If scripture itself falls silent before you, what chance does anyone's mind or tongue have of staying unmoved in your presence?
madhusphita vachah paramamamritam nirmitavatastava brahman kim vagapi suragurorvismayapadam
mama tvetam vanim gunakathanapunyena bhavatah punamityarthesmin puramathana buddhirvyavasita
मधुस्फीता वाचः परमममृतं निर्मितवतस्तव ब्रह्मन् किं वागपि सुरगुरोर्विस्मयपदम्
मम त्वेतां वाणीं गुणकथनपुण्येन भवतः पुनामीत्यर्थेऽस्मिन् पुरमथन बुद्धिर्व्यवसिता
Meaning
You are the source of the Vedas' honeyed, nectar-like language, so even the eloquence of Brihaspati, teacher of the gods, would seem unremarkable next to yours. Still, Destroyer of the Three Cities, I have decided that simply naming your qualities will purify whatever words I manage to offer.
tavaishvaryam yattajjagadudayarakshapralayakrit trayivastuvyastam tisrishu gunabhinnasu tanushu
abhavyanamasmin varada ramaniyamaramanim vihantum vyakroshim vidadhata ihaike jadadhiyah
तवैश्वर्यं यत्तज्जगदुदयरक्षाप्रलयकृत् त्रयीवस्तुव्यस्तं तिसृषु गुणभिन्नासु तनुषु
अभव्यानामस्मिन् वरद रमणीयामरमणीं विहन्तुं व्याक्रोशीं विदधत इहैके जडधियः
Meaning
Your power alone creates, sustains, and dissolves the universe, expressed through the three Vedas and carried in three different bodies shaped by three different qualities. Some small-minded people mock this truth for their own amusement, calling ugly what is in fact the deepest beauty in existence.
kimihah kim kayah sa khalu kimupayastribhuvanam kimadharo dhata srijati kimupadana iti cha
atarkyaishvarye tvayyanavasaraduhstho hatadhiyah kutarkoyam kamshchinmukharayati mohaya jagatah
किमीहः किं कायः स खलु किमुपायस्त्रिभुवनं किमाधारो धाता सृजति किमुपादान इति च
अतर्क्यैश्वर्ये त्वय्यनवसरदुःस्थो हतधियः कुतर्कोऽयं कांश्चिन्मुखरयति मोहाय जगतः
Meaning
Critics ask what shape you take, what tools you use, what you build the three worlds from, as if your greatness could be pinned down by ordinary logic. These are just clever-sounding questions from confused minds, meant to mislead people about something that was never meant to be argued over.
ajanmano lokah kimavayavavantopi jagatamadhishthataram kim bhavavidhiranadritya bhavati
anisho va kuryadbhuvanajanane kah parikaro yato mandastvam pratyamaravara samsherata ime
अजन्मानो लोकाः किमवयववन्तोऽपि जगतामधिष्ठातारं किं भवविधिरनादृत्य भवति
अनीशो वा कुर्याद्भुवनजनने कः परिकरो यतो मन्दास्त्वां प्रत्यमरवर संशेरत इमे
Meaning
If the worlds had no beginning, were they at least given a shape and a ruler by something? And if that ruler had no power, who really arranged for the universe to come into being at all? Only the dull-witted keep doubting you over this, best among the immortals.
trayi sankhyam yogah pashupatimatam vaishnavamiti prabhinne prasthane paramidamadah pathyamiti cha
ruchinam vaichitryadrijukutila nanapathajusham nrinameko gamyastvamasi payasamarnava iva
त्रयी साङ्ख्यं योगः पशुपतिमतं वैष्णवमिति प्रभिन्ने प्रस्थाने परमिदमदः पथ्यमिति च
रुचीनां वैचित्र्यादृजुकुटिल नानापथजुषां नृणामेको गम्यस्त्वमसि पयसामर्णव इव
Meaning
The Vedas, Sankhya philosophy, Yoga, Pashupata teaching, and Vaishnava practice are different roads that different temperaments prefer, some straight and some winding. But exactly like all rivers eventually reach the same ocean, every one of these paths, however varied, leads people back to you alone.
mahokshah khatvangam parashurajinam bhasma phaninah kapalam chetiyattava varada tantropakaranam
surastam tamriddhim dadhati tu bhavadbhrupranihitam na hi svatmaramam vishayamrigatrishna bhramayati
महोक्षः खट्वाङ्गं परशुरजिनं भस्म फणिनः कपालं चेतीयत्तव वरद तन्त्रोपकरणम्
सुरास्तां तामृद्धिं दधति तु भवद्भ्रूप्रणिहितां न हि स्वात्मारामं विषयमृगतृष्णा भ्रमयति
Meaning
A bull, a broken bedpost, an axe, an animal hide, ashes, a snake, and a skull, that short list covers your entire household, Shiva. Yet the gods draw all their wealth from a mere glance of your eyebrow, because false cravings for worldly things can never distract someone already content within himself.
