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What is the meaning of Mahadeva?

Mahadeva (महादेव) means "the great god" — from mahā (great) and deva (god). It is one of the most common names for Shiva, expressing his supremacy among all deities.

What does Tryambaka mean?

Tryambaka (त्र्यम्बक) means "he of three eyes." The three eyes of Shiva represent the sun, the moon, and fire — or the three modes of time: past, present, and future. The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra is addressed to Tryambaka.

108 Names of Lord Shiva with Meaning

Shiva Ashtottara Shatanamavali — all 108 sacred names with Sanskrit roots and English meanings

By VedaLingo · Updated August 2026

Shiva's 108 names — the Shiva Ashtottara Shatanamavali — are not mere titles. Each name is a lens into one aspect of the divine: Shiva as the fierce Rudra, as the gentle Shankara, as the cosmic dancer Nataraja, as the timeless Mahakala. Reciting these names during puja or meditation invokes each quality in turn.

Every name below includes its Devanagari form, English meaning, and the Sanskrit root — so you understand why Shiva holds that name, not just what it is.

All 108 Names — Shiva Ashtottara Shatanamavali

#	Name	Devanagari	Meaning	Sanskrit Root
1	Śiva	शिव	The auspicious one	śiva (auspicious, benevolent)
2	Mahādeva	महादेव	The great god	mahā (great) + deva (god)
3	Śambhu	शम्भु	Source of happiness	śam (happiness) + bhu (source, born from)
4	Pinakin	पिनाकिन्	Wielder of the Pinaka bow	pinaka (Shiva's bow) + in (possessor)
5	Śaśiśekhara	शशिशेखर	He who wears the moon as a crown	śaśi (moon) + śekhara (crown, crest)
6	Vāmadeva	वामदेव	The beautiful god, lord of the left	vāma (beautiful, left) + deva (god)
7	Virūpākṣa	विरूपाक्ष	He of the unusual eyes — the three-eyed	virūpa (unusual form) + akṣa (eye)
8	Kapardī	कपर्दी	He with matted locks, wearing cowrie shells	kaparda (matted hair, cowrie)
9	Nīlalohita	नीललोहित	Blue-red — blue throat, red body	nīla (blue) + lohita (red)
10	Śaṅkara	शंकर	Giver of happiness and prosperity	śam (happiness) + kara (maker, doer)
11	Śūlapāṇi	शूलपाणि	He who holds the trident in his hand	śūla (trident) + pāṇi (hand)
12	Khaṭvāṅgin	खट्वाङ्गिन्	He who carries the skull-topped staff	khaṭvāṅga (skull staff) + in (bearer)
13	Viṣṇuvallabha	विष्णुवल्लभ	Beloved of Vishnu	Viṣṇu + vallabha (beloved, dear)
14	Śipiviṣṭa	शिपिविष्ट	He who pervades all rays of light	śipi (rays) + viṣṭa (pervaded)
15	Ambikanātha	अम्बिकानाथ	Lord of Ambika (Parvati)	Ambikā (Parvati) + nātha (lord)
16	Śrīkaṇṭha	श्रीकण्ठ	He of the auspicious/beautiful throat	śrī (auspicious) + kaṇṭha (throat)
17	Bhaktavatsala	भक्तवत्सल	Loving father to devotees	bhakta (devotee) + vatsala (loving like a parent)
18	Bhava	भव	He who exists — existence itself	bhū (to be, to exist)
19	Śarva	शर्व	The archer, destroyer of evil	śarva (arrow, destroyer)
20	Triloka	त्रिलोक	Lord of the three worlds	tri (three) + loka (world)
21	Śitīkaṇṭha	शितिकण्ठ	He of the dark/blue-grey throat	śiti (dark, blue) + kaṇṭha (throat)
22	Śivāpriya	शिवाप्रिय	Beloved of Shiva (Parvati's beloved)	Śivā (Parvati) + priya (beloved)
23	Ugra	उग्र	The fierce, terrible one	ugra (fierce, powerful, severe)
24	Kapardin	कपर्दिन्	Wearer of matted hair	kaparda (matted hair, jata)
25	Kāmārī	कामारी	Enemy/destroyer of Kama (desire)	kāma (desire) + ari (enemy)
26	Andhakarisudana	अन्धकारिसुदन	Slayer of Andhaka (the demon of darkness)	Andhaka + ari + sudana (slayer)
