Let The Echoes Of These Shiva Stotrams Light Up Your Room

Bhubaneswar: Music is one of the most integral parts of any festival or rituals in worshipping the Lord. From bhajans, to stotrams, to mantras, there are various verses to chant so as to please the Lord. On the second Monday of Sharavana, known as the month of Lord Shiva, here are some of the stotrams usually sung by devotees, which it is said, impress the Lord.

1. Dakshinamurthy Stotram- Composed by Adi Shankaracharya, this stotram is dedicated to the form of Lord Shiva that awakens the glory of the Atman (soul) within us through his profound silence.
   
2. Lingashtakam- This stotram describes the ‘linga’ form of Lord Shiva that is being worshipped across the country in various ways. It is also said that pouring water and milk on the ‘linga’ during Shravana makes all the wishes come true and singing the stotram makes the Lord happy.
   
3. Rudrashtakam- Composed by Goswami Tulsidas, this stotram is for the ‘Rudra’ form of Lord Shiva and a salutation to Lord Ishana or Lord Shiva, whose form represents the state of the highest nirvana (extinction of all desires and passions leading to the highest bliss). You will also find it in the ‘Sundar Kaand’ of Ramcharitra Manasa.
   
4. Shiva Panchakshara Stotram- This one is more of a meditation recital composed by Adi Shankaracharya describing Lord Shiva’s appearance. One of the lines translates as- “Salutations to that Shiva, Who is represented by syllable “Na”, the first syllable of the Panchakshara mantra “Na-Ma-Shi-Va-Ya”.”
   
5. Shiva Pratah Smaran Stotram- This stotram, composed by Adi Shankaracharya, is preferably sung in the morning as the name suggests and the meaning of the first line is “In the early morning, I remember Sri Shiva, Who destroys the fear of worldly existence and Who is the Lord of the devas”.
   
6. Shiva Shadakshara Stotram- Said to have been originally sung by Rudra Yamala, this stotram is a salutation to ‘Om’ and the form of Shiva being meditated by yogis.
   
7. Shiva Tandava Stotram- Considered to be one of the most important and difficult stotrams, Tandava stotra composed by Ravana is a description of Lord Shiva’s tandav dance and everything that happens around when he performs, from his locks wiggling to the Earth reverberating. It is said Ravana sang it when he was weeping in pain.