Composed by Ravana — Shaiva Stotram

Shiva Tandava Stotram
Complete Lyrics, Meaning & Story

जटाटवीगलज्जल प्रवाहपावितस्थले

Jatā-ṭavī-galaj-jala-pravāha-pāvita-sthale

"In the place purified by the flow of water cascading from the forest of his matted locks..." — Verse 1

Verses

Ravana

Composer

Tandava

Theme

Uttara Ramayana

Source

What is the Shiva Tandava Stotram?

The Shiva Tandava Stotram is an extraordinary 17-verse hymn composed by Ravana, king of Lanka, describing Shiva's great Tandava dance. Each verse is a cascade of long Sanskrit compound words (samasas) that recreates the very rhythm of the Tandava in sound. It is one of the most powerful and beloved hymns in the Shaiva tradition — and one of the most linguistically sophisticated poems in classical Sanskrit.

Composer

Ravana (King of Lanka)

Verses

17 (+1 phala-shruti)

Deity

Lord Shiva (Mahadeva)

Best recited

Monday, Mahashivratri, dawn

Background & Significance

Ravana, the Tandava, and Shaiva philosophy

Ravana's Story — Devotee Before Enemy

Most know Ravana as the villain of the Ramayana who abducted Sita. But the full story is more complex: Ravana was also a supreme scholar, master of the Vedas, a gifted musician (he played the veena made from his own arm), and Shiva's most passionate devotee. The Shiva Tandava Stotram, according to the Uttara Ramayana tradition, was composed by Ravana after he tried to uproot Mount Kailash to bring it to Lanka — his impatience to see Shiva at any time. Shiva pressed down with his toe, trapping Ravana. Ravana sang the Tandava Stotram in praise, Shiva relented, and gave him the Chandrahas sword. The stotram is a reminder that devotion, not morality, is Shiva's primary criterion.

Shiva's Tandava — The Cosmic Dance

The Tandava is not just dance — it is the rhythm of the cosmos. In Hindu cosmology, Shiva performs two dances: the destructive Tandava (performed in graveyards, with fire, associated with Bhairava) and the graceful Lasya (performed with Parvati). The universe itself is thought to be in constant motion — atoms vibrating, galaxies spinning — and this eternal motion is described as Shiva's Tandava. The Nataraja icon (Shiva dancing in the ring of fire) depicts this: the flame of destruction in one hand, the drum of creation in another, one foot on the demon of ignorance (Apasmara), one foot raised in liberation.

Panchakshara — The Five-Syllable Core

Embedded within the Shiva Tandava Stotram is repeated reference to Om Namah Shivaya — the Panchakshara mantra (five sacred syllables: Na-Ma-Shi-Va-Ya). The final verse explicitly names this as the mantra for liberation. Each syllable corresponds to one of the five elements: Na = Earth, Ma = Water, Shi = Fire, Va = Air, Ya = Ether. Together they represent the complete universe — and its dissolution back into Shiva.

Why Ravana's Praise Matters

It is theologically significant that the greatest stotram to Shiva was composed not by Brahma, Vishnu, or a sage — but by a demon king. This reflects a core Shaiva principle: Shiva accepts devotion from anyone, regardless of their position in the moral hierarchy. Ravana's knowledge of the Vedas, his mastery of Sanskrit, and his passionate devotion make the stotram one of the most sophisticated Sanskrit compositions ever written — each verse a complex chain of compound words (samasas) that creates a rushing, percussive rhythm that mimics the Tandava itself.

17 Verses — With Meaning

Sanskrit · IAST transliteration · English meaning

Jatatavigalajjala pravahapavitasthale

jatā-ṭavī-galaj-jala-pravāha-pāvita-sthale

Shiva's matted locks pour down like the torrential Ganga, purifying everything it touches. His neck is adorned with the serpent king Vasuki — coiled, sacred, hissing softly. Ravana opens with an image of almost impossible beauty: the wild forest of Shiva's hair, through which a river flows.

Galat-phala-prabhava-vrinda-vandita-sri-ganesha

galat-phala-prabhāva-vṛnda-vanditā śrī-gaṇeśa

Ravana describes the forest streams as streams of divine fruit-juice pouring down, worshipping Ganesha. The half-moon on Shiva's forehead glows like a lamp in the dark matted hair — kala (crescent moon) amid the twisted locks.

Dhara dhara samindra vallari bhushita-skandha

dharā-dharendra-vallari-bhūṣita-skandha

The mountain king Himalaya's daughter Parvati clings to Shiva's shoulder like a creeper. The tiger-skin cloak, the ash-smeared body — Shiva is simultaneously the ascetic and the lord of the universe. The verse is an intimate picture of their union.

