Sri Shiva Mahimna Stotram
Shree shiva mahimnah' stotram'
Mahimnah' paaram' te paramavidusho yadyasadri'shee
Stutirbrahmaadeenaamapi tadavasannaastvayi girah' |
Athaa'vaachyah' sarvah' svamatiparinaamaavadhi gri'nan
Mamaapyesha stotre hara nirapavaadah' parikarah' || 1 ||
Ateetah' panthaanam' tava cha mahimaa vaangmanasayo-
-ratadvyaavri'ttyaa yam' chakitamabhidhatte shrutirapi |
Sa kasya stotavyah' katividhagunah' kasya vishayah'
Pade tvarvaacheene patati na manah' kasya na vachah' || 2 ||
Madhuspheetaa vaachah' paramamamri'tam' nirmitavata-
-stava brahman kim' vaagapi suragurorvismayapadam |
Mama tvetaam' vaaneem' gunakathanapunyena bhavatah'
Punaameetyarthe'smin puramathana buddhirvyavasitaa || 3 ||
Tavaishvaryam' yattajjagadudayarakshaapralayakri't
Trayeevastuvyastam' tisri'shu gunabhinnaasu tanushu |
Abhavyaanaamasmin varada ramaneeyaamaramaneem'
Vihantum' vyaakrosheem' vidadhata ihaike jad'adhiyah' || 4 ||
Kimeehah' kim' kaayah' sa khalu kimupaayastribhuvanam'
Kimaadhaaro dhaataa sri'jati kimupaadaana iti cha |
Atarkyaishvarye tvayyanavasaraduh'stho hatadhiyah'
Kutarko'yam' kaam'shchinmukharayati mohaaya jagatah' || 5 ||
Ajanmaano lokaah' kimavayavavanto'pi jagataa-
-madhisht'haataaram' kim' bhavavidhiranaadri'tya bhavati |
Aneesho vaa kuryaadbhuvanajanane kah' parikaro
Yato mandaastvaam' pratyamaravara sam'sherata ime || 6 ||
Trayee saankhyam' yogah' pashupatimatam' vaishnavamiti
Prabhinne prasthaane paramidamadah' pathyamiti cha |
Rucheenaam' vaichitryaadri'jukut'ila naanaapathajushaam'
Nri'naameko gamyastvamasi payasaamarnava iva || 7 ||
Mahokshah' khat'vaangam' parashurajinam' bhasma phaninah'
Kapaalam' cheteeyattava varada tantropakaranam |
Suraastaam' taamri'ddhim' dadhati tu bhavadbhroopranihitaam'
Na hi svaatmaaraamam' vishayamri'gatri'shnaa bhramayati || 8 ||
Dhruvam' kashchit sarvam' sakalamaparastvadhruvamidam'
Paro dhrauvyaadhrauvye jagati gadati vyastavishaye |
Samaste'pyetasmin puramathana tairvismita iva
Stuvanjihremi tvaam' na khalu nanu dhri'sht'aa mukharataa || 9 ||
Tavaishvaryam' yatnaadyadupari virinchirhariradhah'
Parichchhettum' yaataavanalamanalaskandhavapushah' |
Tato bhaktishraddhaabharagurugri'nadbhyaam' girisha yat
Svayam' tasthe taabhyaam' tava kimanuvri'ttirna phalati || 10 ||
Ayatnaadaapaadya tribhuvanamavairavyatikaram'
Dashaasyo yadbaahoonabhri'ta ranakand'ooparavashaan |
Shirah'padmashreneerachitacharanaambhoruhabaleh'
Sthiraayaastvadbhaktestripurahara visphoorjitamidam || 11 ||
Amushya tvatsevaasamadhigatasaaram' bhujavanam'
Balaat kailaase'pi tvadadhivasatau vikramayatah' |
Alabhyaa paataale'pyalasachalitaangusht'hashirasi
Pratisht'haa tvayyaaseeddhruvamupachito muhyati khalah' || 12 ||
Yadri'ddhim' sutraamno varada paramochchairapi satee-
-madhashchakre baanah' parijanavidheyatribhuvanah' |
Na tachchitram' tasmin varivasitari tvachcharanayo-
-rna kasyaapyunnatyai bhavati shirasastvayyavanatih' || 13 ||
Akaand'abrahmaand'akshayachakitadevaasurakri'paa-
-vidheyasyaaseedyastrinayanavisham' sam'hri'tavatah' |
Sa kalmaashah' kant'he tava na kurute na shriyamaho
Vikaaro'pi shlaaghyo bhuvanabhayabhangavyasaninah' || 14 ||
Asiddhaarthaa naiva kvachidapi sadevaasuranare
Nivartante nityam' jagati jayino yasya vishikhaah' |
Sa pashyanneesha tvaamitarasurasaadhaaranamabhoot
Smarah' smartavyaatmaa na hi vashishu pathyah' paribhavah' || 15 ||
Mahee paadaaghaataadvrajati sahasaa sam'shayapadam'
Padam' vishnorbhraamyadbhujaparigharugnagrahaganam |
Muhurdyaurdausthyam' yaatyanibhri'tajat'aataad'itatat'aa
Jagadrakshaayai tvam' nat'asi nanu vaamaiva vibhutaa || 16 ||
Viyadvyaapee taaraaganagunitaphenodgamaruchih'
Pravaaho vaaraam' yah' pri'shatalaghudri'sht'ah' shirasi te |
Jagaddveepaakaaram' jaladhivalayam' tena kri'tami-
