Shiva Dhyana Sloka

Shiva Dhyana Sloka

We chant dhyana slokas to meditate on Lord Shiva before chanting Sri Rudram that describes Lord Shiva in three different perspectives.

1. Eka Roopa (sloka 1 to 4)

Initially we look upon the Lord as a person (as a personal god). Therefore the initial description of the Lord is as a person with hands and legs, asanams and ornaments etc.

2. Aneka Roopa or Viswaroopa (sloka 5 to 6)

Once we evolve enough then this perspective changes. The Lord should not be seen as one particular person but Lord must be seen as total creation endowed with all the forms of creation.

3. Aroopa or Nirguna Brahman (sloka 7 to 8)

Once we have evolved sufficiently then we have to go beyond the viswaroopa also. We have to learn to appreciate the same Lord as formless, attribute less, the absolute nirguna brahman. We can choose our personal god or Ishta Devata from different names and forms, viz. Shiva, Vishnu or Devi.   After doing sufficient puja to Shiva or any personal God, we will learn to look upon him as the very creation -  viswam or prapanjam. Thus for a Shiva bhakta, Shiva becomes the whole creation or the whole creation is nothing but Shiva (likewise for Vishnu bhakta or Devi bhakta) as sachithananda nirguna brahman which is the ultimate devotion.  

The beauty is when we are in the beginning stage there will be differences between Shiva, Vishnu and Devi because the forms are different, the weapons are different, and the vahanams are different. Therefore in the first stage every personal god is different from the other. But once we go to the second stage where we see the Lord as the very creation then there cannot be any difference between  Shiva, Vishnu or Devi because all represent the whole creation.

How many viswaroopams are possible?

Viswaroopam can only be one and in this stage there is no difference between Shiva, Vishnu or Devi. Similarly when we go to nirguna brahman stage there cannot be any difference between Shiva, Vishnu or Devi. We start with difference but ultimately we end in non-differences. Iinitially we have got quarrels “Whether Shiva is bigger or Vishnu is bigger” or “whether Shiva worships Vishnu or Vishnu worships Shiva” or do both of them worship Devi. So all the quarrels are only when the devotee is in the first stage of personal gods.

Veda affirm that we should not grade Brahma or Shiva or Vishnu and if we do so then it is a big sin. And if a person grade Gods as superior or inferior, then he is doing a papam/sin. So we should desist from comparisons and grading! Therefore remember all the three are one and the same, one God seen in three different forms.

All the three levels of bhakti is there in the dhyana slokas. We will briefly see the meaning of the slokas one by one in the following posts.

Sloka: 1

शुद्धस्फटिक सङ्काशं त्रिनेत्रं पञ्च वक्त्रकम् ।
गङ्गाधरं दशभुजं सर्वाभरण भूषितम् ॥

śuddhasphaṭika saṅkāśaṃ trinetraṃ pañca vaktrakam ।
gaṅgādharaṃ daśabhujaṃ sarvābharaṇa bhūṣitam ॥

śuddhasphaṭika saṅkāśaṃ - Shiva is very fair as a crystal.

trinetraṃ - HE has three eyes represented by the sun, the moon and the fire. The sun and moon represent the ordinary eyes. Agni the third eye represents knowledge. In the mythology you’ll find that Lord Shiva with the third eye destroyed everything including Manmatha (god of kama) and HE also destroy tripurantaka asuras etc. Philosophically the third eye represents Janani Agnih. When we mean Lord destroys Kama we mean HE destroys all our petty desires. IF we have the third eye of wisdom like Shiva we can also burn Kama, kroda, loba, etc. Tripura rakshasas represent the three sharirams, the three gunas, and the three avasthas. With the help of the third eye a person destroys all the sharirams (sthula, sukha and karam). In short, HE destroys samsara, thereby HE destroys all our problems.

pañca vaktrakam - the Lord who has five faces or five heads. Four heads on four sides and one head looking up. The five heads are enumerated in the Vedas in the well known mantra sandyo jatham prapadh is the first one, vamadevayah is the second, agorabyo is the third one, tat purushaya is the fourth one, eshanah is the fifth. The fifth head is very important for those people who seek self-knowledge, all the apara vidya and also para vidya. It is from the standpoint of eshanah that we look upon Lord Shiva as Dakshinamurthy. Lord Shiva is the authority of Vedas.

gaṅgādharaṃ - means is one who has got Ganga devi or Ganga river on his jatta. From Lord Shiva head only Ganga is blessing all people. Philosophically Ganga represents brahma vidya or self-knowledge. There are a lot of similarities between Ganga and self-knowledge. Both originate from the Lord’s head. Ganga is a perennial river not like our local Madras river that dry up, similarly the tradition of self-knowledge is also perennial. Ganga flows from higher plane to lower plane, atma-vidya too flows from guru in the higher plane to sishya in the lower plane. If you dip into Ganga it refreshes your body and mind, similarly if you dip in brahma vidya (self-knowledge) you like refresh yourself. Ganga has got various ghats (steps). You should approach only through the ghats otherwise you’ll be swept away. Ganga is a powerful river. There are lot of rocks and it;s ice cold. Even a powerful swimmer cannot swim in this river. So if you want to have a bath you must go to a ghat. Likewise if you want self-knowledge you must follow a tradition of approaching a guru. You insist on self-efforts like using translation it will only cause confusion. There are so many common features and the Lord is called Gangadarah.