dhruvam kashchit sarvam sakalamaparastvadhruvamidam paro dhrauvyadhrauvye jagati gadati vyastavishaye
samastepyetasmin puramathana tairvismita iva stuvanjihremi tvam na khalu nanu dhrishta mukharata
ध्रुवं कश्चित् सर्वं सकलमपरस्त्वध्रुवमिदं परो ध्रौव्याध्रौव्ये जगति गदति व्यस्तविषये
समस्तेऽप्येतस्मिन् पुरमथन तैर्विस्मित इव स्तुवञ्जिह्रेमि त्वां न खलु ननु धृष्टा मुखरता
Meaning
Some scholars insist the world is eternal, others call it fleeting, and still others say it's both at once, arguing endlessly over your creation. Watching all this confusion, Destroyer of the Cities, I feel almost embarrassed to add my own voice, yet I go on praising you regardless.
tavaishvaryam yatnadyadupari virinchirhariradhah parichchhettum yatavanalamanalaskandhavapushah
tato bhaktishraddhabharagurugrinadbhyam girisha yat svayam tasthe tabhyam tava kimanuvrittirna phalati
तवैश्वर्यं यत्नाद्यदुपरि विरिञ्चिर्हरिरधः परिच्छेत्तुं यातावनलमनलस्कन्धवपुषः
ततो भक्तिश्रद्धाभरगुरुगृणद्भ्यां गिरिश यत् स्वयं तस्थे ताभ्यां तव किमनुवृत्तिर्न फलति
Meaning
Brahma flew upward and Vishnu dug downward, trying to measure your glory when you appeared as an endless pillar of fire, and neither could find where you began or ended. Only when both turned to devotion and faith did you reveal yourself to them, mountain dweller, proof that surrender succeeds where searching alone fails.
ayatnadapadya tribhuvanamavairavyatikaram dashasyo yadbahunabhrita ranakanduparavashan
shirahpadmashrenirachitacharanambhoruhabaleh sthirayastvadbhaktestripurahara visphurjitamidam
अयत्नादापाद्य त्रिभुवनमवैरव्यतिकरं दशास्यो यद्बाहूनभृत रणकण्डूपरवशान्
शिरःपद्मश्रेणीरचितचरणाम्भोरुहबलेः स्थिरायास्त्वद्भक्तेस्त्रिपुरहर विस्फूर्जितमिदम्
Meaning
Ravana conquered all three worlds and grew so restless for more battle that his arms itched for a fight, and none of it took any real effort on his part. All of that strength came simply from his unwavering devotion, offered again and again at your feet with garlands made from his own ten heads.
amushya tvatsevasamadhigatasaram bhujavanam balat kailasepi tvadadhivasatau vikramayatah
alabhya patalepyalasachalitangushthashirasi pratishtha tvayyasiddhruvamupachito muhyati khalah
अमुष्य त्वत्सेवासमधिगतसारं भुजवनं बलात् कैलासेऽपि त्वदधिवसतौ विक्रमयतः
अलभ्या पातालेऽप्यलसचलिताङ्गुष्ठशिरसि प्रतिष्ठा त्वय्यासीद्ध्रुवमुपचितो मुह्यति खलः
Meaning
Drunk on the power he had earned by worshipping you, Ravana once tried to lift Mount Kailash itself while you were resting there. You barely stirred, pressing down with one toe, and he was crushed until he could find peace nowhere, not even in the underworld; strength always corrupts the wicked in the end.
yadriddhim sutramno varada paramochchairapi satimadhashchakre banah parijanavidheyatribhuvanah
na tachchitram tasmin varivasitari tvachcharanayorna kasyapyunnatyai bhavati shirasastvayyavanatih
यदृद्धिं सुत्राम्णो वरद परमोच्चैरपि सतीमधश्चक्रे बाणः परिजनविधेयत्रिभुवनः
न तच्चित्रं तस्मिन् वरिवसितरि त्वच्चरणयोर्न कस्याप्युन्नत्यै भवति शिरसस्त्वय्यवनतिः
Meaning
Bana, the demon king, commanded such wealth that even Indra's treasury looked modest beside his, and all three worlds served him through his attendants. None of that is surprising, since he had made his home at your feet, and no one who bows their head to you ever fails to rise higher in life.
