Shiva Tandav Stotram — Lyrics, Meaning & Benefits

The Hymn That Shook the Mountains

The story begins with hubris and ends with grace.

Ravana — the ten-headed king of Lanka, scholar of the Vedas, master of the arts, the demon king who would one day abduct Sita — came to Mount Kailasha to pay his respects to Lord Shiva. But Nandi, Shiva’s bull-vehicle and gatekeeper, blocked his path. Ravana, furious at the obstruction, laughed at Nandi and, to demonstrate his power, slipped his twenty hands under the mountain itself and began to lift it.

Parvati trembled. Shiva, unperturbed, simply pressed his great toe downward onto the mountain, pinning Ravana’s hands beneath it. Ravana screamed in agony — the king who could lift mountains could not free his own hands from the weight of Shiva’s divine grace pressing down.

And then Ravana did something extraordinary. Rather than continuing to struggle, he surrendered. His pride melted. And in that surrender, in that crushing acknowledgment of his own smallness before the infinite, he composed the Shiva Tandav Stotram — chanting it for a thousand years until Shiva, moved by the beauty and power of his devotion, released him.

This is the hymn you hold.

The Composer: Ravana’s Secret Soul

Ravana is one of the most complex figures in Hindu mythology. He is the great villain of the Ramayana — the kidnapper of Sita, the enemy of Rama. And yet in the same tradition, he is also recognized as a supreme Shiva devotee, a master of the Vedas, a gifted ruler, a brilliant scholar, a musician of the highest order.

He is a warning and a teaching in one body: that great gifts misused become the cause of destruction. That knowledge without humility is dangerous. That even the most spiritually accomplished person can fall through the corruption of ego and desire.

And yet: Ravana’s devotion to Shiva was genuine. His knowledge was real. His artistry — in this very hymn — was extraordinary. The tradition holds both truths simultaneously: Ravana was flawed and Ravana was great, and his surrender to Shiva at the foot of Kailasha was the most honest moment of his life.

The Shiva Tandav Stotram is what that honest moment produced.

The Cosmic Dance: Tandava

The Tandava is Shiva’s cosmic dance — the dance that sustains the universe and the dance that will one day dissolve it. It is performed in the ananda (bliss) of Shiva’s own nature.

The most famous form of Shiva’s dance is depicted in the Nataraja icon: Shiva dancing within a ring of fire, one foot on the figure of the demon Apasmara (forgetfulness/ignorance), the other raised in the abhaya mudra (fearlessness). His four arms: one hand holds the damaru drum (creation), one holds fire (destruction), one is in abhaya mudra (protection), one points down to his raised foot (grace, liberation).

The Tandava is not a performance — it is the universe itself, continuously unfolding. Every moment of existence is a step in Shiva’s dance.

The Shiva Tandav Stotram is Ravana’s attempt to describe this dance in language — a project that requires the most extravagant Sanskrit ever composed.

The Language: A Study in Sound

What makes the Shiva Tandav Stotram unique is not just its meaning but its sound. Ravana was a master of Sanskrit poetics, and this hymn is a demonstration of his mastery.

The first verse shows the technique immediately: “Damad damad damad daman ninaad vad dama rvayam” — the repeated da-ma-da-ma sounds are an onomatopoeic imitation of the damaru drum. You can hear Shiva’s drum in the syllables themselves.

The internal rhyme scheme (atyashti meter) creates a powerful rhythmic pulse when chanted aloud — a pulse that mimics the rhythm of the cosmic dance. The long compound words (samasas) compound image upon image until the listener is swamped in the grandeur of Shiva’s form.

This is why the Stotram is best chanted aloud, at full voice. Reading it silently loses half its power. The sound itself is the devotion.

Verse by Verse: The Images

Verse 1 — The setting. Shiva stands in the sacred space purified by the waters of the Ganga flowing through his matted hair (jata). Around his neck hangs a garland of great serpents. His damaru drum beats — damad damad — and he performs the fierce Tandava. “Tanotu nah Shivah Shivam” — may that Shiva bring auspiciousness to us.

Verse 2 — The crescent moon. The Ganga churns through his matted locks like an ocean in his hair. On his forehead blazes the sacred fire (dhagad dhagad dhagaj jvalal) — the fire that destroyed Kamadeva, the god of desire. And above, the crescent moon adorns his crown like a jewel. Every moment, Ravana says, my love (rati) rests on this one.