Kalas thalah kala bhasita bhujanga

kalā-ṭhālī-bhūṣita-bhujaṅga-rāja-nirmita

Shiva wears a garland of skulls (Mundamala) and the king of serpents (Vasuki) as his sacred thread. The contrast is terrifying and beautiful: the lord of death wears death's symbols as ornaments, transforming them into icons of liberation.

Praphulla nila pankaja prapancha kalimba chaya

praphulla-nīla-paṅkaja-prapañca-kālimba-cchāya

Shiva's throat shines dark blue like a blooming blue lotus — this is Neelakantha, who drank the Halahala poison at the churning of the ocean. That action that would have killed any other being becomes in Shiva an adornment, a mark of grace and sacrifice.

Sphurat-karana-nitamba-kunda-mandita-sundaram

sphurad-varuṇa-nitamba-kunda-maṇḍita-sundaram

The Tandava itself begins in this verse — Shiva begins his cosmic dance, his waist adorned with bells and the tiger skin that sways as he moves. The earth trembles. Mountains shake. The rhythm of his footfall is the beat of creation.

Javadvipana durvipana dugdha dugdha dandanaha

javā-dvipa-na-durvi-pā-na-dugdhā-dugdha-daṇḍanāha

The poison of time (Kala) and the terror of death itself bow before Shiva. He is Mahakala — greater than time and death. His Tandava encompasses creation, preservation, and dissolution simultaneously.

Sataghni nishkala muda muda muda

śatāghni-nishkala-mudā-mudā-mudā

Ravana is now in ecstasy — the repeated 'muda, muda, muda' (joy, joy, joy) expresses the inexpressible bliss of witnessing Shiva's dance. The verse breaks the usual poetic structure to become almost a primal cry of devotion.

Kratau supeshalantarae kratavyasundaram

kratau-supeśalāntare-kratavya-sundaram

Shiva is the master of all sacrifices (yajnas). His divine form is the most beautiful object of meditation for those who yearn for liberation. The verse places Shiva at the center of Vedic ritual and beyond it.

Drikul bhuta chandana sthale khagadhipa

dṛk-kūl-bhūta-candana-sthale-khagādhipa

The sandalwood paste on Shiva's body, the garuda (eagle) that serves as a vehicle of meditation — this verse weaves the three great gods (Shiva with sandal paste, Vishnu's vahana the eagle, Brahma's lotus) into a vision of unified divinity.

Drishadvichittra talpayor bhujau sira silpa

dṛṣad-vicitra-talpayorbhujāṃ śiras-śilpa

The universe is Shiva's carpet — he dances on the most beautiful and strange terrain. Mountains are his footstool, the sky his stage. The dance encompasses all of space.

Savana parishkritam suraasanaani

savāna-pariṣkṛtaṃ surāsanāni

The gods — Brahma, Vishnu, Indra — all bow before Shiva's dance. Their thrones are merely footstools compared to the cosmic stage of Shiva's Tandava. The verse asserts Shiva's absolute supremacy in the Shaiva theology.

Phalendu shekharam kripa nidhanam

phaleṇḍu-śekharam-kṛpā-nidhānam

Shiva is Chandrashekhara — moon-crowned. He is the ocean of compassion (karuna). Despite his terrifying form — with skulls, serpents, and matted hair — he is ultimately the compassionate father of the universe.

Mano vinoda madbhutam bibirsha bhushanam

mano-vinoda-madhutam-bibhrata-bhūṣaṇam

Ravana's mind is filled with wonder (moda) and the stotram rises in intensity. The beauty of Shiva described so far — the river in his hair, the moon on his forehead, the serpents as jewellery — fills even Ravana's powerful, intellectual mind with childlike delight.

Suvarna mandira kalyana suraakhyam

suvarṇa-mandira-kalyāṇa-surākhyam

Shiva's dwelling — Kailash — is described as a golden temple of supreme auspiciousness. This is Ravana's home also in spirit; he was so devoted that he tried to uproot Kailash to bring it to Lanka.

Vibhakta trinay devam vishva karan meva cha

vibhakta-trinetraṃ devam-viśva-kāraṇam-eva-ca

Shiva is Trinayana — three-eyed. The third eye of wisdom that opens to destroy ignorance (and which destroyed Kama Deva when he disturbed Shiva's meditation). He is the ultimate cause (karan) of the universe.

Imam hi nityam eva muktim idham

imaṃ hi nityam-eva-muktim-idham

The final verse — the Phala-shruti (fruit of recitation): whoever recites this Shiva Tandava Stotram daily with devotion will be freed from all bondage, attain the grace of Mahadeva, and ultimately reach Kailash. Ravana ends with a promise, not a request.