akandabrahmandakshayachakitadevasurakripavidheyasyasidyastrinayanavisham samhritavatah
sa kalmashah kanthe tava na kurute na shriyamaho vikaropi shlaghyo bhuvanabhayabhangavyasaninah
अकाण्डब्रह्माण्डक्षयचकितदेवासुरकृपाविधेयस्यासीद्यस्त्रिनयनविषं संहृतवतः
स कल्माषः कण्ठे तव न कुरुते न श्रियमहो विकारोऽपि श्लाघ्यो भुवनभयभङ्गव्यसनिनः
Meaning
When the churning of the ocean released a poison strong enough to threaten every world, gods and demons alike froze in terror. You, three eyed and endlessly compassionate, swallowed it without hesitation, and the blue stain it left on your throat is no flaw at all, it's simply your most striking ornament.
asiddhartha naiva kvachidapi sadevasuranare nivartante nityam jagati jayino yasya vishikhah
sa pashyannisha tvamitarasurasadharanamabhut smarah smartavyatma na hi vashishu pathyah paribhavah
असिद्धार्था नैव क्वचिदपि सदेवासुरनरे निवर्तन्ते नित्यं जगति जयिनो यस्य विशिखाः
स पश्यन्नीश त्वामितरसुरसाधारणमभूत् स्मरः स्मर्तव्यात्मा न हि वशिषु पथ्यः परिभवः
Meaning
Kamadeva's flower arrows never missed their target, whether they struck gods, demons, or mortals. But the day he mistook you for an ordinary being and aimed at you, he was reduced to a memory with no body left. Disrespecting someone who has mastered their senses, it turns out, never ends well.
mahi padaghatadvrajati sahasa samshayapadam padam vishnorbhramyadbhujaparigharugnagrahaganam
muhurdyaurdausthyam yatyanibhritajatataditatata jagadrakshayai tvam natasi nanu vamaiva vibhuta
मही पादाघाताद्व्रजति सहसा संशयपदं पदं विष्णोर्भ्राम्यद्भुजपरिघरुग्णग्रहगणम्
मुहुर्द्यौर्दौस्थ्यं यात्यनिभृतजटाताडिततटा जगद्रक्षायै त्वं नटसि ननु वामैव विभुता
Meaning
You dance to protect the world, yet your dance shakes it instead: the earth trembles under your feet as if the end were near, Vishnu's realm reels from the force of your swinging arms, and the heavens grow uneasy as your loose matted hair strikes against them. Even what looks like disorder in you quietly works for everyone's good.
viyadvyapi taraganagunitaphenodgamaruchih pravaho varam yah prishatalaghudrishtah shirasi te
jagaddvipakaram jaladhivalayam tena kritamityanenaivonneyam dhritamahima divyam tava vapuh
वियद्व्यापी तारागणगुणितफेनोद्गमरुचिः प्रवाहो वारां यः पृषतलघुदृष्टः शिरसि ते
जगद्द्वीपाकारं जलधिवलयं तेन कृतमित्यनेनैवोन्नेयं धृतमहिम दिव्यं तव वपुः
Meaning
The Ganga rushes across the whole sky, its foam glowing white against a field of stars, yet the instant it touches your head, it becomes nothing more than a single scattered drop. If a river that vast looks that small on you, imagine how immense your true form must actually be.
rathah kshoni yanta shatadhritiragendro dhanuratho rathange chandrarkau rathacharanapanih shara iti
didhakshoste koyam tripuratrinamadambaravidhirvidheyaih kridantyo na khalu paratantrah prabhudhiyah
रथः क्षोणी यन्ता शतधृतिरगेन्द्रो धनुरथो रथाङ्गे चन्द्रार्कौ रथचरणपाणिः शर इति
दिधक्षोस्ते कोऽयं त्रिपुरतृणमाडम्बरविधिर्विधेयैः क्रीडन्त्यो न खलु परतन्त्राः प्रभुधियः
Meaning
When you set out to burn the three demon cities, you used the earth as your chariot, Brahma as your charioteer, Mount Meru as your bow, the sun and moon as chariot wheels, and Vishnu as your arrow. It was a magnificent show for a task you could have finished with a single thought, since someone with your kind of power never really needs help from anyone.
hariste sahasram kamalabalimadhaya padayoryadekone tasmin nijamudaharannetrakamalam
gato bhaktyudrekah parinatimasau chakravapusha trayanam rakshayai tripurahara jagarti jagatam
हरिस्ते साहस्रं कमलबलिमाधाय पदयोर्यदेकोने तस्मिन् निजमुदहरन्नेत्रकमलम्
गतो भक्त्युद्रेकः परिणतिमसौ चक्रवपुषा त्रयाणां रक्षायै त्रिपुरहर जागर्ति जगताम्
Meaning
Vishnu once brought a thousand lotus flowers to offer at your feet, but when he counted only nine hundred and ninety nine, he plucked out his own eye and placed it there instead. That single act of overflowing devotion later took the form of the discus in his hand, which he still uses today to protect all three worlds.
