लिङ्गाष्टकं The Octet Hymn of Lord Shiva: A Sublime Prayer

 Lord Siva is the God of Love and Compassion whose divine light illumes our heart.

Behold Lord Shiva in all names and forms, who destroys sins and liberates from all forms of sufferings.

Adore Lord Shiva who is complete bliss, pure, impersonal and one without duality.

Take refuse in Lord Shiva who is the reason of all reasons, without birth, beginning and end, and shines everything that shines others.

Revere Lord Shiva who protects from all kinds of evils, calamities, and earthly phenomenal suffering, and render free from all fears. With his blessing there is complete dissolution of ignorance arising in the mind.

Be a sincere devotee to whom Shiva Linga is an entire spectrum of consciousness, the body of cosmos denoting gateway of human soul to attain Sarva-Siddhi, Sat-Citta-Ananda, the ultimate absolute happiness.

To the devotees this Lingasthakam, the eight hymn prayer of Lord Shiva in Linga form brings peace of mind and wards off negative energy, evil forces, and negative thoughts and bestow good health, wisdom, and prosperity.

ब्रह्ममुरारिसुरार्चितलिङ्गं निर्मलभासितशोभितलिङ्गम् ।

जन्मजदुःखविनाशकलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥ १॥

(Brahma Murari Sura-arcitta Lingam, Nirmala bhasita Shobhita Lingam.

Janmaja dukha vinasaka Lingam, Tat pranamami Sada Shiva Lingam.)

Obeisance to Lord Shiva in the form of Linga, who is worshiped by all gods, including Lord Vishnu and Brahma.

I bow to that Linga, the Sada Shiva, who is the embodiment of purity radiating peace, harmony and bliss.

I prostrate to that Shiva Linga, the Sada Shiva, who destroys the sorrows associated with birth and human life.

देवमुनिप्रवरार्चितलिङ्गं कामदहम् करुणाकर लिङ्गम् ।

रावणदर्पविनाशनलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिव लिङ्गम् ॥ २॥

(Deva Muni pravercitta Lingam, Kama Dahana Karunakara Lingam.

Ravana darpa Binashana Lingam, Tat pranamami Sada Shiva Lingam.)

I bow to that eternal Shiva, who is revered by gods and sages alike.

I take refuge in him who destroys sensual desire, the cause of suffering, and destroys pride and arrogance of demons, like Ravana.

I worship that Sada Shiva, who in ever compassionate to all beings.

सर्वसुगन्धिसुलेपितलिङ्गं बुद्धिविवर्धनकारणलिङ्गम् ।

सिद्धसुरासुरवन्दितलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिव लिङ्गम् ॥ ३॥

(Sarva sugandhi sulepita Lingam, Buddhi vivardhana karana Lingam.

Siddha surasura vandhita Lingam, Tat pranamami Sada Shiva Lingam.)

I bow to that Sada Shiva, ever anointed with divine fragrant perfumes.

I take refuge in him who advances the spiritual intelligence and discernment, and guides to growth in wisdom.

I bow to that Sada Shiva, who is worshipped by Siddhas –enlightened beings, Devas –the gods and the Asuras –the demons.

कनकमहामणिभूषितलिङ्गं फनिपतिवेष्टित शोभित लिङ्गम् ।

दक्षसुयज्ञ विनाशन लिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिव लिङ्गम् ॥ ४॥

(Kanaka mahamani bhushita Lingam,.Panipathi veshthita sobhita Lingam.

Daktsa suyagna vinasana Lingam, Tat pranamami Sada Shiva Lingam.)

I bow to Shiva Linga adorned with gold and grand precious Jewels, and the garlands of Naga, the king of serpents.

I take refuge in that Sada Shiva who destroys evil intentions as he destroyed the evil intended grand sacrifice of Daktsa.

कुङ्कुमचन्दनलेपितलिङ्गं पङ्कजहारसुशोभितलिङ्गम् ।

सञ्चितपापविनाशनलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिव लिङ्गम् ॥ ५॥

(Kumkuma chandana lepita Lingam, Pankaja hara sushobhita Lingam.

Sanchita papa vinasana Lingam, Tat pranamami Sada Shiva Lingam.)

I bow to that Sada Shiva Linga, ever adorned with saffron and sandal paste, and the garlands of lotus.

I take refuge in that Sada Shiva Linga, who alone destroys the accumulated sins of innumerable past lives.

देवगणार्चित सेवितलिङ्गं भावैर्भक्तिभिरेव च लिङ्गम् ।

दिनकरकोटिप्रभाकरलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिव लिङ्गम् ॥ ६॥

(Deva Ganarcita shevita Lingam, Bhavair bhakti bhireva ca Lingam.

Dinakara koti prabhakara Lingam, Tat pranamami Sada Shiva Lingam.)

I bow to the Sada Shiva Linga effulgent like billions of suns ever served by gods and other beings with an attitude of devotion.

I take refuge in Sada Shiva Linga who is the fountain of good thought and the ultimate goal of devotion.

अष्टदलोपरिवेष्टितलिङ्गं सर्वसमुद्भवकारणलिङ्गम् ।

अष्टदरिद्रविनाशितलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिव लिङ्गम् ॥ ७॥

(Ashta dalopari vestitha Lingam, Sarva samudbhava karana Lingam.

Ashta daridra vinasana Lingam, Tat pranamami Sada Shiva Lingam.)

I take refuge in Sada Shiva Linga, sheathed with eight-fold petals, which is the cause of all creations.

I prostrate to Sada Shiva Linga who alone destroys the eightfold poverty.

[The eight fold poverty is construed of: i) Retributive suffering consequent to the sins (evil Karma) of the past. ii) Suffering associated human life (Daihieka) due to birth, ageing, illness and death. iii) Suffering due to natural calamities (Daivieka) -pandemic, natural disaster, climate change etc.. iv) Suffering caused by worldly affairs (Bhautieka). v) Suffering due to ignorance –not knowing and or not living the right way of life. vi) Suffering arising from attachment (Moha) -mental suffering (suffering of encountering what is not pleasant, suffering of separation from what is pleasant, and suffering from not getting what one wants. vii) Suffering due to blankness in morality (corruption). viii) Suffering arising from upholding truth and humanity for better future and prosperity.

सुरगुरुसुरवरपूजित लिङ्गं सुरवनपुष्प सदार्चित लिङ्गम् ।

परात्परं परमात्मक लिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिव लिङ्गम् ॥ ८॥

(Suraguru sura vara poojeeta Lingam, Sura vana pushpa sadarcitta Lingam.

Paratparam paramatmaka Lingam, Tat pranamai Sada Shiva Lingam.)

I take refuse in Sada Shiva Linga who is worshipped by teachers of gods, gods and his followers.

I take refuse in Sada Shiva Linga who is higher than the highest, the supreme self, the ultimate truth.

 लिङ्गाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेत् शिवसन्निधौ । शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते ॥

Anyone who chants this holy octet hymn of Lord Shiva will realise absolute happiness and at the end meets Lord Shiva and be one in him.

॥Om Tat Sat : ॐ तत् सत् ॥