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शिव ताण्डव स्तोत्रम्
Composed by Ravana — the demon-king scholar — this is perhaps the most musically powerful Sanskrit hymn ever written
Ravana attempted to lift Mount Kailash and bring it to Lanka — an act of supreme ego. Shiva pressed a single toe down and trapped Ravana beneath the mountain. For a thousand years, Ravana sat there, in agony and devotion, and sang. The Shiva Tandava Stotram was born from that meeting of pride and surrender.
When Shiva finally relented and released him, he gave Ravana the divine sword Chandrahas (the moon-sword) as a gift. The hymn is a monument to the paradox at the heart of devotion — that the ego must be broken before it can truly sing.
जटाटवीगलज्जलप्रवाहपावितस्थले गलेऽवलम्ब्य लम्बितां भुजङ्गतुङ्गमालिकाम्। डमड्डमड्डमड्डमन्निनादवड्डमर्वयं चकार चण्डताण्डवं तनोतु नः शिवः शिवम्।।
Jatatavi galajjala pravaha pavita sthale / Gale avalambya lambitam bhujanga tunga malikam / Damadd damadd damadd damam ninadava damaruyam / Chakara chanda tandavam tanotu nah shivah shivam
Shiva, whose matted hair drips with the cascading waters of the Ganga, who wears a garland of serpents coiled around his neck, who plays the damaru drum with its resonant sound "Damadd Damadd Damadd Damadd" while performing his fierce Tandava dance — may that Shiva grant us welfare and auspiciousness.
जटाकटाहसम्भ्रमभ्रमन्निलिम्पनिर्झरी विलोलवीचिवल्लरीविराजमानमूर्धनि। धगद्धगद्धगज्ज्वलल्ललाटपट्टपावके किशोरचन्द्रशेखरे रतिः प्रतिक्षणं मम।।
Jata kataha sambhrama bhramantilimpa nirjhari / Vilola vichi vallari virajamana murdhani / Dhagad dhagad dhagaj jvalal lalata patta pavake / Kishora chandra shekhare ratih pratikshanam mama
My heart finds delight, moment after moment, in Shiva whose matted hair swirls like a whirlpool through which the divine river (Ganga) flows, washing his crown with her playful waves — and whose forehead blazes with fire "Dhagad Dhagad Dhaga" — and who wears the crescent moon as his crown.
धराधरेन्द्रनन्दिनीविलासबन्धुबन्धुर स्फुरद्दिगन्तसन्ततिप्रमोदमानमानसे। कृपाकटाक्षधोरणीनिरुद्धदुर्धरापदि क्वचिद्दिगम्बरे मनो विनोदमेतु वस्तुनि।।
Dhara dharendra nandini vilasa bandhu bandhura / Sphurad diganta santati pramodamana manase / Kripa kataksha dhorani niruddha durdhara padi / Kvachid digambare mano vinodametu vastuni
Let my mind find delight in Shiva — whose heart is made glad by the joyful companionship of Parvati, daughter of the mountain king — whose merciful glance removes even the most difficult obstacles — who is clad in the directions of space themselves (digambara — the sky-clad one).
The complete 15-verse stotram continues in the same powerful metre — each verse more vibrant than the last.
Who composed the Shiva Tandava Stotram?
The Shiva Tandava Stotram is traditionally attributed to Ravana — the powerful demon-king of Lanka, scholar, musician, and devoted worshipper of Shiva. The legend tells that Ravana attempted to lift Mount Kailash (Shiva's abode) to bring it to Lanka. When Shiva pressed down his toe and trapped Ravana's hand under the mountain, Ravana spent 1000 years singing this hymn to appease the lord. Shiva, pleased with the devotion, released him and gave him the Chandrahas (moon-sword).
What is the Tandava?
Tandava (ताण्डव) is the cosmic dance of Shiva — derived from Tandu, Nandi's name for the divine dance form. There are two forms: the fierce Rudra Tandava (the dance of destruction and transformation) and the gentle Lasya (the dance of creation, associated with Parvati). The Nataraja image — Shiva dancing in a circle of fire — represents the Tandava. It encodes the five acts of God: creation (srishti), sustenance (sthiti), dissolution (samhara), concealment (tirobhava), and liberation (anugraha).
How many verses are in the Shiva Tandava Stotram?
The Shiva Tandava Stotram contains 15 verses in the Sragdhara metre — a rare, long metre of 21 syllables per quarter (pada). This metre itself is suited to the sweeping, powerful imagery of the hymn — each verse rolls forward with the force of a wave. The stotram is famous for its alliterative onomatopoeia — sounds like "Damadd Damadd" and "Dhagad Dhagad" that mimic the drum and the fire.
Is Ravana considered a devotee of Shiva?
Yes — Ravana is one of Shiva's most devoted worshippers (mahabhaktas). The Ramayana tradition presents him as a complex figure: a great scholar, composer of the Sama Veda, master of the 64 arts, and a supremely devoted Shaiva. His abduction of Sita is understood as a consequence of ego (ahankara) overriding his wisdom and devotion. The Shiva Tandava Stotram demonstrates the depth of his devotion — a reminder that wisdom and wrongdoing can coexist in a human being.
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