kratau supte jagrattvamasi phalayoge kratumatam kva karma pradhvastam phalati purusharadhanamrite
atastvam samprekshya kratushu phaladanapratibhuvam shrutau shraddham baddhva dridhaparikarah karmasu janah
क्रतौ सुप्ते जाग्रत्त्वमसि फलयोगे क्रतुमतां क्व कर्म प्रध्वस्तं फलति पुरुषाराधनमृते
अतस्त्वां सम्प्रेक्ष्य क्रतुषु फलदानप्रतिभुवं श्रुतौ श्रद्धां बद्ध्वा दृढपरिकरः कर्मसु जनः
Meaning
You are the one who ensures that ritual actions actually produce results, since without you, no sacrifice could logically bear fruit for the person performing it. Seeing how faithfully you reward sincere offerings, people place their trust in the Vedas and commit themselves firmly to the duties laid out there.
kriyadaksho dakshah kratupatiradhishastanubhritamrishinamartvijyam sharanada sadasyah suraganah
kratubhreshastvattah kratuphalavidhanavyasanino dhruvam kartuh shraddhavidhuramabhicharaya hi makhah
क्रियादक्षो दक्षः क्रतुपतिरधीशस्तनुभृतामृषीणामार्त्विज्यं शरणद सदस्याः सुरगणाः
क्रतुभ्रेषस्त्वत्तः क्रतुफलविधानव्यसनिनो ध्रुवं कर्तुः श्रद्धाविधुरमभिचाराय हि मखाः
Meaning
Daksha knew every detail of ritual procedure, the sages served as priests, and the gods themselves attended as guests, yet without devotion to you, none of it mattered. Any sacrifice performed with pride instead of faith turns against the one who offers it, exactly as Daksha's own sacrifice eventually did.
prajanatham natha prasabhamabhikam svam duhitaram gatam rohidbhutam riramayishumrishyasya vapusha
dhanushpaneryatam divamapi sapatrakritamamum trasantam tedyapi tyajati na mrigavyadharabhasah
प्रजानाथं नाथ प्रसभमभिकं स्वां दुहितरं गतं रोहिद्भूतां रिरमयिषुमृष्यस्य वपुषा
धनुष्पाणेर्यातं दिवमपि सपत्राकृतममुं त्रसन्तं तेऽद्यापि त्यजति न मृगव्याधरभसः
Meaning
When Brahma, overcome with desire, chased his own daughter after she turned into a deer to escape him, you became a hunter and pursued him with a bow. Struck by your arrow and terrified, he fled into the sky and became a constellation, and even now, as that pattern of stars, he still looks frightened of you.
svalavanyashamsadhritadhanushamahnaya trinavat purah plushtam drishtva puramathana pushpayudhamapi
yadi strainam devi yamanirata dehardhaghatanadavaiti tvamaddha bata varada mugdha yuvatayah
स्वलावण्याशंसाधृतधनुषमह्नाय तृणवत् पुरः प्लुष्टं दृष्ट्वा पुरमथन पुष्पायुधमपि
यदि स्त्रैणं देवी यमनिरत देहार्धघटनादवैति त्वामद्धा बत वरद मुग्धा युवतयः
Meaning
Right in front of Parvati, you burned Kamadeva to ashes the instant he tried to stir desire for her in you with his flower arrows. And yet, seeing that you share half your body with her as Ardhanarishvara, some believe you were won over by her beauty alone; young women in love, it seems, can be wonderfully naive.
shmashaneshvakrida smarahara pishachah sahacharashchitabhasmalepah sragapi nrikarotiparikarah
amangalyam shilam tava bhavatu namaivamakhilam tathapi smartrinam varada paramam mangalamasi
श्मशानेष्वाक्रीडा स्मरहर पिशाचाः सहचराश्चिताभस्मालेपः स्रगपि नृकरोटीपरिकरः
अमङ्गल्यं शीलं तव भवतु नामैवमखिलं तथापि स्मर्तॄणां वरद परमं मङ्गलमसि
Meaning
You wander cremation grounds, keep ghosts for company, smear yourself with funeral ash, and wear a garland of human skulls, every part of your appearance looks inauspicious by ordinary standards. And yet, despite all of that, you remain the greatest source of good fortune for anyone who simply keeps you in mind.
manah pratyakchitte savidhamavadhayattamarutah prahrishyadromanah pramadasalilotsangitadrishah
yadalokyahladam hrada iva nimajyamritamaye dadhatyantastattvam kimapi yaminastat kila bhavan
मनः प्रत्यक्चित्ते सविधमवधायात्तमरुतः प्रहृष्यद्रोमाणः प्रमदसलिलोत्सङ्गितदृशः
यदालोक्याह्लादं ह्रद इव निमज्यामृतमये दधत्यन्तस्तत्त्वं किमपि यमिनस्तत् किल भवान्
Meaning
Great yogis quiet their breath, turn their gaze completely inward, and feel their hair rise with joy as their eyes fill with grateful tears. They sink into a happiness that feels like floating in nectar, and whatever unnamed truth they find waiting at the center of themselves, Shiva, that truth is you.
