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5 Shiva Mantras, Chants, Shivarathri Hymn, Shiva Worship

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Maha Shivarathri is the most auspicious of festivals dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. Here are 5 Shiva Mantras to help you celebrate Lord Shiva! It is believed that on this day Lord Shiva appeared to the world in the form of a pillar of light, or Jyotirlinga. Lord Shiva, the primordial teacher, is believed to be easily pleased; thus, any worship offered to him – regardless of its simplicity or grandeur – is thought to bring about great merit. All across India, and in many Hindu communities around the world, nightlong vigils are observed in honor of Lord Shiva. Devotees offer abhisheka, or a ritual bath, to bronze and stone sculptures of Lord Shiva in his many forms. Among the most popular of the forms that receive worship on this day are the Shiva Linga, Lord Dakshinamurthy, Lord Bhairava, and Lord Somaskanda.

Since Shiva is easily pleased, offering milk, water, leaves, flowers, clothes, fruits, or even an oil lamp is commendable. Simply meditating upon the form of Shiva with a pure mind and utmost devotion is considered the highest form of worship. The sage Adi Shankara wrote Shiva Manasa Puja as an affirmation of this notion. In this beautifully composed hymn, Shankara performs the Puja of Lord Shiva with vivid and devout imagination. Reciting this hymn on the night of Maha Shivarathri is the best way to begin or end the night’s festivities!

“Ratnaiḥ kalpitamāsanaṃ himajalaiḥ snānaṃ ca divyāmbaraṃ
nānāratna vibhūṣitaṃ mṛgamadā modāṅkitaṃ candanam
jātī campaka bilvapatra racitaṃ puṣpaṃ ca dhūpaṃ tathā
dīpaṃ deva dayānidhe paśupate hṛtkalpitaṃ gṛhyatām”

Meaning:
Oh ocean of compassion! Oh lord of those bound by the noose!
I imagine a throne made of precious gemstones to seat you, cool water trickling from the Himalayas to bathe you, divine clothed embroidered with various jewels to adorn you, flowers composed of jasmine, champak, and Bilva leaves, divine incense, and a bright oil lamp.
Oh Lord, please accept these offerings which I imagine in my heart for you!

“Sauvarṇe navaratnakhaṇḍa racite pātre ghṛtaṃ pāyasaṃ
bhakṣyaṃ pañcavidhaṃ payodadhiyutaṃ rambhāphalaṃ pānakam
śākānāmayutaṃ jalaṃ rucikaraṃ karpūra khaṇḍojjcalaṃ
tāmbūlaṃ manasā mayā viracitaṃ bhaktyā prabho svīkuru“

Meaning: Rice pudding and ghee in a golden bowl studded with the nine precious gems, five dishes prepared with milk and curd, plantains, juice, tasty water infused with herbs, and the aromatic betel leaf. These I have prepared in my mind with utmost devotion. Please accept them oh Lord!

“Chatraṃ cāmarayoryugaṃ vyajanakaṃ cādarśakaṃ nirmalaṃ
vīṇā bheri mṛdaṅga kāhalakalā gītaṃ ca nṛtyaṃ tathā
sāṣṭāṅgaṃ praṇatiḥ stuti-rbahuvidhā-hyetat-samastaṃ mayā
saṅkalpena samarpitaṃ tava vibho pūjāṃ gṛhāṇa prabho“

Meaning: I offer a splendid umbrella to shade you, fly whisks and a fan to cool you, a spotless mirror to see you, music from the vīṇā, bheri, and mṛdaṅga to please you, sweet songs and dances to entertain you, a full prostration to respect you, and abundant forms of hyms to praise you. Please accept my puja oh Lord!

“ātmā tvaṃ girijā matiḥ sahacarāḥ prāṇāḥ śarīraṃ gṛhaṃ
pūjā te viṣayopabhoga-racanā nidrā samādhisthitiḥ
sañcāraḥ padayoḥ pradakṣiṇavidhiḥ stotrāṇi sarvā giro
yadyatkarma karomi tattadakhilaṃ śambho tavārādhanam”

Meaning: You are my soul, Parvathi is my intellect, your attendants are my five vital breaths, my body is your abode. My involvement in the world is nothing but worship unto you. My roaming feet are constantly in the divine act of walking around you, all my speech is in praise to you. All the work I do is a form of worship to you, oh Lord!

“kara caraṇa kṛtaṃ vākkāyajaṃ karmajaṃ vā
śravaṇa nayanajaṃ vā mānasaṃ vāparādham
vihitamavihitaṃ vā sarvametat-kṣamasva
jaya jaya karuṇābdhe śrī mahādeva śambho“

Meaning: Whatever may be the sins I have committed with my hands and feet, those sins born of my hands and body, or the sins arising from my work. Whatever may be the sins born of my ears and eyes, or of my mind, or those sins arising from my doing what has been prescribed and not prescribed. Please forgive all of these sins, oh Lord. Victory unto you, oh ocean of compassion, the greatest and most auspicious of gods!

View All Our Mantras to Hindu Gods
including English and Sanskrit translations

10 Kali Mantras	15 Saraswati Mantras	4 Ganesha Mantras
6 Murugan Mantras	8 Krishna Mantras	7 Hanuman Mantras
3 Lakshmi Mantras	8 Vishnu Mantras	5 Shiva Mantras

16 Step Puja Worship in Hinduism

There are numerous forms of worship among Hindus, of which Puja is one of the more popular. The most widely accepted and followed system of Puja is the Shodasa – Upachara Puja, or 16 – Service worship.