-tyanenaivonneyam' dhri'tamahima divyam' tava vapuh' || 17 ||
Rathah' kshonee yantaa shatadhri'tiragendro dhanuratho
Rathaange chandraarkau rathacharanapaanih' shara iti |
Didhakshoste ko'yam' tripuratri'namaad'ambaravidhi-
-rvidheyaih' kreed'antyo na khalu paratantraah' prabhudhiyah' || 18 ||
Hariste saahasram' kamalabalimaadhaaya padayo-
-ryadekone tasmin nijamudaharannetrakamalam |
Gato bhaktyudrekah' parinatimasau chakravapushaa
Trayaanaam' rakshaayai tripurahara jaagarti jagataam || 19 ||
Kratau supte jaagrattvamasi phalayoge kratumataam'
Kva karma pradhvastam' phalati purushaaraadhanamri'te |
Atastvaam' samprekshya kratushu phaladaanapratibhuvam'
Shrutau shraddhaam' baddhvaa dri'd'haparikarah' karmasu janah' || 20 ||
Kriyaadaksho dakshah' kratupatiradheeshastanubhri'taa-
-mri'sheenaamaartvijyam' sharanada sadasyaah' suraganaah' |
Kratubhreshastvattah' kratuphalavidhaanavyasanino
Dhruvam' kartuh' shraddhaavidhuramabhichaaraaya hi makhaah' || 21 ||
Prajaanaatham' naatha prasabhamabhikam' svaam' duhitaram'
Gatam' rohidbhootaam' riramayishumri'shyasya vapushaa |
Dhanushpaaneryaatam' divamapi sapatraakri'tamamum'
Trasantam' te'dyaapi tyajati na mri'gavyaadharabhasah' || 22 ||
Svalaavanyaasham'saadhri'tadhanushamahnaaya tri'navat
Purah' plusht'am' dri'sht'vaa puramathana pushpaayudhamapi |
Yadi strainam' devee yamanirata dehaardhaghat'anaa-
-davaiti tvaamaddhaa bata varada mugdhaa yuvatayah' || 23 ||
Shmashaaneshvaakreed'aa smarahara pishaachaah' sahacharaa-
-shchitaabhasmaalepah' sragapi nri'karot'eeparikarah' |
Amangal'yam' sheelam' tava bhavatu naamaivamakhilam'
Tathaapi smartree'naam' varada paramam' mangal'amasi || 24 ||
Manah' pratyakchitte savidhamavadhaayaattamarutah'
Prahri'shyadromaanah' pramadasalilotsangitadri'shah' |
Yadaalokyaahlaadam' hrada iva nimajyaamri'tamaye
Dadhatyantastattvam' kimapi yaminastat kila bhavaan || 25 ||
Tvamarkastvam' somastvamasi pavanastvam' hutavaha-
-stvamaapastvam' vyoma tvamu dharaniraatmaa tvamiti cha |
Parichchhinnaamevam' tvayi parinataa bibhrati giram'
Na vidmastattattvam' vayamiha tu yattvam' na bhavasi || 26 ||
Trayeem' tisro vri'tteestribhuvanamatho treenapi suraa-
-nakaaraadyairvarnaistribhirabhidadhat teernavikri'ti |
Tureeyam' te dhaama dhvanibhiravarundhaanamanubhih'
Samastam' vyastam' tvaam' sharanada gri'naatyomiti padam || 27 ||
Bhavah' sharvo rudrah' pashupatirathograh' sahamahaam'-
-stathaa bheemeshaanaaviti yadabhidhaanaasht'akamidam |
Amushmin pratyekam' pravicharati deva shrutirapi
Priyaayaasmai dhaamne pravihitanamasyo'smi bhavate || 28 ||
Namo nedisht'haaya priyadava davisht'haaya cha namo
Namah' kshodisht'haaya smarahara mahisht'haaya cha namah' |
Namo varshisht'haaya trinayana yavisht'haaya cha namo
Namah' sarvasmai te tadidamiti sharvaaya cha namah' || 29 ||
Bahularajase vishvotpattau bhavaaya namo namah'
Prabalatamase tatsam'haare haraaya namo namah' |
Janasukhakri'te sattvodriktau mri'd'aaya namo namah'
Pramahasi pade nistraigunye shivaaya namo namah' || 30 ||
Kri'shaparinati chetah' kleshavashyam' kva chedam'
Kva cha tava gunaseemollanghinee shashvadri'ddhih' |
Iti chakitamamandeekri'tya maam' bhaktiraadhaa-
-dvarada charanayoste vaakyapushpopahaaram || 31 ||
Asitagirisamam' syaatkajjalam' sindhupaatre
Surataruvarashaakhaa lekhanee patramurvee |
Likhati yadi gri'heetvaa shaaradaa sarvakaalam'
Tadapi tava gunaanaameesha paaram' na yaati || 32 ||
Asurasuramuneendrairarchitasyendumaul'e-
-rgrathitagunamahimno nirgunasyeshvarasya |
Sakalaganavarisht'hah' pushpadantaabhidhaanah'
Ruchiramalaghuvri'ttaih' stotrametachchakaara || 33 ||
Aharaharanavadyam' dhoorjat'eh' stotrametat
Pat'hati paramabhaktyaa shuddhachittah' pumaan yah' |
Sa bhavati shivaloke rudratulyastathaatra
Prachurataradhanaayuh' putravaan keertimaam'shcha || 34 ||
