Ardhanareeswara Ashtakam
Ardhanareeswara Ashtakam (अर्ध नारीश्वर अष्टकम्) is a famous hymn dedicated to Ardhanareeswara, the unified form of Shiva and Shakti. This hymn is believed to have been composed by Adi Shankaracharya. The concept of Ardhanarishwar represents the balance and totality of male and female elements in Hinduism. This hymn describes the glories of the divine forms of Shiva and Shakti and their spiritual significance.
Form of Ardhanarishwar
In Ardhanarishwar’s idol or depiction, Shiva and Shakti are seen united in one body. The right side of Shiva represents the male element, while the left side of Parvati (Shakti) represents the female element. It symbolically expresses the harmony of nature and man, power and consciousness, creation and destruction, and stillness and motion.
Ardhanareeswara Ashtakam Importance
This hymn describes the unique confluence of Shiva and Shakti and reminds the devotee of the importance of balance and wholeness in life. Ardhanarishwar’s ideal is that male and female elements are incomplete without each other and their completeness is possible only when they come together.
Ardhanareeswara Ashtakam In English
chāmpēyagaurārdhaśarīrakāyai
karpūragaurārdhaśarīrakāya ।
dhammillakāyai cha jaṭādharāya
namaḥ śivāyai cha namaḥ śivāya ॥ 1 ॥
kastūrikākuṅkumacharchitāyai
chitārajaḥpuñja vicharchitāya ।
kṛtasmarāyai vikṛtasmarāya
namaḥ śivāyai cha namaḥ śivāya ॥ 2 ॥
jhaṇatkvaṇatkaṅkaṇanūpurāyai
pādābjarājatphaṇinūpurāya ।
hēmāṅgadāyai bhujagāṅgadāya
namaḥ śivāyai cha namaḥ śivāya ॥ 3 ॥
viśālanīlōtpalalōchanāyai
vikāsipaṅkēruhalōchanāya ।
samēkṣaṇāyai viṣamēkṣaṇāya
namaḥ śivāyai cha namaḥ śivāya ॥ 4 ॥
mandāramālākalitālakāyai
kapālamālāṅkitakandharāya ।
divyāmbarāyai cha digambarāya
namaḥ śivāyai cha namaḥ śivāya ॥ 5 ॥
ambhōdharaśyāmalakuntalāyai
taṭitprabhātāmrajaṭādharāya ।
nirīśvarāyai nikhilēśvarāya
namaḥ śivāyai cha namaḥ śivāya ॥ 6 ॥
prapañchasṛṣṭyunmukhalāsyakāyai
samastasaṃhārakatāṇḍavāya ।
jagajjananyai jagadēkapitrē
namaḥ śivāyai cha namaḥ śivāya ॥ 7 ॥
pradīptaratnōjjvalakuṇḍalāyai
sphuranmahāpannagabhūṣaṇāya ।
śivānvitāyai cha śivānvitāya
namaḥ śivāyai cha namaḥ śivāya ॥ 8 ॥
ētatpaṭhēdaṣṭakamiṣṭadaṃ yō
bhaktyā sa mānyō bhuvi dīrghajīvī ।
prāpnōti saubhāgyamanantakālaṃ
bhūyātsadā tasya samastasiddhiḥ ॥
Ardhanareeswara Meaning
- Both Shiva and Shakti are complementary to each other. Shiva is like a dead body without power.
- Ardhanarishwar’s hymn teaches that balance and unity in life is true spirituality.
- This hymn also teaches us to respect the equality and dignity of both men and women.
Ardhanareeswara Ashtakam Benefits
Regular recitation of Ardhanarishwar Ashtakam leads to mental peace, spiritual upliftment, and energy balance. This stotra empowers the devotee to face the difficulties of life with the grace of Shiva and Shakti.
If you want to recite it, do it in the morning or evening in front of Shiva-Parvati idol or picture with a calm mind. Center yourself through meditation and prayer before the lesson.