tvamarkastvam somastvamasi pavanastvam hutavahastvamapastvam vyoma tvamu dharaniratma tvamiti cha
parichchhinnamevam tvayi parinata bibhrati giram na vidmastattattvam vayamiha tu yattvam na bhavasi
त्वमर्कस्त्वं सोमस्त्वमसि पवनस्त्वं हुतवहस्त्वमापस्त्वं व्योम त्वमु धरणिरात्मा त्वमिति च
परिच्छिन्नामेवं त्वयि परिणता बिभ्रति गिरं न विद्मस्तत्तत्त्वं वयमिह तु यत्त्वं न भवसि
Meaning
You are the sun, the moon, the wind, fire, water, sky, and earth; people describe you through each element because that's the only language available to them. But honestly, I don't know of a single thing in existence that you are not, which makes any attempt to define you feel incomplete from the start.
trayim tisro vrittistribhuvanamatho trinapi suranakaradyairvarnaistribhirabhidadhat tirnavikriti
turiyam te dhama dhvanibhiravarundhanamanubhih samastam vyastam tvam sharanada grinatyomiti padam
त्रयीं तिस्रो वृत्तीस्त्रिभुवनमथो त्रीनपि सुरानकाराद्यैर्वर्णैस्त्रिभिरभिदधत् तीर्णविकृति
तुरीयं ते धाम ध्वनिभिरवरुन्धानमणुभिः समस्तं व्यस्तं त्वां शरणद गृणात्योमिति पदम्
Meaning
The sound Om is built from three letters, and each one carries you: the three Vedas, the three states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, and the three worlds. Spoken as separate letters or as one unbroken syllable, Om points toward your fourth and highest state, the one beyond ordinary awareness that grants refuge to anyone who seeks it.
bhavah sharvo rudrah pashupatirathograh sahamahamstatha bhimeshanaviti yadabhidhanashtakamidam
amushmin pratyekam pravicharati deva shrutirapi priyayasmai dhamne pravihitanamasyosmi bhavate
भवः शर्वो रुद्रः पशुपतिरथोग्रः सहमहांस्तथा भीमेशानाविति यदभिधानाष्टकमिदम्
अमुष्मिन् प्रत्येकं प्रविचरति देव श्रुतिरपि प्रियायास्मै धाम्ने प्रविहितनमस्योऽस्मि भवते
Meaning
Bhava, Sharva, Rudra, Pashupati, Ugra, Mahat, Bhima, and Ishana, these eight names are yours, and the Vedas take up each one individually to describe a different side of who you are. I offer my bow to that beloved form of yours which holds all eight together.
namo nedishthaya priyadava davishthaya cha namo namah kshodishthaya smarahara mahishthaya cha namah
namo varshishthaya trinayana yavishthaya cha namo namah sarvasmai te tadidamiti sharvaya cha namah
नमो नेदिष्ठाय प्रियदव दविष्ठाय च नमो नमः क्षोदिष्ठाय स्मरहर महिष्ठाय च नमः
नमो वर्षिष्ठाय त्रिनयन यविष्ठाय च नमो नमः सर्वस्मै ते तदिदमिति शर्वाय च नमः
Meaning
Salutations to you who are nearest and farthest at once, to you who are the smallest of the small and the greatest of the great, to you who are both the oldest and the youngest. Salutations to you who are everything that exists and also everything beyond it.
bahularajase vishvotpattau bhavaya namo namah prabalatamase tatsamhare haraya namo namah
janasukhakrite sattvodriktau mridaya namo namah pramahasi pade nistraigunye shivaya namo namah
बहुलरजसे विश्वोत्पत्तौ भवाय नमो नमः प्रबलतमसे तत्संहारे हराय नमो नमः
जनसुखकृते सत्त्वोद्रिक्तौ मृडाय नमो नमः प्रमहसि पदे निस्त्रैगुण्ये शिवाय नमो नमः
Meaning
Salutations to you as Bhava, who creates the world through the quality of activity, and as Hara, who dissolves it through the quality of inertia. Salutations to you as Mrida, who sustains all beings for their happiness through the quality of clarity, and as Shiva, who rests beyond all three qualities in a state of pure, supreme bliss.