27	Gaṅgādhara	गंगाधर	Bearer of the Ganga on his head	Gaṅgā + dhara (bearer, carrier)
28	Lalāṭākṣa	ललाटाक्ष	He whose eye is on his forehead	lalāṭa (forehead) + akṣa (eye)
29	Kālakāla	कालकाल	Death of death — he who defeats time	kāla (time, death) × kāla (death of)
30	Kṛpānidhi	कृपानिधि	Ocean of compassion	kṛpā (compassion) + nidhi (treasure, ocean)
31	Bhīma	भीम	The awesome, the terrifying	bhī (to fear) — one who inspires awe
32	Parśuhasta	परशुहस्त	He who holds the axe in his hand	paraśu (axe) + hasta (hand)
33	Mṛgapāṇi	मृगपाणि	He who holds the deer in his hand	mṛga (deer) + pāṇi (hand)
34	Jaṭādhara	जटाधर	He who wears matted locks	jaṭā (matted hair) + dhara (wearer)
35	Kailāsavāsin	कैलासवासिन्	Dweller of Kailash mountain	Kailāsa + vāsin (dweller)
36	Kavacin	कवचिन्	He who wears divine armour	kavaca (armour) + in (wearer)
37	Kuṇḍalin	कुण्डलिन्	He who wears earrings	kuṇḍala (earring) + in (wearer)
38	Śrīkaṇṭha	श्रीकण्ठ	With the beautiful/auspicious throat	śrī + kaṇṭha
39	Nīlakaṇṭha	नीलकण्ठ	Blue-throated — who drank the poison	nīla (blue) + kaṇṭha (throat)
40	Vyomakeśa	व्योमकेश	He whose hair is the sky	vyoma (sky) + keśa (hair)
41	Mahāsena	महासेन	Father of Mahasena (Kartikeya)	mahā + sena (army, leader)
42	Virūpākṣa	विरूपाक्ष	Three-eyed, of unusual vision	virūpa (diverse form) + akṣa (eye)
43	Suraśreṣṭha	सुरश्रेष्ठ	Greatest among the gods	sura (god) + śreṣṭha (best, greatest)
44	Mahātejā	महातेजा	Of supreme radiance and power	mahā + tejas (radiance, power)
45	Mahāyajvā	महायज्वा	The great sacrificer, performer of yajnas	mahā + yajva (sacrificer)
46	Mahābhāga	महाभाग	The supremely fortunate one	mahā + bhāga (fortune, share)
47	Mahātapā	महातपा	He of great austerity	mahā + tapas (austerity, heat)
48	Sarvabhūteśa	सर्वभूतेश	Lord of all beings	sarva (all) + bhūta (being) + īśa (lord)
49	Pramatheśvara	प्रमथेश्वर	Lord of the Pramathas (Shiva's attendants)	Pramatha + īśvara (lord)
50	Dhanvantari	धन्वन्तरि	Moving through the sky — the healer	dhanvan (sky, bow) + tari (mover)
51	Umākānta	उमाकान्त	Beloved of Uma (Parvati)	Umā + kānta (beloved, dear)
52	Virāṭ	विराट्	The cosmic, universal one	virāṭ (vast, universal, cosmic)
53	Sarvagaḥ	सर्वगः	He who goes everywhere, all-pervading	sarva (all) + ga (going)
54	Sarvavāsī	सर्ववासी	He who dwells in all	sarva + vāsin (dweller)
55	Sarvamaṅgala	सर्वमंगल	Auspicious in every way	sarva + maṅgala (auspicious, blessing)
56	Śātodara	शातोदर	He of the narrow, firm waist	śāta (narrow, sharp) + udara (belly/waist)
57	Nandī	नन्दी	The joyful one — Shiva's bull	nanda (joy, delight)
58	Nandīśvara	नन्दीश्वर	Lord of Nandi and joy	Nandī + īśvara (lord)
59	Priya	प्रिय	The beloved, dear to all	priya (dear, loved)
60	Śāśvata	शाश्वत	The eternal one	śāśvata (eternal, everlasting)
61	Paramaśiva	परमशिव	The supreme Shiva	parama (supreme) + Śiva
62	Kevalī	केवली	The absolute, the alone — pure consciousness	kevala (alone, absolute, pure)
63	Vāgīśa	वागीश	Lord of speech	vāc (speech) + īśa (lord)
64	Brahmaṇaḥpati	ब्रह्मणस्पति	Lord of the Vedas and Brahman	brahman (Veda, absolute) + pati (lord)
65	Hiraṇyareta	हिरण्यरेत	He whose seed is golden — source of fire	hiraṇya (gold) + reta (seed, essence)
66	Durādhara	दुराधर	Hard to comprehend, difficult to hold	dur (hard) + ādhara (hold, support)
67	Giríśa	गिरीश	Lord of the mountains	giri (mountain) + īśa (lord)
68	Girīndra	गिरीन्द्र	King of mountains	giri + indra (king)
69	Anaghā	अनघ	The sinless, pure one	an (not) + agha (sin)
