Lingashtakam: Meaning
The Lingashtakam, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, is a hymn of eight verses to the Shiva linga, the aniconic form in which Shiva is most often worshipped, "linga" meaning sign or mark. Each verse says who worships the linga, how it is adorned, and what it does, and ends with the same refrain. Several verses allude to well-known stories of Shiva. The notes explain these.
ब्रह्ममुरारिसुरार्चितलिङ्गं निर्मलभासितशोभितलिङ्गम् । जन्मजदुःखविनाशकलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥
brahmamurārisurārcitaliṅgaṃ nirmalabhāsitaśobhitaliṅgam । janmajaduḥkhavināśakaliṅgaṃ tat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam ॥
मुरारि murāri Murari, Vishnu निर्मलभासित nirmalabhāsita shining pure जन्मजदुःख janmajaduḥkha sorrow born of birth सदाशिवलिङ्गम् sadāśivaliṅgam the linga of the eternal Shiva जो लिंग ब्रह्मा, विष्णु और देवताओं द्वारा पूजित है, निर्मल प्रकाश से शोभित है, और जन्म से उत्पन्न दुख का नाश करता है, उस सदाशिव लिंग को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
The linga worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu and the gods, shining pure and beautiful, the linga that destroys the sorrow born of birth: to that eternal Shiva linga I bow.
The linga is worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu (Murari) and the gods. This recalls the story of the pillar of fire (Lingodbhava), in which Brahma and Vishnu could not find its end and then worshipped it. It destroys the sorrow that comes with birth. Every verse ends with the refrain "tat pranamami sadashiva lingam": to that linga of Sadashiva, the eternal Shiva, I bow.
देवमुनिप्रवरार्चितलिङ्गं कामदहं करुणाकरलिङ्गम् । रावणदर्पविनाशनलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥
devamunipravarārcitaliṅgaṃ kāmadahaṃ karuṇākaraliṅgam । rāvaṇadarpavināśanaliṅgaṃ tat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam ॥
कामदहम् kāmadaham which burned Kama करुणाकर karuṇākara a mine of compassion रावणदर्प rāvaṇadarpa Ravana's pride जो लिंग देवताओं और श्रेष्ठ मुनियों द्वारा पूजित है, जिसने काम को भस्म किया, जो करुणा का भंडार है और जिसने रावण का दर्प नष्ट किया, उस सदाशिव लिंग को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
The linga worshipped by the gods and the best of sages, which burned Kama, the linga full of compassion, which destroyed Ravana's pride: to that eternal Shiva linga I bow.
Two stories: Shiva burned Kama, the god of desire, with his third eye; and he humbled Ravana, who tried to lift Mount Kailasa, by pressing it down with his toe. The linga is also "a mine of compassion".
सर्वसुगन्धिसुलेपितलिङ्गं बुद्धिविवर्धनकारणलिङ्गम् । सिद्धसुरासुरवन्दितलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥
sarvasugandhisulepitaliṅgaṃ buddhivivardhanakāraṇaliṅgam । siddhasurāsuravanditaliṅgaṃ tat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam ॥
सुगन्धि sugandhi fragrant बुद्धिविवर्धन buddhivivardhana growth of wisdom सिद्ध siddha perfected beings जो लिंग सब सुगंधों से लेपित है, बुद्धि की वृद्धि का कारण है, और सिद्धों, देवताओं तथा असुरों द्वारा वंदित है, उस सदाशिव लिंग को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
The linga anointed with every fragrance, the cause of growing wisdom, the linga honoured by siddhas, gods and demons: to that eternal Shiva linga I bow.
The linga is anointed with fragrant pastes, causes wisdom to grow, and is honoured by siddhas (perfected beings), gods and demons alike.
कनकमहामणिभूषितलिङ्गं फणिपतिवेष्टितशोभितलिङ्गम् । दक्षसुयज्ञविनाशनलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥
kanakamahāmaṇibhūṣitaliṅgaṃ phaṇipativeṣṭitaśobhitaliṅgam । dakṣasuyajñavināśanaliṅgaṃ tat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam ॥
कनकमहामणि kanakamahāmaṇi gold and great gems फणिपति phaṇipati king of serpents दक्षसुयज्ञ dakṣasuyajña Daksha's great sacrifice जो लिंग सोने और महामणियों से भूषित है, सर्पराज से लिपटा हुआ शोभित है, और जिसने दक्ष के यज्ञ का नाश किया, उस सदाशिव लिंग को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
The linga adorned with gold and great gems, beautiful with the king of serpents coiled around it, the linga that destroyed Daksha's sacrifice: to that eternal Shiva linga I bow.
Adorned with gold and gems, with the king of serpents coiled around it, as linga images often show. The linga ended Daksha's sacrifice: Daksha held a great sacrifice without honouring Shiva, and Shiva destroyed it.