Verse 3 — The playful consort. Parvati, daughter of the mountain king (dharadhara indra nandini), dances beside him — their union delighting all directions. The world rejoices in them. And his glance of grace (kripa kataksha) removes even the most terrible difficulties (durdharaapadi). In that sky-clad one (digambare) — Shiva, who wears the sky as his garment — may my mind find its delight.

Verse 4 — The jeweled serpent. The serpent coiled in Shiva’s matted hair blazes with the light of its hood-jewel, illuminating the faces of the directions. The elephant’s hide (sindhura) covers him like a cloak. In this Lord of all beings (bhootabhartari), may my mind find its wonderful delight.

Verse 5 — The feet. Thousands of gods — Indra and all the hosts of heaven — bow at Shiva’s feet, and the pollen of their offered flowers whitens the footstool. His matted locks are bound with the king of serpents as a crown. May that one, wearing the moon as his ornament, bring lasting auspiciousness.

Verse 6 — The forehead fire. On the square of Shiva’s forehead, the fire blazes and consumes Pancha Sayaka (the five-arrowed Kamadeva — desire itself). The gods bow before him. Above his crowned head the nectar of moonlight rests. In this great skull-bearer (Mahakaapali) — lord of the ascetics — may we find our wealth.

Verse 7 — The three eyes. On the terrible blazing forehead, the fire has consumed desire. On Parvati’s breast he traces ornamental designs — his artistry as gentle as his power is fierce. In you, three-eyed one (trilochana) — in you who see past, present, and future — my devotion rests.

Verse 8 — Pure sound. The final verse abandons description entirely and becomes pure incantation: the name Shiva repeated, woven into rhythmic patterns that cascade like water over stone. “Shiva Shiva Shiva Shiva Shiva Shiva Shiva Shiva…” When language reaches its limit, the name alone remains.

The Phalashruti (verse of result): Whoever recites, remembers, and speaks this supreme hymn attains constant purification. They quickly develop deep devotion to Lord Shiva and their teacher. There is no other path. Contemplation of Shankara (Shiva) removes the delusion of all embodied beings.

How to Chant the Stotram

The traditional repetition is 11 times, especially on:

• Maha Shivaratri — the great night of Shiva, the most sacred night of the Shiva devotee’s year
• Sawan Mondays — the Mondays of the monsoon month of Shravan, particularly sacred to Shiva
• Pradosh — the twilight period of the 13th day of each lunar fortnight

Sit facing north or east. Light a lamp and incense. Have Bilva (Bel) leaves available if possible — they are Shiva’s favorite offering. Begin with Om Namah Shivaya five times to settle the mind.

Then chant slowly, with full attention to the sound. Do not rush. Let each compound word land fully. Let the rhythm of the damaru beat in the syllables. Let the images — the dancing Shiva, the Ganga in his hair, the serpent jewel, the blazing forehead, the crescent moon — arise in the inner eye as you chant.

This stotram is not for beginners seeking a gentle introduction. It is dense, powerful, and demands full presence. But for those who are drawn to it, it offers something rare: the chance to stand where Ravana stood, crushed under the weight of something infinitely greater than yourself, and instead of fighting, to sing.

“Chakaara chanda taandavam tanotu nah Shivah Shivam.”

May that Shiva — dancing his fierce and beautiful dance — bring auspiciousness to us all.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Shiva Tandav Stotram?

Shiva performs his fierce Cosmic Dance (Tandava) in the forest of his matted hair where the waters of the Ganga flow, wearing a garland of great serpents on his neck, to the sound of his damaru drum — may that Shiva bring auspiciousness to us. At every moment my devotion rests on the one who wears t

Which deity is the Shiva Tandav Stotram dedicated to?

The Shiva Tandav Stotram is dedicated to Shiva and is chanted for devotion, power, shiva bhakti, advanced chanting.

How many times should you chant the Shiva Tandav Stotram?

Traditionally, the Shiva Tandav Stotram is chanted 11 times for maximum spiritual benefit. Multiples of 108 are considered sacred.

What are the benefits of chanting the Shiva Tandav Stotram?

Benefits include: Invokes the cosmic power and grace of Lord Shiva. Destroys obstacles, fears, and negative forces. Purifies the mind and removes sins when recited with devotion. Grants eloquence, confidence, and fearlessness. Especially powerful on Maha Shivaratri and Sawan Mondays. Advanced practice that deepens the connection to Shiva consciousness.