108 Names of Shiva
Also written: Shiva Ashtottara Shatanamavali · 108 names of Lord Shiva · Shiva Ashtottara Shatanama · Shiv Ashtottara Namavali · Shiv Ji Ke 108 Naam · Shiva 108 Namavali
The Śiva Aṣṭottaraśata Nāmāvalī is the litany of 108 names of Śiva most widely used in worship. Each name is put in the dative case and offered with “Om … namaḥ” — “Om, salutation to …”.
The names are the same as those of the short hymn Śiva Aṣṭottaraśatanāma Stotram, which strings them into verses beginning “śivo maheśvaraḥ śambhuḥ pinākī śaśiśekharaḥ”. The nāmāvalī simply takes that hymn apart, one name at a time, in the same order.
Together the names sketch Śiva from many sides: how he looks (the moon on his head, the dark throat, the matted hair), what he did (burning Kāma, destroying Tripura, breaking up Dakṣa’s sacrifice), and what he is beyond all stories (the unborn, the unmanifest, the supreme Self).
Printed lists agree almost entirely. A few names vary by a syllable between editions — for example Trilokeśa / Trilokīśa (20) and Pāśavimocaka / Pāśavimocana (90); we follow the reading of the stotra.
The 108 names
- 1ॐ शिवाय नमःoṃ śivāya namaḥ
The auspicious one
- 2ॐ महेश्वराय नमःoṃ maheśvarāya namaḥ
The great Lord
- 3ॐ शम्भवे नमःoṃ śambhave namaḥ
The source of happiness
- 4ॐ पिनाकिने नमःoṃ pinākine namaḥ
Bearer of the bow Pināka
- 5ॐ शशिशेखराय नमःoṃ śaśiśekharāya namaḥ
Who wears the moon as his crest
- 6ॐ वामदेवाय नमःoṃ vāmadevāya namaḥ
The gracious, beautiful god
- 7ॐ विरूपाक्षाय नमःoṃ virūpākṣāya namaḥ
Of the unusual (three) eyes
- 8ॐ कपर्दिने नमःoṃ kapardine namaḥ
Who wears matted locks
- 9ॐ नीललोहिताय नमःoṃ nīlalohitāya namaḥ
The blue-and-red one
- 10ॐ शङ्कराय नमःoṃ śaṅkarāya namaḥ
The doer of good
- 11ॐ शूलपाणये नमःoṃ śūlapāṇaye namaḥ
Who holds the trident in his hand
- 12ॐ खट्वाङ्गिने नमःoṃ khaṭvāṅgine namaḥ
Bearer of the skull-topped staff
- 13ॐ विष्णुवल्लभाय नमःoṃ viṣṇuvallabhāya namaḥ
Dear to Viṣṇu
- 14ॐ शिपिविष्टाय नमःoṃ śipiviṣṭāya namaḥ
Pervaded by rays of light
- 15ॐ अम्बिकानाथाय नमःoṃ ambikānāthāya namaḥ
Lord of Ambikā (Pārvatī)
- 16ॐ श्रीकण्ठाय नमःoṃ śrīkaṇṭhāya namaḥ
Of the glorious throat
- 17ॐ भक्तवत्सलाय नमःoṃ bhaktavatsalāya namaḥ
Tender towards his devotees
- 18ॐ भवाय नमःoṃ bhavāya namaḥ
The source of all that exists
- 19ॐ शर्वाय नमःoṃ śarvāya namaḥ
The destroyer, who removes all ills
- 20ॐ त्रिलोकेशाय नमःoṃ trilokeśāya namaḥ
Lord of the three worlds
- 21ॐ शितिकण्ठाय नमःoṃ śitikaṇṭhāya namaḥ
The dark-throated one
- 22ॐ शिवाप्रियाय नमःoṃ śivāpriyāya namaḥ
Beloved of Śivā (Pārvatī)
- 23ॐ उग्राय नमःoṃ ugrāya namaḥ
The fierce one
- 24ॐ कपालिने नमःoṃ kapāline namaḥ
Bearer of the skull
- 25ॐ कामारये नमःoṃ kāmāraye namaḥ
Enemy of Kāma, the god of desire
- 26ॐ अन्धकासुरसूदनाय नमःoṃ andhakāsurasūdanāya namaḥ
Slayer of the demon Andhaka
- 27ॐ गङ्गाधराय नमःoṃ gaṅgādharāya namaḥ
Who bears Gaṅgā in his hair
- 28ॐ ललाटाक्षाय नमःoṃ lalāṭākṣāya namaḥ
Who has an eye in his forehead
- 29ॐ कालकालाय नमःoṃ kālakālāya namaḥ
The death of Death, the end of Time
