Namamishamishan Nirvanaroopam (Shri Rudrashtakam)

I bow to the Lord, Ishana, whose form is liberation itself: the all-pervading Brahman whose very form is the Veda. I worship him who rests in his own nature, beyond the gunas and beyond thought, without desire, the sky of consciousness who dwells in the sky.

I bow to the formless one, root of Omkara, the fourth state beyond waking, dream and sleep, beyond speech, thought and the senses, the Lord of Kailash; terrible, the Kala of even Mahakala, yet kind; the home of virtues, beyond the world.

White and deep as the snowy mountain, his body shines with the light of millions of Kamadevas. On his head sparkles the lovely river Ganga; the young moon gleams on his brow and serpents circle his throat.

Earrings swaying, fine brows and large beautiful eyes, a smiling face, blue-throated and merciful, wearing a lion’s skin and a garland of skulls: I worship the beloved Shankara, Lord of all.

Fierce, exalted, bold, the supreme Lord, undivided, unborn, bright as millions of suns, who uproots the three kinds of suffering, trident in hand: I worship Bhavani’s Lord, who is reached through love.

Beyond all parts and time, auspicious, the one who ends the kalpa, ever giving joy to the good, the destroyer of Tripura, a mass of consciousness and bliss, remover of delusion: be gracious, be gracious, Lord, enemy of Kama.

As long as people do not worship the lotus feet of Uma’s Lord, in this world or the next, they find no happiness, no peace and no end to suffering. Be gracious, Lord, who dwell in all beings.

I know no yoga, no japa, no puja. Shambhu, I bow to you always, at every moment. I burn in the flood of sorrows of old age and birth: Lord, protect me in my distress, O Ishana, O Shambhu.

This Rudrashtaka was spoken by a Brahmana to please Hara. Shambhu is pleased with those who read it with devotion.