The main purpose of this type of Puja is two-fold. Primarily it is to uplift the five senses of the worshiper and by doing so elevate him to a higher level of consciousness that will promote good thoughts and actions. Secondarily it draws upon the Indian traditions of honoring a guest, wherein each upachara is a service to the deity who takes presence in the sculpture for the duration of the Puja.

Dhyaana – Meditating on the deity that is being invoked.
Aavaahana – Inviting the deity into the altar.
Aasana – Giving the deity a seat.
Paadya – Washing the deity’s feet with clean water.
Arghya – Offering the deity water to rinse hands and mouth.
Aachamana – Offering the deity water to drink.
Snaana – Bathing the deity with various auspicious items.
Vasthra – Dressing the deity in clean clothes.
Yagnopaveetha – Offering the deity a clean sacred thread.
Gandha – Spreading fresh sandalwood paste on the deity.
Pushpa – Offering fresh flowers while chanting the deity’s names.
Dhoopa – Spreading incense smoke throughout the altar.
Deepa – Waving a lamp to illuminate the freshly decorated deity.
Naivedya – Offering the deity food.
Taambula – Offering the deity a refreshing mix of betel nut and leaves.
Pradakshina & Namaskara – Circumambulating the altar and bidding farewell to the deity.

Among these sixteen services, five hold more importance than the rest. Together these five services are referred to as the pancha – upacharas, and include gandha, pushpa, dhoopa, deepa, and naivedya. Collectively, these five services engage the five senses.

Gandha – Touch
Sandalwood paste cools the skin and is a natural insect repellant.
Pushpa – Hearing
The recitation of the deity’s names that accompanies each flower engages the ears.
Dhoopa – Smell
Incense envelops the entire temple with a refreshing fragrance for the nose.
Deepa – Sight
The lamp illuminates the deity and brings out the beauty of the icon to the eyes.
Naivedya – Taste
Food that has been offered to the deity is eaten and entices the taste buds.

ganesh, puja ceremony — Bronze Ganesh in opening eye ceremony at the Cleveland Museum of Art

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra – Great Death Conquering Mantra

Kalasamharamurti Shiva Killing Yama — Click to view this bronze statue of Kalasamharamurti; Shiva Killing Yama

The Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, can be found in the verses of Rig Veda and also recurs in Yajur Veda. Since, the Mantra is addressed to Tryambaka (the three-eyed one), it is also known as Tryambakam Mantra. The Mantra is also known as Rudra mantra (Rudra is the fiercest form of Lord Shiva) and Mrita-Sanjivini mantra.
The Mantra was revealed by Sage Markendaya and is considered as the secret mantra that has saved the sage from Yama the Hindu God of Death. There is a legend which depicts that with the power of this Mahamritunjaya Mantra, Markendaya was protected by Lord Shiva from death. Mrikandu rishi and his wife Marudmati, the parents of sage Makendeya, were great devotees of Lord Shiva and they prayed for a son to the Lord. Lord was pleased in their worship and gave the childless parents two options to choose from. They can either have an intelligent son with short life, or a son with less intelligence but with a long life.

Marble statue of Shiva killing Yama — Click to view this stunning marble statue of Shiva killing Yama

The parents opted for the first choice and their wish was granted by Lord Shiva. They were blessed with a smart baby boy, Markendeya, who was fated to die at the age of 12. Markendeya grew up with great devotion to Lord Shiva and worshiped Shiva Lingam. When he reached the age of 12, the messengers of Yama came to take the young sage, but he chanted the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra with intense devotion, which made it impossible for the messengers to take his life. This made Yama furious, he came in person and sprung his noose around the sage but, accidentally the noose fell around the Shiva Lingam. This act of Yama made Lord Shiva furious and finally Yama was defeated by Shiva. Thus, Markendeya was saved from death and this mantra came to be known as Markendeya Mantra.

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra is a blend of three Hindi language words i.e. “Maha” which means Great, “Mrityun” means Death and “Jaya” means Victory. Here, is the Mantra and its meaning:

Om tryambakam yajamahe sugandhim pusti vardhanam Urvarukamiva bandhanan mrtyor mukshiya mamritat

Translation: Om. We worship and adore you, O three-eyed one, O Shiva. You are sweet gladness, the fragrance of life, which nourishes us, restores our health, and causes us to thrive. Just as the ripe cucumber is automatically released from the creeper, may we be liberated from death, and do not withhold immortality.

Click to view this unique Bali style Shiva Lingam

Direct Translation:
OM –Symbol of underlying reality
tri-ambaka-m — “the three-eyed-one”
yaja-mahe — “we praise”
sugandhi-m — “the fragrant”
pusti-vardhana-m — “the prosperity-increaser”
urvaruka-m — “disease, attachment, obstacles in life, and resulting depression”
iva “–like”
bandhanat — “from attachment Stem (of the gourd); but more generally, unhealthy attachment”
mrtyor — “from death”
mukshiya — “may you liberate”
ma — “not”
amritat — realization of immortality

Significance of the Mantra: It is believed that chanting the Mahamrtiyunjaya Mantra will lead towards spiritual liberation. The Mantra is so powerful that it can relieve people who are suffering from some severe disease or having the fear of sudden death. It gives high concentration power and guarantees mental peace.
How to use Mahamrityunjaya Mantra?
You can use this mantra in two ways – Chanting this mantra 108 times, daily will bring happiness and prosperity to your life. 108 times is important as it is the product of 12 (Zodiac Signs) and 9 (Navagrahas).
You can seek the help of a priest who will chant the mantra one hundred thousand times to relieve the person, who has arranged for the pooja, from the fear of unnatural death or serious disease.