- 30ॐ कृपानिधये नमःoṃ kṛpānidhaye namaḥ
Treasure-house of compassion
- 31ॐ भीमाय नमःoṃ bhīmāya namaḥ
The awe-inspiring one
- 32ॐ परशुहस्ताय नमःoṃ paraśuhastāya namaḥ
Who holds an axe in his hand
- 33ॐ मृगपाणये नमःoṃ mṛgapāṇaye namaḥ
Who holds a deer in his hand
- 34ॐ जटाधराय नमःoṃ jaṭādharāya namaḥ
Who wears matted hair
- 35ॐ कैलासवासिने नमःoṃ kailāsavāsine namaḥ
Who dwells on Kailāsa
- 36ॐ कवचिने नमःoṃ kavacine namaḥ
The armoured one
- 37ॐ कठोराय नमःoṃ kaṭhorāya namaḥ
The firm, strong-bodied one
- 38ॐ त्रिपुरान्तकाय नमःoṃ tripurāntakāya namaḥ
Destroyer of the three cities (Tripura)
- 39ॐ वृषाङ्काय नमःoṃ vṛṣāṅkāya namaḥ
Whose emblem is the bull
- 40ॐ वृषभारूढाय नमःoṃ vṛṣabhārūḍhāya namaḥ
Who rides the bull
- 41ॐ भस्मोद्धूलितविग्रहाय नमःoṃ bhasmoddhūlitavigrahāya namaḥ
Whose body is dusted with sacred ash
- 42ॐ सामप्रियाय नमःoṃ sāmapriyāya namaḥ
Who loves the chants of the Sāma Veda
- 43ॐ स्वरमयाय नमःoṃ svaramayāya namaḥ
Who is made of the sacred sounds
- 44ॐ त्रयीमूर्तये नमःoṃ trayīmūrtaye namaḥ
Whose form is the three Vedas
- 45ॐ अनीश्वराय नमःoṃ anīśvarāya namaḥ
Who has no lord above him
- 46ॐ सर्वज्ञाय नमःoṃ sarvajñāya namaḥ
The all-knowing one
- 47ॐ परमात्मने नमःoṃ paramātmane namaḥ
The supreme Self
- 48ॐ सोमसूर्याग्निलोचनाय नमःoṃ somasūryāgnilocanāya namaḥ
Whose eyes are the moon, the sun and fire
- 49ॐ हविषे नमःoṃ haviṣe namaḥ
Who is himself the oblation
- 50ॐ यज्ञमयाय नमःoṃ yajñamayāya namaḥ
Who is the sacrifice itself
- 51ॐ सोमाय नमःoṃ somāya namaḥ
Who is with Umā; the moon-like one
- 52ॐ पञ्चवक्त्राय नमःoṃ pañcavaktrāya namaḥ
The five-faced one
- 53ॐ सदाशिवाय नमःoṃ sadāśivāya namaḥ
The ever-auspicious one
- 54ॐ विश्वेश्वराय नमःoṃ viśveśvarāya namaḥ
Lord of the universe
- 55ॐ वीरभद्राय नमःoṃ vīrabhadrāya namaḥ
Vīrabhadra, the heroic and auspicious
- 56ॐ गणनाथाय नमःoṃ gaṇanāthāya namaḥ
Lord of the gaṇas, his hosts
- 57ॐ प्रजापतये नमःoṃ prajāpataye namaḥ
Lord of all creatures
- 58ॐ हिरण्यरेतसे नमःoṃ hiraṇyaretase namaḥ
Whose seed is golden; the fiery one
- 59ॐ दुर्धर्षाय नमःoṃ durdharṣāya namaḥ
The unassailable one
- 60ॐ गिरीशाय नमःoṃ girīśāya namaḥ
Lord of the mountains
- 61ॐ गिरिशाय नमःoṃ giriśāya namaḥ
Who rests on the mountain (Kailāsa)
- 62ॐ अनघाय नमःoṃ anaghāya namaḥ
The sinless, faultless one
- 63ॐ भुजङ्गभूषणाय नमःoṃ bhujaṅgabhūṣaṇāya namaḥ
Adorned with serpents
- 64ॐ भर्गाय नमःoṃ bhargāya namaḥ
The radiant one who burns away sin
- 65ॐ गिरिधन्वने नमःoṃ giridhanvane namaḥ
Whose bow is a mountain
- 66ॐ गिरिप्रियाय नमःoṃ giripriyāya namaḥ
Who loves the mountains
- 67ॐ कृत्तिवाससे नमःoṃ kṛttivāsase namaḥ
Clad in an animal hide
- 68ॐ पुरारातये नमःoṃ purārātaye namaḥ
Enemy of the cities (Tripura)
- 69ॐ भगवते नमःoṃ bhagavate namaḥ
The blessed Lord
- 70ॐ प्रमथाधिपाय नमःoṃ pramathādhipāya namaḥ
Chief of the Pramathas, his attendants
- 71ॐ मृत्युञ्जयाय नमःoṃ mṛtyuñjayāya namaḥ
Conqueror of death
- 72ॐ सूक्ष्मतनवे नमःoṃ sūkṣmatanave namaḥ
Of subtle form
- 73ॐ जगद्व्यापिने नमःoṃ jagadvyāpine namaḥ
Who pervades the world