Maheshaannaaparo devo mahimno naaparaa stutih' |
Aghoraannaaparo mantro naasti tattvam' guroh' param || 35 ||
Deekshaa daanam' tapasteertham' jnyaanam' yaagaadikaah' kriyaah' |
Mahimnah' stava paat'hasya kalaam' naarhanti shod'asheem || 36 ||
Kusumadashananaamaa sarvagandharvaraajah'
Shishushashidharamaulerdevadevasya daasah' |
Sa khalu nijamahimno bhrasht'a evaasya roshaat
Stavanamidamakaarsheeddivyadivyam' mahimnah' || 37 ||
Suravaramunipoojyam' svargamokshaikahetum'
Pat'hati yadi manushyah' praanjalirnaanyachetaah' |
Vrajati shivasameepam' kinnaraih' stooyamaanah'
Stavanamidamamogham' pushpadantapraneetam || 38 ||
Aasamaaptamidam' stotram' punyam' gandharvabhaashitam |
Anaupamyam' manohaari shivameeshvaravarnanam || 39 ||
Ityeshaa vaangmayee poojaa shreemachchhankarapaadayoh' |
Arpitaa tena deveshah' preeyataam' me sadaashivah' || 40 ||
Tava tattvam' na jaanaami keedri'sho'si maheshvara |
Yaadri'sho'si mahaadeva taadri'shaaya namo namah' || 41 ||
Ekakaalam' dvikaalam' vaa trikaalam' yah' pat'hennarah' |
Sarvapaapavinirmuktah' shivaloke maheeyate || 42 ||
Shreepushpadantamukhapankajanirgatena
Stotrena kilbishaharena harapriyena |
Kant'hasthitena pat'hitena samaahitena
Supreenito bhavati bhootapatirmaheshah' || 43 ||
Iti shreepushpadanta virachitam' shree shiva mahimnah' stotram |
Meaning
The “Shiva Mahimna Stotram,” composed by the Gandharva Pushpadanta, is one of the most profound and celebrated hymns in Shaivism. The stotra glorifies Lord Shiva’s limitless greatness, his transcendental nature, and his supremacy over creation, preservation, and dissolution. It begins with the devotee humbly admitting that no language or intellect can fully describe Shiva’s infinite glory. Even Brahma and Vishnu fall short, yet the devotee offers his sincere praise, trusting Shiva’s compassion.
The hymn explains that Shiva’s nature is beyond speech, mind, logic, and conceptual boundaries. Yet, out of devotion, saints and devotees continue to praise him, gaining spiritual merit. Shiva manifests the three cosmic acts—creation, sustenance, and dissolution—through different forms, though his true essence remains unbound and formless.
The stotra addresses philosophical disputes, declaring that whether one follows Vedanta, Sankhya, Yoga, Pashupata, or Vaishnava traditions, all paths ultimately lead to Shiva, just as rivers merge into the ocean. Shiva’s appearance—ash-smeared body, tiger skin, skull-bowl, serpents, and dwelling in cremation grounds—may seem frightening but is deeply auspicious for devotees, symbolizing detachment and transcendence.
The hymn describes several divine incidents: Shiva destroying Tripurasura, blessing Ravana despite his arrogance, supporting the universe even while holding the Ganga on his head, and swallowing the deadly poison Halahala for the protection of creation. His mercy makes even the most fearsome acts holy.
The final verses promise immense fruits: one who recites this hymn with purity and devotion becomes blessed with long life, wealth, progeny, fame, and ultimately reaches Shiva’s abode. Pushpadanta declares that even Goddess Saraswati, writing with the ocean as ink and the earth as paper, cannot reach the limit of Shiva’s glory. The hymn concludes by stating that daily recitation destroys sins and grants the highest spiritual and worldly blessings.
Benefits
• Removes all sins, purifies mind and soul
• Grants protection, peace, prosperity, children, longevity, and fame
• Helps overcome suffering, fears, obstacles, and planetary afflictions
• Strengthens devotion and aligns the mind with Shiva’s consciousness
• Leads ultimately toward liberation and proximity to Shiva
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