krishaparinati chetah kleshavashyam kva chedam kva cha tava gunasimollanghini shashvadriddhih
iti chakitamamandikritya mam bhaktiradhadvarada charanayoste vakyapushpopaharam
कृशपरिणति चेतः क्लेशवश्यं क्व चेदं क्व च तव गुणसीमोल्लङ्घिनी शश्वदृद्धिः
इति चकितममन्दीकृत्य मां भक्तिराधाद्वरद चरणयोस्ते वाक्यपुष्पोपहारम्
Meaning
My mind is small and worn thin by ordinary troubles, and it has no business trying to measure your glory, which keeps growing without any real limit. Still, aware of how mismatched the two are, my devotion pushed me forward anyway to lay these words, like flowers, at your feet.
asitagirisamam syatkajjalam sindhupatre surataruvarashakha lekhani patramurvi
likhati yadi grihitva sharada sarvakalam tadapi tava gunanamisha param na yati
असितगिरिसमं स्यात्कज्जलं सिन्धुपात्रे सुरतरुवरशाखा लेखनी पत्रमुर्वी
लिखति यदि गृहीत्वा शारदा सर्वकालं तदपि तव गुणानामीश पारं न याति
Meaning
Imagine the dark mountain itself ground down into ink, the ocean as the inkpot, a branch from the wishing tree in heaven as the pen, and the whole earth spread out as paper. Even if Saraswati, goddess of learning, wrote without stopping for all of time, she still could not reach the far edge of your true greatness.
asurasuramunindrairarchitasyendumaulergrathitagunamahimno nirgunasyeshvarasya
sakalaganavarishthah pushpadantabhidhanah ruchiramalaghuvrittaih stotrametachchakara
असुरसुरमुनीन्द्रैरर्चितस्येन्दुमौलेर्ग्रथितगुणमहिम्नो निर्गुणस्येश्वरस्य
सकलगणवरिष्ठः पुष्पदन्ताभिधानः रुचिरमलघुवृत्तैः स्तोत्रमेतच्चकार
Meaning
Pushpadanta, the finest among all the gandharvas, composed this graceful hymn using dignified meters in praise of the moon crested lord, worshipped equally by demons, gods, and great sages, whose qualities are countless even though he himself is beyond all attributes.
Phalashruti 34
aharaharanavadyam dhurjateh stotrametat pathati paramabhaktya shuddhachittah puman yah
sa bhavati shivaloke rudratulyastathatra prachurataradhanayuh putravan kirtimamshcha
अहरहरनवद्यं धूर्जटेः स्तोत्रमेतत् पठति परमभक्त्या शुद्धचित्तः पुमान् यः
स भवति शिवलोके रुद्रतुल्यस्तथात्र प्रचुरतरधनायुः पुत्रवान् कीर्तिमांश्च
Meaning
Whoever reads this flawless hymn to Shiva every day with genuine devotion and a clear mind eventually reaches Shiva's own world and becomes his equal there. In this life too, such a person is blessed with abundant wealth, a long life, good children, and lasting good name.
Phalashruti 35
maheshannaparo devo mahimno napara stutih
aghorannaparo mantro nasti tattvam guroh param
महेशान्नापरो देवो महिम्नो नापरा स्तुतिः
अघोरान्नापरो मन्त्रो नास्ति तत्त्वं गुरोः परम्
Meaning
There is no god greater than Mahesha, and no hymn greater than this one dedicated to his glory. There is no mantra beyond Aghora, and no truth higher than what one's own teacher reveals.
Phalashruti 36
diksha danam tapastirtham jnanam yagadikah kriyah
mahimnah stava pathasya kalam narhanti shodashim
दीक्षा दानं तपस्तीर्थं ज्ञानं यागादिकाः क्रियाः
महिम्नः स्तव पाठस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्
Meaning
Formal initiation, generous giving, austerity, pilgrimage, spiritual study, and all the various rituals put together still don't add up to even a sixteenth of the merit gained simply by reciting this hymn on Shiva's greatness.
Phalashruti 37
kusumadashananama sarvagandharvarajah shishushashidharamaulerdevadevasya dasah
sa khalu nijamahimno bhrashta evasya roshat stavanamidamakarshiddivyadivyam mahimnah
कुसुमदशननामा सर्वगन्धर्वराजः शिशुशशिधरमौलेर्देवदेवस्य दासः
स खलु निजमहिम्नो भ्रष्ट एवास्य रोषात् स्तवनमिदमकार्षीद्दिव्यदिव्यं महिम्नः
Meaning
Kusumadanta, known everywhere as king of the gandharvas and a devoted servant of the god of gods who wears the crescent moon, once lost his own glory entirely because of Shiva's anger. It was out of that fall that he composed this hymn, the most divine tribute to Shiva's own divinity.