daśabhujaṃ - the Lord who has ten hands which are stretched in all the ten directions (four main quarters, four secondary quarters and then up and down).  

sarvābharaṇa bhūṣitam - One who has many ornaments on HIS body. All the ornaments of Shiva are made up of snakes!

Sloka: 2

नीलग्रीवं शशाङ्काङ्कं नाग यज्ञोप वीतिनम् ।
व्याघ्र चर्मोत्तरीयं च वरेण्यमभय प्रदम् ॥

nīlagrīvaṃ śaśāṅkāṅkaṃ nāga yaṅñopa vītinam ।
vyāghra carmottarīyaṃ ca vareṇyamabhaya pradam ॥           

nīlagrīvaṃ - is the one who is blue necked and one who swallowed the poison to save the whole world.

śaśāṅkāṅkaṃ - is one who has got moon on HIS head. Philosophically the moon represents the time principle for we determine “thiti” and kala from its movement. Therefore Shiva has Kala under HIS control.

nāga yaṅñopa vītinam - HE has got the sacred thread which is another snake.

vyāghra carmottarīyaṃ - is the tiger skin that HE is wearing as a dress.

vareṇyam - means that HE is the goal of all the people as HE is the nature of Ananda.

abhaya pradam - is ONE who gives protection, refuge to all the devotees. 

Sloka: 3

कमण्डल्-वक्ष सूत्राणां धारिणं शूलपाणिनम् ।
ज्वलन्तं पिङ्गलजटा शिखा मुद्द्योत धारिणम् ॥

kamaṇḍal-vakṣa sūtrāṇāṃ dhāriṇaṃ śūlapāṇinam।
jvalantaṃ piṅgaḷajaṭā śikhā muddyota dhāriṇam ॥

HE has got kamaṇḍalu and akṣa mala and that’s why HE is the representative of all sanyasis. Shiva represents tyaga and Vishnu represents bhoga. Shiva represents the sanyasi parampara.

HE has got śūlam to destroy all the asuras. 

jvalantaṃ is ONE who is shining, one who is bright. 

piṅgaḷajaṭā means jatta is golden yellow in colour as it is not washed and it has become brawny colour.

And śikhā that is standing upward like a plane and one who is keeping Ganga jalam in HIS matted hair.

Sloka: 4

वृष स्कन्ध समारूढम् उमा देहार्थ धारिणम् ।

अमृतेनाप्लुतं शान्तं दिव्यभोग समन्वितम् ॥

vṛṣa skandha samārūḍham umā dehārtha dhāriṇam ।

amṛtenāplutaṃ śāntaṃ divyabhoga samanvitam ॥

vṛṣa skandha samārūḍham - HE is riding the bull And

umā dehārtha dhāriṇam - HE is the one who has umā devi as the second half of HIS body.

amṛtenāplutaṃ śāntaṃ - HE is bathed in amirtam and is peaceful And

divyabhoga samanvitam - HE is one who posses all the heavenly pleasures.

Sloka: 5

दिग्देवता समायुक्तं सुरासुर नमस्कृतम् ।
नित्यं च शाश्वतं शुद्धं ध्रुव-मक्षर-मव्ययम् ॥

digdevatā samāyuktaṃ surāsura namaskṛtam ।
nityaṃ ca śāśvataṃ śuddhaṃ dhruva-makṣara-mavyayam ॥

digdevatā samāyuktaṃ - One who is surrounded by dig devatas and

surāsura namaskṛtam - One who is worshipped by all suras (devas) and asuras.

nityaṃ - HE is eternal And

śāśvataṃ - everlasting And

śuddhaṃ - pure

dhruvam - immovable

akṣaram - without any distraction

avyayam - without any taint

Sloka: 6

सर्व व्यापिन-मीशानं रुद्रं वै विश्वरूपिणम् ।
एवं ध्यात्वा द्विजः सम्यक् ततो यजनमारभेत् ॥

sarva vyāpina-mīśānaṃ rudraṃ vai viśvarūpiṇam।
evaṃ dhyātvā dvijaḥ samyak tato yajanamārabheth ॥ 

sarva vyāpina-mīśānaṃ - HE is all pervading Ishwara

rudraṃ vai viśvarūpiṇam - HE is the form of the whole cosmos

evaṃ dhyātvā dvijaḥ samyak tato yajanamārabheth - thus meditate and submit this twice born (brahman)