- 74ॐ जगद्गुरवे नमःoṃ jagadgurave namaḥ
Teacher of the world
- 75ॐ व्योमकेशाय नमःoṃ vyomakeśāya namaḥ
Whose hair is the sky
- 76ॐ महासेनजनकाय नमःoṃ mahāsenajanakāya namaḥ
Father of Mahāsena (Kārttikeya)
- 77ॐ चारुविक्रमाय नमःoṃ cāruvikramāya namaḥ
Of graceful valour
- 78ॐ रुद्राय नमःoṃ rudrāya namaḥ
Rudra, who drives away sorrow
- 79ॐ भूतपतये नमःoṃ bhūtapataye namaḥ
Lord of all beings and spirits
- 80ॐ स्थाणवे नमःoṃ sthāṇave namaḥ
The unmoving, steadfast one
- 81ॐ अहिर्बुध्न्याय नमःoṃ ahirbudhnyāya namaḥ
Ahirbudhnya, the serpent of the deep
- 82ॐ दिगम्बराय नमःoṃ digambarāya namaḥ
Clothed only in the directions (sky-clad)
- 83ॐ अष्टमूर्तये नमःoṃ aṣṭamūrtaye namaḥ
Of eight forms
- 84ॐ अनेकात्मने नमःoṃ anekātmane namaḥ
Who has many forms
- 85ॐ सात्त्विकाय नमःoṃ sāttvikāya namaḥ
Of pure goodness (sattva)
- 86ॐ शुद्धविग्रहाय नमःoṃ śuddhavigrahāya namaḥ
Of pure form
- 87ॐ शाश्वताय नमःoṃ śāśvatāya namaḥ
The eternal one
- 88ॐ खण्डपरशवे नमःoṃ khaṇḍaparaśave namaḥ
Wielder of the cleaving axe
- 89ॐ अजाय नमःoṃ ajāya namaḥ
The unborn one
- 90ॐ पाशविमोचकाय नमःoṃ pāśavimocakāya namaḥ
Who frees from all bonds
- 91ॐ मृडाय नमःoṃ mṛḍāya namaḥ
The gracious giver of joy
- 92ॐ पशुपतये नमःoṃ paśupataye namaḥ
Lord of all living creatures
- 93ॐ देवाय नमःoṃ devāya namaḥ
The shining God
- 94ॐ महादेवाय नमःoṃ mahādevāya namaḥ
The great God
- 95ॐ अव्ययाय नमःoṃ avyayāya namaḥ
The imperishable one
- 96ॐ हरये नमःoṃ haraye namaḥ
Who is one with Hari (Viṣṇu)
- 97ॐ पूषदन्तभिदे नमःoṃ pūṣadantabhide namaḥ
Who broke the teeth of Pūṣan
- 98ॐ अव्यग्राय नमःoṃ avyagrāya namaḥ
The unperturbed one
- 99ॐ दक्षाध्वरहराय नमःoṃ dakṣādhvaraharāya namaḥ
Destroyer of Dakṣa’s sacrifice
- 100ॐ हराय नमःoṃ harāya namaḥ
Who takes away (sin and sorrow)
- 101ॐ भगनेत्रभिदे नमःoṃ bhaganetrabhide namaḥ
Who put out the eye of Bhaga
- 102ॐ अव्यक्ताय नमःoṃ avyaktāya namaḥ
The unmanifest one
- 103ॐ सहस्राक्षाय नमःoṃ sahasrākṣāya namaḥ
The thousand-eyed one
- 104ॐ सहस्रपदे नमःoṃ sahasrapade namaḥ
The thousand-footed one
- 105ॐ अपवर्गप्रदाय नमःoṃ apavargapradāya namaḥ
Giver of liberation
- 106ॐ अनन्ताय नमःoṃ anantāya namaḥ
The endless one
- 107ॐ तारकाय नमःoṃ tārakāya namaḥ
Who ferries beings across
- 108ॐ परमेश्वराय नमःoṃ parameśvarāya namaḥ
The supreme Lord
How and when it is recited
This is custom, not a rule of scripture.
- Traditionally recited during Śiva pūjā as an arcana: with each name a bilva leaf, a flower or a few grains of rice is offered to the liṅga or image.
- Each name is said in full — “Om”, the name, “namaḥ” — at an unhurried, even pace.
- Commonly recited on Mondays, on Pradoṣa evenings, through the month of Śrāvaṇa and on Mahāśivarātri.
- Many people simply read or chant the 108 names once a day, with or without offerings.
Source
tradition
Explore this source
The original passage for this reference has not yet been added here. Use the location and edition above; the story is our retelling.
0 of 1 source located to chapter or verse. This page has not yet been reviewed by an editor. How we check →