Lingashtakam
Also written: Lingashtak · Linga Ashtakam · Shiva Lingashtakam · Brahma Murari Surarchita Lingam · Lingastakam · Lingashtakam Stotram
The Liṅgāṣṭakam is a hymn of eight Sanskrit verses in praise of the Śiva liṅga, with one closing verse on the fruit of reciting it. Every verse ends with the same line: “tat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam”, “I bow to that liṅga of Sadāśiva.”
Each verse names a few qualities of the liṅga: it is worshipped by Brahmā, Viṣṇu and the gods; it is adorned with sandal paste, flowers and jewels; it is the cause from which everything arises. The hymn also recalls well-known stories: the burning of Kāma, the humbling of Rāvaṇa's pride, and the ending of Dakṣa's sacrifice.
Who composed it is not known for certain. It is very often attributed to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, and many printed books say so, but that attribution rests on tradition and we have not found it established. We give it here as a traditional hymn.
The text is short, simple and strongly rhythmic, which is why it is among the most widely sung Śiva hymns. Printed versions differ in a few words (noted below); the reading given here is the common one.
The full text
- 1ब्रह्ममुरारिसुरार्चितलिङ्गंनिर्मलभासितशोभितलिङ्गम् ।जन्मजदुःखविनाशकलिङ्गंतत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥ १ ॥brahmamurārisurārcitaliṅgaṃnirmalabhāsitaśobhitaliṅgam |janmajaduḥkhavināśakaliṅgaṃtat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam || 1 ||
I bow to that liṅga of Sadāśiva, which Brahmā, Viṣṇu and the gods worship, which shines with a pure and spotless light, and which destroys the sorrows that come with birth.
- 2देवमुनिप्रवरार्चितलिङ्गंकामदहं करुणाकरलिङ्गम् ।रावणदर्पविनाशनलिङ्गंतत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥ २ ॥devamunipravarārcitaliṅgaṃkāmadahaṃ karuṇākaraliṅgam |rāvaṇadarpavināśanaliṅgaṃtat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam || 2 ||
I bow to that liṅga of Sadāśiva, worshipped by the gods and the greatest sages; the one who burned Kāma and yet is a mine of compassion, and who destroyed the pride of Rāvaṇa.
- 3सर्वसुगन्धिसुलेपितलिङ्गंबुद्धिविवर्धनकारणलिङ्गम् ।सिद्धसुरासुरवन्दितलिङ्गंतत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥ ३ ॥sarvasugandhisulepitaliṅgaṃbuddhivivardhanakāraṇaliṅgam |siddhasurāsuravanditaliṅgaṃtat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam || 3 ||
I bow to that liṅga of Sadāśiva, anointed with every kind of fragrance, the cause of the growth of understanding, and revered by siddhas, gods and asuras alike.
- 4कनकमहामणिभूषितलिङ्गंफणिपतिवेष्टितशोभितलिङ्गम् ।दक्षसुयज्ञविनाशनलिङ्गंतत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥ ४ ॥kanakamahāmaṇibhūṣitaliṅgaṃphaṇipativeṣṭitaśobhitaliṅgam |dakṣasuyajñavināśanaliṅgaṃtat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam || 4 ||
I bow to that liṅga of Sadāśiva, adorned with gold and great gems, beautiful with the king of serpents coiled around it, and the one who brought Dakṣa's grand sacrifice to an end.
- 5कुङ्कुमचन्दनलेपितलिङ्गंपङ्कजहारसुशोभितलिङ्गम् ।सञ्चितपापविनाशनलिङ्गंतत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥ ५ ॥kuṅkumacandanalepitaliṅgaṃpaṅkajahārasuśobhitaliṅgam |sañcitapāpavināśanaliṅgaṃtat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam || 5 ||
I bow to that liṅga of Sadāśiva, smeared with kuṅkuma and sandal paste, lovely with garlands of lotuses, and the destroyer of sins gathered over time.
- 6देवगणार्चितसेवितलिङ्गंभावैर्भक्तिभिरेव च लिङ्गम् ।दिनकरकोटिप्रभाकरलिङ्गंतत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥ ६ ॥devagaṇārcitasevitaliṅgaṃbhāvairbhaktibhireva ca liṅgam |dinakarakoṭiprabhākaraliṅgaṃtat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam || 6 ||
I bow to that liṅga of Sadāśiva, worshipped and served by the hosts of gods with true feeling and devotion, and radiant as countless suns.
- 7अष्टदलोपरिवेष्टितलिङ्गंसर्वसमुद्भवकारणलिङ्गम् ।अष्टदरिद्रविनाशनलिङ्गंतत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥ ७ ॥aṣṭadalopariveṣṭitaliṅgaṃsarvasamudbhavakāraṇaliṅgam |aṣṭadaridravināśanaliṅgaṃtat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam || 7 ||
I bow to that liṅga of Sadāśiva, set upon an eight-petalled lotus, the cause from which all things arise, and the destroyer of the eight kinds of poverty.
- 8सुरगुरुसुरवरपूजितलिङ्गंसुरवनपुष्पसदार्चितलिङ्गम् ।परात्परं परमात्मकलिङ्गंतत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥ ८ ॥suragurusuravarapūjitaliṅgaṃsuravanapuṣpasadārcitaliṅgam |parātparaṃ paramātmakaliṅgaṃtat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam || 8 ||
I bow to that liṅga of Sadāśiva, worshipped by the teacher of the gods and by the best of the gods, always honoured with flowers from the heavenly gardens; higher than the highest, the supreme Self.
- फलश्रुतिलिङ्गाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेत् शिवसन्निधौ ।शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते ॥liṅgāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhet śivasannidhau |śivalokamavāpnoti śivena saha modate ||
The closing verse says that whoever recites this holy Liṅgāṣṭakam in the presence of Śiva reaches Śiva's world and rejoices there with Śiva.
How and when it is recited
This is custom, not a rule of scripture.
- Traditionally recited before a Śiva liṅga, at home or in a temple, during or after the offering of water, bilva leaves and flowers.
- Many devotees sing it on Mondays, on Pradoṣa evenings, in the month of Śrāvaṇa and on Mahāśivarātri.
- It is usually sung aloud, often by a group, with the shared last line of each verse as a refrain.
- The closing verse speaks of reciting it “in the presence of Śiva”, which is why it is so often sung in front of the liṅga.
Verse by verse, explained
Source
tradition
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