70	Bhujaṅgabhūṣaṇa	भुजंगभूषण	He adorned with serpents	bhujaṅga (serpent) + bhūṣaṇa (ornament)
71	Bharga	भर्ग	Radiance, destroyer of sins	bharga (radiance, destroyer of sins)
72	Giridhanvan	गिरिधन्वन्	He whose bow is the mountain Meru	giri + dhanvan (bow)
73	Giripriya	गिरिप्रिय	Lover of mountains, dear to mountains	giri + priya (lover, dear)
74	Kṛttivāsas	कृत्तिवास	He who wears the elephant hide as garment	kṛtti (hide, skin) + vāsas (garment)
75	Purāraṭi	पुरारति	Destroyer of Tripura (the three demon cities)	pura (city) + arati (destroyer, enemy)
76	Bhagavān	भगवान्	The lord — possessor of the six divine qualities	bhaga (divine glory) + van (possessor)
77	Pramathin	प्रमथिन्	He who slays with force	pra + math (to churn, to kill)
78	Viśvabhokta	विश्वभोक्ता	Enjoyer of the universe	viśva (universe) + bhoktā (enjoyer)
79	Viṣa	विष	He who holds the poison — Vishakantha	viṣa (poison) — the halāhala he swallowed
80	Śuci	शुचि	The pure one	śuci (pure, clean, bright)
81	Vasuprada	वसुप्रद	Bestower of wealth and riches	vasu (wealth, riches) + prada (giver)
82	Vasudeva	वासुदेव	He who dwells in all — the brilliant god	vasu (bright, radiance) + deva (god)
83	Sarvapālakaḥ	सर्वपालकः	Protector of all	sarva + pālaka (protector, keeper)
84	Svarar	स्वरर	Lord of the musical notes — master of nāda	svara (musical note, sound)
85	Sarvajñā	सर्वज्ञ	The all-knowing, omniscient	sarva (all) + jña (knowing)
86	Paramaātmā	परमात्मा	The supreme soul	parama (supreme) + ātman (soul, self)
87	Soma	सोम	The moon, nectar, the gentle one	soma (moon, nectar, Vedic ritual drink)
88	Somaśekhara	सोमशेखर	He who wears the crescent moon as crown	soma (moon) + śekhara (crown)
89	Brahmā	ब्रह्मा	The creator (Shiva as creator)	brahman (expansion, absolute, the Vedas)
90	Viṣṇu	विष्णु	The preserver (Shiva as Vishnu in Shaiva view)	viṣ (to pervade)
91	Rudra	रुद्र	The roarer, the fierce howler — Vedic storm god	rud (to howl, to weep) — one who makes others weep or who weeps for creation
92	Mahārudra	महारुद्र	The great Rudra — supreme fierceness	mahā + Rudra
93	Vṛṣabha	वृषभ	The bull — righteousness incarnate	vṛṣa (rain, virtue, bull)
94	Bhīmavikrama	भीमविक्रम	Of awesome valour and might	bhīma (awesome, fearsome) + vikrama (valour)
95	Tāṇḍaveśvara	ताण्डवेश्वर	Lord of the Tandava cosmic dance	tāṇḍava (Shiva's dance) + īśvara (lord)
96	Nātarāja	नटराज	King of dancers — lord of the cosmic dance	naṭa (dancer, actor) + rāja (king)
97	Mahākāla	महाकाल	The great time — lord beyond time and death	mahā + kāla (time, death)
98	Kāla	काल	Time — ruler of time	kāla (time, death, dark)
99	Tryambaka	त्र्यम्बक	He of three eyes — the three fires, sun, moon, fire	tri (three) + ambaka (eye, mother)
100	Tripurāntaka	त्रिपुरान्तक	Destroyer of Tripura — the three demon cities	tri + pura (city) + antaka (destroyer)
101	Gangādhara	गंगाधर	Bearer of the holy Ganga river	Gaṅgā + dhara (holder, bearer)
102	Maheśvara	महेश्वर	The greatest lord	mahā + īśvara (lord, ruler)
103	Śrīdhara	श्रीधर	Bearer of Shri (divine grace)	śrī (grace, goddess Lakshmi) + dhara (bearer)
104	Bhūteśa	भूतेश	Lord of all beings and spirits	bhūta (being, creature, spirit) + īśa (lord)
105	Ādideva	आदिदेव	The primordial god — first deity	ādi (first, primordial) + deva (god)
106	Deveśa	देवेश	Lord of the gods	deva (god) + īśa (lord)
107	Viśveśvara	विश्वेश्वर	Lord of the universe — particularly Kashi	viśva (universe) + īśvara (lord)
108	Parameśvara	परमेश्वर	The supreme lord — beyond all	parama (supreme) + īśvara (lord)