Phalashruti 38
suravaramunipujyam svargamokshaikahetum pathati yadi manushyah pranjalirnanyachetah
vrajati shivasamipam kinnaraih stuyamanah stavanamidamamogham pushpadantapranitam
सुरवरमुनिपूज्यं स्वर्गमोक्षैकहेतुं पठति यदि मनुष्यः प्राञ्जलिर्नान्यचेताः
व्रजति शिवसमीपं किन्नरैः स्तूयमानः स्तवनमिदममोघं पुष्पदन्तप्रणीतम्
Meaning
If a person recites this unfailing hymn composed by Pushpadanta with folded hands and a single pointed mind, having first honored the teacher of the gods, that person reaches Shiva's presence, welcomed there by the celestial singers known as kinnaras.
Phalashruti 39
asamaptamidam stotram punyam gandharvabhashitam
anaupamyam manohari shivamishvaravarnanam
आसमाप्तमिदं स्तोत्रं पुण्यं गन्धर्वभाषितम्
अनौपम्यं मनोहारि शिवमीश्वरवर्णनम्
Meaning
And so this hymn comes to its end, a meritorious, matchless, and deeply appealing composition spoken by a gandharva, entirely devoted to describing the greatness of Ishvara.
Phalashruti 40
ityesha vanmayi puja shrimachchhankarapadayoh
arpita tena deveshah priyatam me sadashivah
इत्येषा वाङ्मयी पूजा श्रीमच्छङ्करपादयोः
अर्पिता तेन देवेशः प्रीयतां मे सदाशिवः
Meaning
This offering, made of words alone, is placed at the feet of the glorious Shankara. May Sadashiva, lord of the gods, find pleasure in it.
Phalashruti 41
tava tattvam na janami kidrishosi maheshvara
yadrishosi mahadeva tadrishaya namo namah
तव तत्त्वं न जानामि कीदृशोऽसि महेश्वर
यादृशोऽसि महादेव तादृशाय नमो नमः
Meaning
I confess I don't actually know your true nature or what you truly look like, Maheshvara. Whatever form that nature takes, Mahadeva, I bow again and again to exactly that.
Phalashruti 42
ekakalam dvikalam va trikalam yah pathennarah
sarvapapavinirmuktah shivaloke mahiyate
एककालं द्विकालं वा त्रिकालं यः पठेन्नरः
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तः शिवलोके महीयते
Meaning
Anyone who recites this hymn once, twice, or three times a day is freed from every sin and comes to be honored in Shiva's own world.
Phalashruti 43
shripushpadantamukhapankajanirgatena stotrena kilbishaharena harapriyena
kanthasthitena pathitena samahitena suprinito bhavati bhutapatirmaheshah
श्रीपुष्पदन्तमुखपङ्कजनिर्गतेन स्तोत्रेण किल्बिषहरेण हरप्रियेण
कण्ठस्थितेन पठितेन समाहितेन सुप्रीणितो भवति भूतपतिर्महेशः
Meaning
This hymn flowed from the lotus mouth of Sri Pushpadanta himself, capable of clearing away sin and dear to Hara's heart. Anyone who keeps it in memory, reads it aloud, or recites it with full attention brings deep joy to Maheshwara, lord of all beings.
Shiva Mahimna Stotram Meaning and Theology
The entire hymn rests on one honest admission: Shiva’s greatness cannot actually be captured in words. Pushpadanta opens by saying that even Brahma and the other gods fall short when they try, and that the Vedas themselves, after searching for a way to describe Shiva, can only fall back on “not this, not this.” Rather than treating this as a reason to stay silent, the poet treats it as a reason to try anyway, trusting that sincerity matters more than eloquence.
Through the middle verses, the hymn moves through story after story, Ravana’s pride, Brahma and Vishnu’s failed search for Shiva’s beginning and end, the poison Shiva swallowed to save the universe, Kamadeva reduced to ash, to show the same idea from different angles: every ordinary measure of greatness eventually breaks down in front of Shiva, and what looks like his weakness or eccentricity, ash-smeared skin, a graveyard for a playground, a stained throat, is quietly revealed as his real strength.
The hymn’s most quoted image comes in verse 32: if the dark mountain became ink, the ocean its inkpot, a branch of the heavenly wish-tree its pen, and the whole earth a sheet of paper, and if Saraswati herself wrote without pausing for all of time, she still could not reach the end of Shiva’s qualities. It is less a claim about Shiva than an honest statement about the limits of language itself, which is really the argument the entire stotram has been building toward from its first line.
When to Chant the Shiva Mahimna Stotram
- – Sit facing east or north, ideally before a Shiva lingam, murti, or image, after a simple wash of the hands and face.
- – Light a lamp or incense and offer a few drops of water, bilva leaves, or flowers if available; none of this is mandatory, but it helps settle the mind.
- – Begin with "Om Namah Shivaya" three times before starting the stotram itself.
