DESCRIPTION:
Shiva Tandava Stotram (शिवताण्डवस्तोत्रम्) is a 'stotra' (hymn) that describes Shiva's power and beauty. It was sung by the demon king Ravana, a great devotee of Lord Shiva.

TRANSLATION:
With his neck, consecrated by the flow of water flowing from the thick forest-like locks of hair, and on the neck, where the lofty snake is hanging garland, and the Damaru drum making the sound of Damad Damad Damad Damad, Lord Siva did the auspicious dance of Tandava and may He shower prosperity on us all. ॥1॥

I have a very deep interest in Lord Siva, whose head is glorified by the rows of moving waves of the celestial river Ganga, agitating in the deep well of his hair-locks, and who has the brilliant fire flaming on the surface of his forehead, and who has the crescent moon as a jewel on his head. ॥2॥

May my mind seek happiness in the Lord Siva, in whose mind all the living beings of the glorious universe exist, who is the sportive companion of Parvati (daughter of the mountain king), who controls invincible hardships with the flow of his compassionate look, who is all-persuasive ॥3॥

May I seek wonderful pleasure in Lord Siva, who is supporter of all life, who with his creeping snake with reddish brown hood and with the luster of his gem on it spreading out variegated colors on the beautiful faces of the maidens of directions, who is covered with a glittering upper garment made of the skin of a huge intoxicated elephant. ॥4॥

May Lord Siva give us prosperity, who has the moon as his head-jewel, whose hair is tied by the red snake-garland, whose foot-stool is grayed by the flow of dust from the flowers from the rows of heads of all the Gods, Indra/Vishnu and others. ॥5॥

May we get the wealth of Siddhis from Siva's locks of hair, which devoured the God of Love with the sparks of the fire flaming in His forehead, who is bowed by all the celestial leaders, who is beautiful with a crescent moon ॥6॥

My interest is in Lord Siva, who has three eyes, who has offered the powerful God of Love into the fire, flaming Dhagad Dhagad on the flat surface of his forehead who is the sole expert artist of drawing decorative lines on the bosom of Parvati, the daughter of the mountain king. ॥7॥

May Lord Siva give us prosperity, who bears the burden of this universe, who is lovely with the moon, who is red wearing the skin, who has the celestial river Ganga, whose neck is dark as midnight of new moon night covered by many layers of clouds. ॥8॥

I pray to Lord Siva, whose neck is tied with the luster of the temples hanging on the neck with the glory of the fully-bloomed blue lotuses which looked like the blackness (sins) of the universe, who is the killer of Manmatha, who destroyed Tripurasuras,who destroyed the bonds of wordly existence, who destroyed sacrifice (Daksha),who destroyed Gajasura, who destroyed the demon Andhaka, and who is the restrainer of Yama, the God of death. ॥9॥

I pray to Lord Siva, who has bees flying all over because of the sweet honey from the beautiful bunch of auspicious Kadamba flowers, who is the killer of Manmatha, who destroyed Tripuras, who destroyed the bonds of worldly life, who destroyed the sacrifice, who destroyed the demon Andhaka, the killer of the elephants, and who controlled the God of death, Yama. ॥10॥

Lord Siva, whose dance of Tandava is in tune with the series of loud sounds of drum making Dhimid Dhimid sounds, who has the fire on the great forehead, the fire that is spreading out because of the breath of the snake wandering in whirling motion in the glorious sky.॥11॥

When will I worship Lord Sadasiva (eternally auspicious) God, with equal vision towards the people and an emperor, and a blade of grass and lotus-like eye, towards both friends and enemies, towards the valuable gem and some lump of dirt, towards a snake and a garland and towards varied ways of the world ॥12॥

When will I be happy, living in the hollow place near the celestial river, Ganga, carrying the folded hands on my head all the time, with my bad thinking washed away, and uttering the mantra of Lord Siva and devoted in the God with glorious forehead with vibrating eyes.॥13॥

Whoever reads, remembers and says this best stotra as it is said here, gets purified for ever, and obtains devotion in the great Guru Siva. For this devotion, there is no other way. Just the mere thought of Lord Siva indeed removes the delusion. ॥14॥

Early morning, at the end of Puja, whoever utters this stotra dedicated to the worship of Siva, Lord Siva blessea him with very stable Lakshmi (prosperity) with all the richness of chariots, elephants and horses.॥15॥

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INFO:
Artist: Pt. Hari Nath
Album: Shiva Tandava

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