Sri Nataraja Ashtakam
The Sri Nataraja Ashtakam is an eight-verse hymn praising Lord Nataraja, highlighting his cosmic dance and the profound significance of his movements.
श्री नटराज स्तोत्राणि
kuñjaracarmakr̥tāmbaramamburuhāsanamādhavagēyaguṇaṁ śaṅkaramantakamānaharaṁ smaradāhakalōcanamēṇadharam
O Lord Nataraja, adorned with the skin of an elephant, seated on the lotus, you embody the qualities of the divine song of Madhava.
कुञ्जरचर्मकृताम्बरमम्बुरुहासनमाधवगेयगुणं
sāñjaliyōgipatañjalisannutamindukalādharamabjamukhaṁ mañjulaśiñjitarañjitakuñcitavāmapadaṁ bhaja nr̥tyapatim
You are the destroyer of Shankara's enemies, the one who burns the desires of the mind with your fiery gaze.
शङ्करमन्तकमानहरं स्मरदाहकलोचनमेणधरम् । साञ्जलियोगिपतञ्जलिसन्नुतमिन्दुकलाधरमब्जमुखं
piṅgalatuṅgajaṭāvalibhāsuragaṅgamamaṅgalanāśakaraṁ puṅgavavāhamumāṅgadharaṁ ripubhaṅgakaraṁ suralōkanatam
You are worshipped by the yogis with folded hands, holding the moon on your forehead, with a face like a lotus.
मञ्जुलशिञ्जितरञ्जितकुञ्चितवामपदं भज नृत्यपतिम् ॥ १ ॥
bhr̥ṅgavinīlagalaṁ gaṇanāthasutaṁ bhaja mānasa pāpaharaṁ maṅgaladaṁ vararaṅgapatiṁ bhavasaṅgaharaṁ dhanarājasakham
I bow to the Lord of dance, whose left foot is beautifully curved and who is resplendent in his movements.
पिङ्गलतुङ्गजटावलिभासुरगङ्गममङ्गलनाशकरं
pāṇinisūtravinirmitikāraṇapāṇilasaḍḍamarūttharavaṁ mādhavanāditamardalanirgatanādalayōddhr̥tavāmapadam
With your magnificent, flowing hair, you are the auspicious remover of obstacles, the one who brings joy to the celestial realms.
पुङ्गववाहमुमाङ्गधरं रिपुभङ्गकरं सुरलोकनतम् । भृङ्गविनीलगलं गणनाथसुतं भज मानस पापहरं
sarvajagatpralayaprabhuvahnivirājitapāṇimumālasitaṁ pannagabhūṣaṇamunnatasannutamānama mānasa sāmbaśivam
I worship the son of the Lord of the Ganas, who is the destroyer of sins, and who brings peace to the mind.
मङ्गलदं वररङ्गपतिं भवसङ्गहरं धनराजसखम् ॥ २ ॥
caṇḍaguṇānvitamaṇḍalakhaṇḍanapaṇḍitamindukalākalitaṁ daṇḍadharāntakadaṇḍakaraṁ varatāṇḍavamaṇḍitahēmasabham
You are the bestower of auspiciousness, the lord of the beautiful dance, and the friend of the king of wealth.
पाणिनिसूत्रविनिर्मितिकारणपाणिलसड्डमरूत्थरवं
aṇḍakarāṇḍajavāhasakhaṁ nama pāṇḍavamadhyamamōdakaraṁ kuṇḍalaśōbhitagaṇḍatalaṁ munivr̥ndanutaṁ sakalāṇḍadharam
You are the creator of the grammatical rules of Panini, and you hold the left foot of the one who defeated the enemies of the gods.
माधवनादितमर्दलनिर्गतनादलयोद्धृतवामपदम् । सर्वजगत्प्रलयप्रभुवह्निविराजितपाणिमुमालसितं
vyāghrapadānatamugratarāsuravigrahamardipadāmburuhaṁ śakramukhāmaravargamanōharanr̥tyakaraṁ śrutinutyaguṇam
You shine like the fire at the end of the world, with your hand raised in blessing, adorned with the garland of the moon.