कुङ्कुमचन्दनलेपितलिङ्गं पङ्कजहारसुशोभितलिङ्गम् । सञ्चितपापविनाशनलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥
kuṅkumacandanalepitaliṅgaṃ paṅkajahārasuśobhitaliṅgam । sañcitapāpavināśanaliṅgaṃ tat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam ॥
कुङ्कुमचन्दन kuṅkumacandana kumkum and sandal पङ्कजहार paṅkajahāra lotus garland सञ्चितपाप sañcitapāpa accumulated sins जो लिंग कुमकुम और चंदन से लेपित है, कमल की मालाओं से सुशोभित है, और संचित पापों का नाश करता है, उस सदाशिव लिंग को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
The linga anointed with kumkum and sandal, beautiful with garlands of lotuses, the linga that destroys accumulated sins: to that eternal Shiva linga I bow.
The linga anointed with kumkum and sandal and garlanded with lotuses: a picture of the daily worship. It destroys sins built up over time (sanchita papa).
देवगणार्चितसेवितलिङ्गं भावैर्भक्तिभिरेव च लिङ्गम् । दिनकरकोटिप्रभाकरलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥
devagaṇārcitasevitaliṅgaṃ bhāvairbhaktibhireva ca liṅgam । dinakarakoṭiprabhākaraliṅgaṃ tat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam ॥
भावैः bhāvaiḥ with feeling भक्तिभिः bhaktibhiḥ with devotion दिनकरकोटि dinakarakoṭi ten million suns जो लिंग देवगणों द्वारा भाव और भक्ति से ही पूजित और सेवित है, और करोड़ों सूर्यों जैसी प्रभा वाला है, उस सदाशिव लिंग को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
The linga worshipped and served by the hosts of gods with feeling and devotion alone, the linga radiant as ten million suns: to that eternal Shiva linga I bow.
The gods worship the linga with feeling (bhava) and devotion (bhakti) alone: what matters in worship is the heart, not the materials. It shines like ten million suns.
अष्टदलोपरिवेष्टितलिङ्गं सर्वसमुद्भवकारणलिङ्गम् । अष्टदरिद्रविनाशनलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥
aṣṭadalopariveṣṭitaliṅgaṃ sarvasamudbhavakāraṇaliṅgam । aṣṭadaridravināśanaliṅgaṃ tat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam ॥
अष्टदल aṣṭadala eight-petalled (lotus) सर्वसमुद्भव sarvasamudbhava all creation अष्टदरिद्र aṣṭadaridra the eight kinds of poverty जो लिंग आठ पंखुड़ियों वाले कमल पर स्थित है, सारी सृष्टि का कारण है, और आठों प्रकार की दरिद्रता का नाश करता है, उस सदाशिव लिंग को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
The linga set upon the eight-petalled lotus, the cause of all creation, the linga that destroys the eight kinds of poverty: to that eternal Shiva linga I bow.
The linga rests on an eight-petalled lotus, the base used in worship, and is the cause of all creation. It destroys the "eight kinds of poverty"; traditional lists of these eight differ.
सुरगुरुसुरवरपूजितलिङ्गं सुरवनपुष्पसदार्चितलिङ्गम् । परात्परं परमात्मकलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥
suragurusuravarapūjitaliṅgaṃ suravanapuṣpasadārcitaliṅgam । parātparaṃ paramātmakaliṅgaṃ tat praṇamāmi sadāśivaliṅgam ॥
सुरगुरु suraguru guru of the gods, Brihaspati सुरवनपुष्प suravanapuṣpa flowers of the celestial garden परात्परम् parātparam higher than the highest जो लिंग देवगुरु और श्रेष्ठ देवताओं द्वारा पूजित है, देव-उद्यान के फूलों से सदा अर्चित है, और परात्पर परमात्म स्वरूप है, उस सदाशिव लिंग को मैं प्रणाम करता हूँ।
The linga worshipped by the guru of the gods and the best of gods, ever worshipped with flowers of the celestial garden, the linga beyond the highest, the supreme self: to that eternal Shiva linga I bow.
Worshipped by Brihaspati (the guru of the gods) and the best of gods, always offered flowers from the celestial gardens. The last line names the linga as the Supreme Self, higher than the highest.
लिङ्गाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेच्छिवसन्निधौ । शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते ॥
liṅgāṣṭakamidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhecchivasannidhau । śivalokamavāpnoti śivena saha modate ॥
शिवसन्निधौ śivasannidhau near Shiva शिवलोकम् śivalokam Shiva's world मोदते modate rejoices जो शिव के सान्निध्य में यह पवित्र लिङ्गाष्टकम् पढ़ता है, वह शिवलोक पाता है और शिव के साथ आनंद करता है।
Whoever recites this sacred Lingashtakam near Shiva attains Shiva's world and rejoices with Shiva.
The phalashruti: whoever recites the Lingashtakam near Shiva (at a shrine or before a linga) reaches Shiva's world and rejoices with him.
Sources & checks
- Commentary by
- SanatanVani editorial process
- Checked by
- SanatanVani editorial process
- Sources
- Lingashtaka, Wikipedia (2026)
- Lingam, Wikipedia (2026)
- Lingodbhava, Wikipedia (2026)
- Ravananugraha, Wikipedia (2026)
- Daksha yajna, Wikipedia (2026)
- Brihaspati, Wikipedia (2026)