This Shivashtakam was composed by Adi Shankaracharya. Lord Shiva can be easily impressed. Once impressed, Lord Shiva eradicates all the problems and frees his devotees from all kinds of sorrows. A person benefits from his blessings and is able to understand his own existence. The magnificence of Lord Shiva has been mentioned in the Puranas, Vedas and Shastras. He is the supreme power who is worshipped by everyone in the form of Trayambakam Shiva, Nirakar, Onkar, Lingkar etc.
Lord Shiva blesses his devotees and frees them from all kinds of problems. Lord Shiva has been said to be forgiving, generous and compassionate in the ancient scriptures. Lord Shiva protected the Earth by decreasing the flow of the Ganga river with his hair. He also protected the Earth by drinking poison during the battle between Devas and Demons.
A devotee should take a bath and wear clean white clothes. He should worship Lord Shiva in a temple, with a pure heart. Sandalwood, clothes, rice, Bel leaves, flowers, fruits etc. should be dedicated to Lord Shiva. Ashtak has been written for the worship of Lord Shiva. Shivashtak, Lingashtak and Rudrashtak are the famous ones.
Shiva Ashtakam 3 by Adi Sankara in Bengali:
॥ শ্রীশিবাষ্টকম্ ৩ ॥
তস্মৈ নমঃ পরমকারণকারণায়
দীপ্তোজ্জ্বলজ্বলিতপিঙ্গললোচনায় ॥
নাগেন্দ্রহারকৃতকুণ্ডলভূষণায়
ব্রহ্মেন্দ্রবিষ্ণুবরদায় নমঃ শিবায় ॥ ১ ॥
শ্রীমত্প্রসন্নশশিপন্নগভূষণায়
শৈলেন্দ্রজা বদন চুম্বিতলোচনায় ॥
কৈলাসমন্দিরমহেন্দ্রনিকেতনায়
লোকত্রয়ার্তিহরণায় নমঃ শিবায় ॥ ২ ॥
পদ্মাবদাতমণিকুণ্ডলগোবৃষায়
কৃষ্ণাগরুপ্রচুরচন্দনচর্চিতায় ॥
ভস্মানুষক্তবিকচোত্পলমল্লিকায়
নীলাব্জকণ্ঠসদৃশায় নমঃ শিবায় ॥ ৩ ॥
লম্বত্সপিঙ্গল জটামুকুটোত্কটায়
দংষ্ট্রাকরালবিকটোত্কটভৈরবায় ॥
ব্যাঘ্রাজিনাম্বরধরায় মনোহরায়
ত্রৈলোক্যনাথ নমিতায় নমঃ শিবায় ॥ ৪ ॥
দক্ষপ্রজাপতিমহামখনাশনায়
ক্ষিপ্রং মহাত্রিপুরদানবঘাতনায় ॥
ব্রহ্মোর্জিতোর্ধ্বগকরোটিনিকৃন্তনায়
য়োগায় য়োগনমিতায় নমঃ শিবায় ॥ ৫ ॥
সংসারসৃষ্টিঘটনাপরিবর্তনায়
রক্ষঃ পিশাচগণসিদ্ধসমাকুলায় ॥
সিদ্ধোরগগ্রহ গণেন্দ্রনিষেবিতায়
শার্দূল চর্মবসনায় নমঃ শিবায় ॥ ৬ ॥
ভস্মাঙ্গরাগকৃতরূপমনোহরায়
সৌম্যাবদাতবনমাশ্রিতমাশ্রিতায় ॥
গৌরীকটাক্ষনয়নার্ধ নিরীক্ষণায়
গোক্ষীরধারধবলায় নমঃ শিবায় ॥ ৭ ॥
আদিত্যসোমবরুণানিলসেবিতায়
য়জ্ঞাগ্নিহোত্রবরধূমনিকেতনায় ॥
ঋক্সামবেদমুনিভিঃ স্তুতিসংয়ুতায়
গোপায় গোপনমিতায় নমঃ শিবায় ॥ ৮ ॥
শিবাষ্টকমিদং পুণ্যং য়ঃ পঠেত্ শিবসন্নিধৌ
শিবলোকমবাপ্নোতি শিবেন সহ মোদতে ॥
শ্রী শংকরাচার্যকৃতং শিবাষ্টকং সম্পূর্ণম্ ।
Shiva Ashtakam 3 Meaning:
I salute that Shiva, who is the real cause of causes,
Who has reddish brown eyes which shine like the light,
Who wears garlands and ear drops made of the king of snakes,
And who is the one who gives boons to Brahma and Vishnu. || 1 ||
I salute that Shiva, who always wears,
The clear moon and the snake as ornaments,
Whose eyes are kissed by the daughter of the mountain,
Who lives in the Kailasa peak and Mahendra mountain,
And who defeats the sorrow of the people of three worlds. || 2 ||
I salute that Shiva, who has the neck of the color of blue lotus,
Who wears earrings made of Padma raga, who rides on a bull,
Who applies fragrance of aloe and coats himself with plenty of sandal paste,
And who applies ash on his body and wears a garland of opened lotus flowers. || 3 ||
I salute that Shiva who is saluted by lords of the three worlds,
Who has a large matted crown of hair of reddish brown color,
Who appears fierce and fearful due to his pointed teeth,
And who is very pretty wearing the hide of a tiger. || 4 ||
I salute that Shiva, who is yoga and is saluted by yogis,
Who destroyed fire sacrifice conducted by Daksha Prajapati,
Who quickly killed the great asura called Tripurasura,
And who cut off the fifth head of Brahma, who was proud || 5 ||
I salute that Shiva, who wears the skin of a tiger,
Who keeps on destroying and creating the world,
Who takes care of the different demons and crowds of sidhas,
And who is served by sidhas, serpents, planets and chiefs of ganas. || 6 ||
I salute that Shiva, who is as white as a stream of cows milk,
Who applies ash all over him but is bewitchingly handsome,
Who is the support for those pious people who take shelter in forests,
Who with half-closed eyes sees the side-long glance of Gowri. || 7 ||
I salute that Shiva, who takes care of a bull and is venerated by it,
Who is served by Sun, moon, the god of rain and the god of fire,
Who lives in places sanctified by the smoke of fire sacrifices,
And who is sung by sages well learned in Rik and Sama Veda. || 8 ||
He who reads this octet on Shiva,
In front of the temple of Shiva,
Would reach the world of Shiva,
And would be happy along with Shiva.
Also Read:
Lord Shiva Ashtakam 3 / Shankaracharya Kritam in Hindi | English | Bengali | Gujarati | Kannada | Malayalam | Oriya | Telugu | Tamil