- – Recite the 43 verses at a steady, unhurried pace; reading the meaning alongside the Sanskrit, at least the first few times, makes the recitation far more meaningful than speed-reading it.
- – If chanting all 43 verses feels long at first, start with verses 1 to 5 and verse 32, then build up gradually.
- – Close with the phalashruti verses (34 to 43) and a final "Om Namah Shivaya."
- – Consistency matters more than duration; a short daily recitation done sincerely tends to mean more than an occasional long one.
Benefits of Reciting the Shiva Mahimna Stotram
The hymn itself, in verses 34 to 36, describes several fruits of regular recitation, and devotees across generations report similar experiences:
- : Verse 34 states that daily recitation with a pure mind and genuine devotion leads to wealth, long life, good children, and lasting good name in this life, and closeness to Shiva beyond it.
- : Verse 36 claims that reciting this hymn once carries more merit than performing initiation, charity, austerity, pilgrimage, study, and ritual sacrifice combined, valuing sincerity over ceremony.
- : Many devotees find the hymn calming to recite when anxious or overwhelmed, since its central message, that even the greatest confusion eventually settles into something larger and steadier, offers real comfort.
- : Because the verses move through so many stories about Shiva, regular recitation doubles as an easy way to learn Shiva's mythology and iconography without separate study.
- : The hymn is traditionally chanted for forgiveness and humility, following Pushpadanta's own example of turning a personal failure into genuine devotion.
- : Reciting Sanskrit verses aloud, with attention to pronunciation and rhythm, is also valued simply as a disciplined daily practice that steadies concentration over time.
The Pushpadanta Legend
According to tradition, Pushpadanta was a gandharva, one of the celestial musicians of Indra’s court, who had a secret habit: every night, using his power to move unseen, he would slip into King Chitraratha’s private garden and steal the finest flowers meant for the king’s daily worship of Shiva.
Night after night, the king found his garden stripped bare and had no idea who was responsible, since Pushpadanta’s invisibility kept him safe from every guard. Eventually, the king’s priest suggested a trap: he scattered the Nirmalya around the garden, the used flowers, bilva leaves, and offerings that had already been placed on Shiva’s altar, considered sacred leftovers of worship.
Pushpadanta, unaware of what lay underfoot in the dark, walked straight over the Nirmalya, and the moment he did, he lost his power of invisibility. Caught for the first time, he stood exposed and ashamed, understanding at once that he had offended Shiva by treating something sacred so carelessly.
In that moment of panic and remorse, Pushpadanta composed the Shiva Mahimna Stotram on the spot, an outpouring of praise and confession that admitted his own smallness while celebrating Shiva’s greatness without reservation. Moved by the sincerity of the hymn, Shiva is said to have forgiven him and restored his powers, and the verses Pushpadanta sang that night have been recited by devotees ever since.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Pushpadanta?
Pushpadanta was a gandharva, a celestial musician in the court of Indra, whom tradition credits as the author of this hymn. According to the legend behind the stotram, he composed it as an act of repentance after being caught stealing flowers meant for Shiva's worship.
How long does it take to chant the Shiva Mahimna Stotram?
A full recitation of all 43 verses typically takes about 20 to 25 minutes at a steady, unhurried pace. Reading the meaning alongside the Sanskrit the first few times will naturally take longer.
How many verses does the Shiva Mahimna Stotram have?
The standard recension used here has 43 verses: 33 that form the core hymn attributed to Pushpadanta, followed by 10 phalashruti verses describing the benefits of recitation, held by tradition to have been added later. A few printed editions count 41 or 44 depending on how the closing verses are split or grouped.
What is the meaning of the famous ink and ocean verse?
Verse 32 imagines the dark mountain ground into ink, the ocean as the inkpot, a heavenly tree's branch as the pen, and the earth as paper, with Saraswati writing without pause for all of time. Even then, it says, she could never reach the end of Shiva's qualities, a way of admitting that Shiva's greatness is genuinely beyond description.
Can this stotram be recited by anyone, regardless of tradition or background?
Yes. The hymn itself argues that devotion and sincerity matter more than ritual correctness or formal qualification, which is part of why it has remained so widely recited across different Shaiva traditions and communities.
What is the best time to recite the Shiva Mahimna Stotram?
Mondays, Pradosham, and Maha Shivaratri are considered especially auspicious, though many devotees simply recite it daily during their morning prayers.
Is it necessary to understand Sanskrit to benefit from reciting it?
No. Many devotees recite it purely by sound and devotion without knowing Sanskrit, though reading the meaning alongside the verses, as given on this page, deepens the experience considerably.
What does the word Mahimna mean?
Mahimna comes from mahiman, meaning greatness or glory, so the title translates loosely to Hymn on the Greatness of Shiva.
॥ ॐ नमः शिवाय ॥