| Kailash 17.12.2025 |


“Kailash”


Kailash liberates.

Kailash gives bliss; Kailash gives peace.

Kailash grants power; Kailash shatters ego.

Kailash is Shiva. Kailash is heaven on earth.

Come, let us read today how Ravana enchanted Lord Shiva with the power of his devotion.


Ravana kept enchanting God with music, yet Lord Shiva sat with His eyes closed. Even God was captivated by the music, immersed in bliss, while both of Ravana’s hands were filled with pain. Then, to awaken the Lord, Ravana worshipped Him in a very fierce voice. With great force and a loud tone, Ravana began to praise the fierce dance of the Lord. Ravana was a knower of the four Vedas. With his profound knowledge he sang a hymn in praise of the Lord. The sound of this hymn was so intense that its power was hard to bear—Mount Kailash began to tremble! Ravana sang with his eyes closed. This hymn is the Shiva Tandava—composed by Ravana himself! Even the gods were enchanted by this beautiful creation. It is like this—read its Hindi meaning too.


Ravana began to sing. The hosts of gods began to play their instruments. All of Kailash started to sway; the earth began to shake. Yakshas and Gandharvas began to dance, for this was a beautiful, divine vision of the Lord’s form, sung by His supreme devotee.



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Shiva Tandava Stotram – Meaning (Selected Verses)


1.

May Lord Shiva, whose sacred neck is bathed by the flowing waters of the Ganga emerging from His dense matted locks, who wears lofty garlands of serpents, and who performs the fierce Tandava to the sound of the damaru, bestow auspiciousness upon us.


2.

May my love for Shiva ever increase—He whose head is adorned by the playful waves of the Ganga dancing among His mighty locks, whose forehead blazes with intense fire, and whose head is crowned with the young crescent moon.


3.

When will my mind delight in the worship of Digambara Shiva, whose gracious glance removes even the greatest calamities of devotees, and who rejoices in the charming glances of the daughter of the mountain king?


4.

May my mind find joy in Shiva, the sustainer of beings, adorned with the elephant hide, whose matted hair bound by the serpent king shines, illuminating all directions with the glow of jeweled hoods.


5.

May the Lord, whose feet are dusted by the pollen of flowers from the crowns of Indra and other gods, whose matted hair is adorned with garlands of serpent kings, grant us lasting prosperity.


6.

May Shiva—who burned Kamadeva to ashes with the blazing fire of His forehead, whose matted hair is adorned with the Ganga and the moon’s nectar-like rays, and who bears skulls—grant us imperishable wealth.


7.

May my devotion remain steadfast to the three-eyed Lord, who reduced Kamadeva to ashes with the dreadful flames of His brow and is exquisitely skilled in adorning the daughter of the mountain king.


8.

May Shiva, whose deep throat resembles the dense darkness of a moonless night filled with storm clouds, who bears the Ganga, is clad in the world’s hide, and carries the burden of the universe, grant us all prosperity.


9.

I worship Lord Shiva—the destroyer of Kamadeva and Tripurasura, the remover of worldly suffering, the destroyer of Daksha’s sacrifice, the slayer of Gajasura and Andhaka, and the conqueror of death.


10.

I worship Shiva, the embodiment of all auspicious arts and sweetness, who burned Kamadeva, destroyed Tripura, ended worldly bondage, ruined Daksha’s sacrifice, slew Gajasura and Andhaka, and overcame Yama himself.


11.

Shiva shines in every way as He is absorbed in the fierce Tandava, accompanied by the auspicious rhythms of the mridanga and the blazing fire of His dreadful brow, amid the swift, hissing movements of serpents.


12.

When will I worship Sadashiva with equal vision—seeing no difference between hard stone and soft bed, serpent and pearl garlands, clod and gem, friend and foe, straw and lotus-eyed beings, subjects and emperors?


13.

When will I be supremely happy—dwelling in the groves by the Ganga, free from deceit, bearing folded hands upon my head, chanting the mantra “Shiva” fixed upon the brow of the beautiful Parvati?


14.

May the radiant beauty of Mahadeva—charming with the fragrant pollen falling from the flower garlands woven in the hair of celestial maidens—ever increase the bliss and joy of our hearts.


15.

May the supreme Shiva mantra—sung as the auspicious wedding chant of Shiva, accompanied by celestial maidens and the eight great siddhis—burn sins like a raging fire and bring victory by destroying worldly sorrow.


16.

Whoever daily recites, remembers, or proclaims this supreme, liberating Shiva Tandava hymn attains purity and constant devotion to Hari and the Guru, taking refuge only in Shiva.


17.

At the conclusion of Shiva worship, whoever sings or recites this Shiva Tandava Stotram composed by Ravana during the sacred Pradosha time is blessed by Shiva with steady Lakshmi and lasting prosperity—chariots, elephants, and horses.


To be continued…

Victory to the Universe! Victory to Bhole Baba!