पन्नगभूषणमुन्नतसन्नुतमानम मानस साम्बशिवम् ॥ ३ ॥
vyagrataraṅgitadēvadhunīdhr̥tagarvaharāyatakēśacayaṁ bhārgavarāvaṇapūjitamīśamumāramaṇaṁ bhaja śūladharam
I bow to the one who wears the serpent as an ornament, who is praised by the sages, and who supports the entire universe.
चण्डगुणान्वितमण्डलखण्डनपण्डितमिन्दुकलाकलितं
āsuraśaktivināśakaraṁ bahubhāsurakāyamanaṅgaripuṁ bhūsurasēvitapādasarōruhamīśvaramakṣaramukṣadhr̥tam
You are the fierce form that crushes the demons, the one who dances with grace and beauty, and who is praised in the scriptures.
दण्डधरान्तकदण्डकरं वरताण्डवमण्डितहेमसभम् । अण्डकराण्डजवाहसखं नम पाण्डवमध्यममोदकरं
bhāskaraśītakarākṣamanāturamāśvaravindapadaṁ bhaja taṁ naśvarasaṁsr̥timōhavināśamahaskaradantanipātakaram
I bow to the one who is the friend of the Pandavas, the one who brings joy and is the source of bliss.
कुण्डलशोभितगण्डतलं मुनिवृन्दनुतं सकलाण्डधरम् ॥ ४ ॥
bhūtikaraṁ sitabhūtidharaṁ gatanītiharaṁ varagītinutaṁ bhaktiyutōttamamuktikaraṁ samaśaktiyutaṁ śubhabhuktikaram
Your cheeks are adorned with beautiful earrings, and you are revered by the assembly of sages, holding the weight of the universe.
व्याघ्रपदानतमुग्रतरासुरविग्रहमर्दिपदाम्बुरुहं
bhadrakarōttamanāmayutaṁ śrutisāmanutaṁ nama sōmadharaṁ stutyaguṇaṁ bhaja nityamagādhabhavāmbudhitārakanr̥tyapatim
You are the one who crushes the pride of the demons, the one who is the embodiment of the dance of the gods.
शक्रमुखामरवर्गमनोहरनृत्यकरं श्रुतिनुत्यगुणम् । व्यग्रतरङ्गितदेवधुनीधृतगर्वहरायतकेशचयं
śūladharaṁ bhavajālaharaṁ niṭilāgnidharaṁ jaṭilaṁ dhavalaṁ nīlagalōjjvalamaṅgalasadgirirājasutāmr̥dupāṇitalam
I worship the Lord who is the essence of the universe, who is the source of all creation, and who is the eternal truth.
भार्गवरावणपूजितमीशमुमारमणं भज शूलधरम् ॥ ५ ॥
śailakulādhipamaulinataṁ chalahīnamupaimi kapāladharaṁ kālaviṣāśamanantamilānutamadbhutalāsyakaraṁ giriśam
You are the one who destroys the illusion of worldly existence, the one who punishes the wicked with your fierce form.
आसुरशक्तिविनाशकरं बहुभासुरकायमनङ्गरिपुं
cittaharātulanr̥ttapatipriyavr̥ttakr̥tōttamagītimimāṁ prātarumāpatisannidhigō yadi gāyati bhaktiyutō manasi
You are the giver of life, the one who holds the white essence of purity, and who brings forth the stories of the past.
भूसुरसेवितपादसरोरुहमीश्वरमक्षरमुक्षधृतम् । भास्करशीतकराक्षमनातुरमाश्वरविन्दपदं भज तं
sarvasukhaṁ bhuvi tasya bhavatyamarādhipadurlabhamatyadhikaṁ nāsti punarjanirēti ca dhāma sa śāmbhavamuttamamōdakaram
You are the one who grants liberation to those who are devoted, who is endowed with equal power, and who provides auspicious experiences.
नश्वरसंसृतिमोहविनाशमहस्करदन्तनिपातकरम् ॥ ६ ॥
iti śrī naṭarājāṣṭakam
I bow to the Lord who is the best of the auspicious, who is praised in the scriptures, and who is the moon among the stars.