Why Shiva Has 108 Names

The number 108 is sacred in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions. It represents the distance between the Earth and the Sun (measured in solar diameters), the number of beads on a mala, and the 108 Upanishads. The Shiva Ashtottara Shatanamavali appears in the Shiva Puranaand various Shaiva tantras — chanting all 108 names is considered a complete invocation of Shiva's infinite nature.

Most Important Names Explained

Rudra (रुद्र) — The oldest Vedic form of Shiva. Rudra appears in the Rigveda as the fierce storm god who "makes others weep" or "who weeps for the suffering of creation." The Rudra Sukta and Sri Rudram are among the oldest Sanskrit hymns still chanted today.
Nataraja (नटराज) — The iconic dancing Shiva. His four arms represent creation (drum), preservation (protection gesture), destruction (fire), and liberation (foot raised). The statue of Nataraja at CERN symbolizes the dance of subatomic particles.
Mahakala (महाकाल) — Shiva as lord of time and death, worshipped especially at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain. He rules the Kala (time) that destroys all things — yet transcends it.
Tryambaka (त्र्यम्बक) — The three-eyed one, invoked in the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra: oṃ tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam. The third eye represents transcendent wisdom that burns ignorance.
Nilakantha (नीलकण्ठ) — Blue-throated Shiva. When the gods churned the cosmic ocean, the deadly Halahala poison emerged. Shiva alone drank it to save creation, and Parvati held his throat so the poison would not spread — turning it blue.

How to Use This List for Puja

The traditional Shiva Ashtottara Shatanamavali puja involves offering a flower, bilva leaf, or water with each name. Chant each name in the format: Oṃ [name] namaḥ. For example: Oṃ Śivāya namaḥ · Oṃ Mahādevāya namaḥ · Oṃ Śambhave namaḥ…

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 108 names of Lord Shiva called?

The 108 names of Shiva are called the Shiva Ashtottara Shatanamavali. Each name reveals a distinct quality — fierce, gentle, cosmic, eternal — making the full recitation a complete meditation on Shiva's infinite nature.

What does Nataraja mean in Sanskrit?

Nataraja (नटराज) comes from naṭa (dancer) + rāja (king). "King of Dancers." It refers to Shiva's Tandava — the cosmic dance that simultaneously sustains and destroys the universe.

Why does Shiva have a blue throat?

During the churning of the cosmic ocean (Samudra Manthan), the deadly Halahala poison arose. Shiva drank it to protect the universe, and it turned his throat blue — giving him the name Nilakantha (blue-throated).

What is the meaning of Mahakala?

Mahakala (महाकाल) means "the great time" or "lord beyond time." Shiva as Mahakala rules time and death but transcends them. The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain is one of the most powerful Shiva shrines.

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