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Sanskrit Stotram · Composed by Ravana

Shiva Tandava Stotram
Meaning Word by Word

One of the most powerful hymns to Lord Shiva — composed by Ravana, the ten-headed king of Lanka. Every Sanskrit word decoded with root meanings and English translation.

Composed by Ravana
Not by a sage or saint — but by Ravana himself, the demon king of Lanka. He composed it to please Shiva after being unable to lift Mount Kailash.
17 verses
The Shiva Tandava Stotram has 17 verses in the Toṭaka meter — each line has 12 syllables with a specific rhythmic pattern (ta-ta-ta-ta).
Toṭaka meter
The Toṭaka chandas (meter) gives the stotram its rushing, energetic rhythm — it mirrors the Tandava dance itself, vigorous and continuous.
Ravana's devotion
Ravana was a great scholar and devotee of Shiva before he abducted Sita. He composed this stotram as an act of supreme devotion — not seeking worldly boons, but expressing awe.

What is the Tandava?

The Tāṇḍava (ताण्डव) is Shiva's cosmic dance — the dance of creation and destruction. The word comes from the sage Tandu, one of Shiva's attendants, who systematized the dance form.

In his Nataraja (नटराज) form — Lord of Dance — Shiva dances in a ring of fire (Prabhāmaṇḍala), his upper right hand holding the damaru (drum of creation), his upper left holding fire (the energy of destruction), his lower right hand in abhaya mudra (fearlessness), his left foot raised in grace.

The Shiva Tandava Stotram captures this dance in sound — the rushing Toṭaka meter mirrors the cosmic rhythm of the Tandava itself.

Why Did Ravana Compose This Stotram?

Ravana, though the antagonist of the Ramayana, was one of the greatest scholars and devotees in Hindu mythology. He was a master of the Vedas, a composer, a veena player, and a Shiva devotee of the highest order.

According to the Shiva Purana, Ravana once tried to uproot Mount Kailash — Shiva's abode — to carry it to Lanka. Shiva simply pressed down his little toe, trapping Ravana's hands beneath the mountain. Ravana was in agony for thousands of years.

Trapped, he composed the Shiva Tandava Stotram using his ten heads as musicians — using his arms as the veena strings, and singing with absolute devotion. Shiva was so pleased that he freed Ravana and named him Ravana— from the Sanskrit root rav (to roar, to make the universe tremble with sound).

Verse by Verse Breakdown

Verse 1
जटाटवीगलज्जलप्रवाहपावितस्थले गलेऽवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजङ्गतुङ्गमालिकाम्। डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनादवड्डमर्वयं चकार चण्डताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिवः शिवम्॥
jaṭāṭavīgalajjala-pravāha-pāvitasthale gale'valambya lambitāṃ bhujaṅgatuṅgamālikām damaḍḍamaḍḍamaḍḍaman-nināda-vaḍḍamarvayaṃ cakāra caṇḍatāṇḍavaṃ tanotu naḥ śivaḥ śivam
Key Words
जटाटवी (Jaṭāṭavī)— the forest of matted hair (jaṭā = matted locks, aṭavī = forest)
गलज्जल (galajjala)— flowing water (gala = flowing, jala = water) — the Ganga flowing from his locks
डमड्डम (Damaḍḍama)— the sound of the damaru (Shiva's hourglass drum) — onomatopoeia for the cosmic rhythm
चण्डताण्डव (Caṇḍatāṇḍava)— the fierce Tandava dance (caṇḍa = fierce, tāṇḍava = Shiva's cosmic dance)
Translation
May Shiva — whose throat is made sacred by the flowing waters from the forest of his matted locks, who wears a great serpent-garland around his neck, and who performed the fierce Tandava dance to the sound of his damaru — grant us auspiciousness.
Verse 2
जटाकटाहसम्भ्रमभ्रमन्निलिम्पनिर्झरी विलोलवीचिवल्लरीविराजमानमूर्धनि। धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल्ललाटपट्टपावके किशोरचन्द्रशेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम॥
jaṭākaṭāhasambhrama-bhramañ-nilimpanirjharī vilolāvīcivallari-virājamāna-mūrdhani dagaddagaddagajjvalal-lalāṭapaṭṭapāvake kiśoracandraśekhare ratiḥ pratikṣaṇaṃ mama
Key Words
जटाकटाह (Jaṭākaṭāha)— the pot/basin of matted locks (like a vessel holding the Ganga)
निलिम्पनिर्झरी (Nilimpanirjharī)— the celestial river (nilimpa = celestial, nirjharī = waterfall/river) — the Ganga
धगद्धगद् (Dagaddagad)— onomatopoeia for the blazing fire on Shiva's forehead — the sound of crackling flames
किशोरचन्द्रशेखर (Kiśoracandraśekhara)— one who wears the crescent moon (kiśora = young, candra = moon, śekhara = crown/crest)
Translation
My devotion every moment is to Shiva — on whose head the divine Ganga whirls in the basin of his matted locks, whose forehead blazes with fire (described by the sound dagad-dagad), and who wears the crescent moon as his crown.
Verse 3
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीविलासबन्धुबन्धुर स्फुरद्दिगन्तसन्ततिप्रमोदमानमानसे। कृपाकटाक्षधोरणीनिरुद्धदुर्धरापदि क्वचिद्दिगम्बरे मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि॥
dharādharendranandini-vilāsabandhu-bandhura sphuraddiganta-santati-pramodamāna-mānase kṛpākaṭākṣa-dhoraṇī-niruddha-durdhara-āpadi kvacid-digambare mano vinodametu vastuni
Key Words
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनी (Dharādharendranandini)— daughter of the mountain king (dharādhara = mountain, indra = king, nandini = daughter) — Parvati
दिगम्बर (Digambara)— clothed in the sky / all directions (dig = directions, ambara = sky/clothing) — one of Shiva's names, meaning he transcends material clothing
कृपाकटाक्ष (Kṛpākaṭākṣa)— the glance of compassion (kṛpā = compassion, kaṭākṣa = sidelong glance)
Translation
May my mind find delight in Shiva — in whose heart Parvati (daughter of the mountain king) plays with joy, who removes terrible calamities with his compassionate sidelong glance, who is clothed in the sky (Digambara).
🕉️

The Shiva Tandava Stotram has 17 verses total. Each follows the same rushing Toṭaka rhythm. The remaining 14 verses continue to describe Shiva's cosmic form — the Ganges in his locks, the crescent moon, the bull Nandi, and the burning ground where he dances.

How to Chant the Shiva Tandava Stotram

1
Best time: Monday mornings, Shivaratri, or Pradosh (the 13th tithi).
2
Face east or north. Light a dhoop or incense — the fragrance represents the offering of prayer.
3
The Toṭaka rhythm is rapid — let the meter carry you. Each line has 12 syllables: ˘˘—˘˘—˘˘—˘˘— (ta-ta-TUM pattern).
4
Recite 1, 3, or 7 times. Each complete cycle is one māla (rosary).
5
The stotram is complete — no additional mantra or ritual is required. Ravana himself composed it in captivity, with no ritual.

Continue Learning

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra →Gayatri Mantra →Hanuman Chalisa →108 Sanskrit Mantras →

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