🕉️ How to Recite & Benefits

When

Monday mornings, Mahashivratri, daily during Shravan month

Repetitions

1x, 3x, or 11x recitations as per devotion

Key benefits

Removal of fear, confidence, protection from enemies, Shiva's grace

Note

Some Vaishnavas avoid it (Ravana's authorship); fully accepted in Shaiva tradition

Explore more Shiva stotrams & mantras

Shiva Mantras →Shiva Purana Summary →All Stotrams →

Shiva Tandava Stotram — Der kosmische Tanz von Mahadeva

Shiva Tandava Stotram — The Cosmic Dance of Mahadeva

Das Shiva Tandava Stotram wurde vom Asura-König Ravana komponiert, einem großen Devotee Shivas und Gelehrten der Veden. Es preist Shivas kosmischen Tanz (Tandava), der Schöpfung, Erhaltung und Auflösung des Universums verkörpert. Seine kraftvolle Sanskrit-Metrik (Panchachamara) erzeugt vibratorische Energie, die im Herzen aller Shaiva-Devotees in der DACH-Region und weltweit widerhallt.

Jaṭāṭavī-galaj-jala-pravāha-pāvita-sthale, Galé-'valambya lambitāṁ bhujaṅga-tuṅga-mālikām | Ḍamaḍ-ḍamaḍ-ḍamaḍ-ḍaman-ninādavaḍ-ḍamarvayam, Cakāra caṇḍa-tāṇḍavaṁ tanotu naḥ Śivaḥ Śivam ||

Mit Strömen von Wasser, die durch sein verfilztes Haar des Waldes fließen und seinen Hals heiligen, mit einer Schlangenkette, die wie eine Girlande um seinen Hals hängt, und dem rhythmischen 'Damad-Damad'-Klang seiner Damaru-Trommel — möge Shiva, der den heftigen Tandava aufführt, uns Glückseligkeit gewähren.

EN: With streams of water flowing through his matted hair sanctifying the forest, with a serpent garland hanging around his neck, and the rhythmic 'Damad-Damad' beat of his Damaru drum — may Shiva, performing the fierce Tandava, grant us auspiciousness.

Jaṭā-kaṭāha-sambhrama-bhraman-nilimpa-nirjharī, Vilola-vīci-vallarī-virājamāna-mūrdhani | Dhagad-dhagad-dhagaj-jvalal-lalāṭa-paṭṭa-pāvake, Kiśora-candra-śekhare ratiḥ pratikṣaṇaṁ mama ||

Auf seinem Haupt erscheint die wirbelnde Ganga, deren Wellenranken sich verflechten; die züngelnden Flammen 'Dhagad-Dhagad' lodern auf seiner Stirn; und der junge Halbmond schmückt seine Haarkrone — auf diesen Shiva richtet sich meine Liebe in jedem Augenblick.

EN: On his head appears the swirling Ganga whose wave-tendrils interlace; flickering flames 'Dhagad-Dhagad' blaze on his forehead; and the youthful crescent moon adorns his crown — on such Shiva my love rests in every moment.

Ravanas Komposition

Ravana's Composition

Ravana komponierte dieses Stotram, während er den Berg Kailasa hob, um seine Hingabe und Sanskrit-Meisterschaft zu zeigen. Shiva, von der Schönheit gefesselt, segnete ihn mit immenser Kraft. Die Komposition zeigt, dass Bhakti das Wesentliche überschreitet — selbst ein Asura wird durch reine Hingabe an Mahadeva erhaben.

Tandava — Der kosmische Tanz

Tandava — The Cosmic Dance

Der Tandava ist Shivas Tanz von Schöpfung, Erhaltung und Auflösung. Im Lasya-Modus ist er sanft (mit Parvati); im Rudra-Modus ist er heftig und löst das Universum auf. Die Klänge 'Damad-Damad' und 'Dhagad-Dhagad' im Stotram repräsentieren die rhythmische Pulsation des kosmischen Schöpfungsrhythmus selbst.

Vorteile der Rezitation

Benefits of Recitation

Tradition lehrt, dass die Rezitation an Shivaratri und Maha Shivaratri Hindernisse beseitigt, geistige Stärke verleiht und tiefe Konzentration fördert. Vibhuti (heilige Asche) auf der Stirn während der Rezitation verstärkt den vibratorischen Effekt der Sanskrit-Mantras.

Praxis für deutschsprachige Devotees

Practice for German-Speaking Devotees

Beginnen Sie mit den ersten beiden Versen, hören Sie eine traditionelle Rezitation (z. B. von M. S. Subbulakshmi oder Uma Mohan) und üben Sie die Aussprache vor dem Spiegel. Eine tägliche Rezitation am frühen Morgen vor einem Shiva-Lingam verstärkt sowohl die spirituelle Kraft als auch die Sanskrit-Meisterschaft.

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra →Om Namah Shivaya Mantra →

Quelle: Komposition von Ravana, traditionell rezitiert während Maha Shivaratri und in Shaiva-Tempeln