Lingashtakam
Lingashtakam
liGgASTakam
brahmamurAri surArcita liGgaM
nirmalabhAsita zobhita liGgam |
janmaja duHkha vinAzaka liGgaM [vinAzana]
tatpraNamAmi sadAziva liGgam || 1 ||
devamuni pravarArcita liGgaM
kAmadahana karuNAkara liGgam |
rAvaNa darpa vinAzana liGgaM
tatpraNamAmi sadAziva liGgam || 2 ||
sarva sugandha sulepita liGgaM
buddhi vivardhana kAraNa liGgam |
siddha surAsura vandita liGgaM
tatpraNamAmi sadAziva liGgam || 3 ||
kanaka mahAmaNi bhUSita liGgaM
phaNipati veSTita zobhita liGgam |
dakSasuyajJa vinAzana liGgaM
tatpraNamAmi sadAziva liGgam || 4 ||
kuGkuma candana lepita liGgaM
paGkaja hAra suzobhita liGgam |
saJcita pApa vinAzana liGgaM
tatpraNamAmi sadAziva liGgam || 5 ||
devagaNArcita sevita liGgaM
bhAvai-rbhaktibhireva ca liGgam |
dinakara koTi prabhAkara liGgaM
tatpraNamAmi sadAziva liGgam || 6 ||
aSTadalopariveSTita liGgaM
sarvasamudbhava kAraNa liGgam |
aSTadaridra vinAzana liGgaM
tatpraNamAmi sadAziva liGgam || 7 ||
suraguru suravara pUjita liGgaM
suravana puSpa sadArcita liGgam |
parAtparaM (paramapadaM) paramAtmaka liGgaM
tatpraNamAmi sadAziva liGgam || 8 ||
liGgASTakamidaM puNyaM yaH paThezziva sannidhau |
zivalokamavApnoti zivena saha modate ||
About This Stotram
Overview
The Lingashtakam is a Sanskrit devotional hymn of eight verses that praises the Shiva Lingam, the aniconic representation of Lord Shiva. Each verse describes specific attributes and powers associated with the Lingam, emphasizing its cosmic role in creation, preservation, and dissolution. The text is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya and belongs to the Shaiva devotional tradition.
What are the benefits of chanting Lingashtakam?
- Removal of sins and negative karma
- Attainment of peace and prosperity
- Spiritual growth and devotion toward Lord Shiva
- Progress toward liberation (moksha)
When is the best time to recite this?
The Lingashtakam is recited in the morning and evening during Shiva puja. Mahashivaratri is the primary festival occasion for its recitation, and Mondays and the Shravana month are also considered appropriate.
What is the historical and traditional background?
The Lingashtakam is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya (c. 8th century CE), the philosopher-saint who systematized Advaita Vedanta and composed numerous devotional hymns for major deities. Shankaracharya's stotram compositions served both devotional and philosophical purposes, making them central to Shaiva worship across India. The text is not found in ancient Vedic or Puranic sources but belongs to the corpus of independent devotional hymns composed in the classical Sanskrit tradition. It has been widely recited in temples and households across India, particularly in the context of Shiva Lingam worship.
Available scripts
This text is available in 14 scripts: devanagari, tamil, telugu, kannada, malayalam, gujarati, bengali, iast, gurmukhi, oriya, assamese, sinhala, itrans, hk. Use the script selector above to switch between them.
Related Texts
- Shiva Panchakshara Stotram — another Shaiva hymn attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, built around the five-syllable mantra "Namah Shivaya"
- Shiva Tandava Stotram — a well-known Sanskrit hymn praising Shiva's cosmic dance, representing the same Shaiva stotram tradition