Sloka: 7

आपाताल-नभःस्थलान्त-भुवन-ब्रह्माण्ड-माविस्फुरत्-

ज्योतिः स्फाटिक-लिङ्ग-मौलि-विलसत्-पूर्णेन्दु-वान्तामृतैः ।

अस्तोकाप्लुत-मेक-मीश-मनिशं रुद्रानु-वाकाञ्जपन्

ध्याये-दीप्सित-सिद्धये ध्रुवपदं विप्रो‌உभिषिञ्चे-च्चिवम् ॥

āpātāḷa-nabhaḥsthalānta-bhuvana-brahmāṇḍa-māvisphurat-

jyotiḥ sphāṭika-liṅga-mauḷi-vilasat-pūrṇendu-vāntāmṛtaiḥ ।

astokāpluta-meka-mīśa-maniśaṃ rudrānu-vākāñjapan

dhyāye-dīpsita-siddhaye dhruvapadaṃ vipro‌bhiṣiñce-ccivam ॥

āpātāḷa-nabhaḥsthalānta - measuring from pathala upto the sky

bhuvana-brahmāṇḍa - housed in the cosmos And  

māvisphurat - all pervading

jyotiḥ sphāṭika-liṅga -  jyothir spatika lingam And 

mauḷi-vilasat - head of lingam that is shining

pūrṇendu-vāntāmṛtaiḥ - full moon emitting amritam

astokāpluta-meka-mīśa-maniśaṃ - Pray to the fully bathed (abhishekam) one (only) Eshwara

rudrānu-vākāñjapan  - chanting rudra anuvakas

dhyāye - meditate upon

dīpsita - much desired  

siddhaye - perfection in

dhruvapadaṃ - nirguna swarupam

vipro‌bhiṣiñce-ccivam - abhishekam done by brahmanas to Shiva

This is a beautiful sloka where Lord Shiva is seen as a jyothir lingam (sphatikam). The pancha bhoothas are seen as five lingas: prithvi linga, appu linga, agni linga, vayu linga and akasha linga to show that everything is the Lord. In this sloka Lord Shiva is seen as Akasha lingam. The sky looks like a linga with a curvature in which all the 14 lokas, the entire brahmadam is there. From pathala to nabhasthalanta upto brahma loka. If the akasha is the linga then who will do the abhisekam? The sloka says that the abhisekam is done by purnendu chandrah. According to mythology when the moon emits rays it also emits some water (amritam). Because of the water content the moon rays are cool. That moon emits amruta jalam on a full moon day that pervades the whole space. And that is coming from the moon partum for the akasha lingam or cosmic linga. Therefore on every full moon day rudra abhisekam is taking place.

Shiva is one absolute God we should worship by constantly chanting Sri Rudram. If to choose one boon from the Lord, not everyone will opt for moksha but will choose as per one's individual desire or wish. By chanting Sri Rudram one can ask for any purushartha from Shiva who is abhishekam. One should worship that Shiva who is ever changeless. Dhruvapadam means nirguna swarupam (changless).

Also read: இந்த த்யான ஸ்லோகத்திற்கு ஸ்ரீ காஞ்சி மஹாஸ்வாமிகளின் அருளுரை மஹா சிவராத்திரி விரதம் தரும் முக்தி

Sloka: 8

ब्रह्माण्ड व्याप्तदेहा भसित हिमरुचा भासमाना भुजङ्गैः
कण्ठे कालाः कपर्दाः कलित-शशिकला-श्चण्ड कोदण्ड हस्ताः ।
त्र्यक्षा रुद्राक्षमालाः प्रकटितविभवाः शाम्भवा मूर्तिभेदाः
रुद्राः श्रीरुद्रसूक्त-प्रकटितविभवा नः प्रयच्चन्तु सौख्यम् ॥

brahmāṇḍa vyāptadehā bhasita himarucā bhāsamānā bhujaṅgaiḥ
kaṇṭhe kālāḥ kapardāḥ kalita-śaśikalā-ścaṇḍa kodaṇḍa hastāḥ |
tryakṣā rudrākṣamālāḥ prakaṭitavibhavāḥ śāmbhavā mūrtibhedāḥ
rudrāḥ śrīrudrasūkta-prakaṭitavibhavā naḥ prayaccantu saukhyam | |

brahmāṇḍa vyāptadehā - expanded cosmos And all pervading

bhasita himarucā bhāsamānā bhujaṅgaiḥ - wearing white bright ash And a snake

kaṇṭhe kālāḥ kapardāḥ kalita - dark neck with matted hair

śaśikalā-ścaṇḍa kodaṇḍa hastāḥ - wearing the moon And armed with bow and arrow

tryakṣā rudrākṣamālāḥ - three eyed And wearing rudrakshamala

prakaṭitavibhavāḥ - manifested omnipresence

śāmbhavā mūrtibhedāḥ - one Lord Shiva worshipped in different forms

rudrāḥ śrīrudrasūkta - rudra worshipped by chanting srirudram

prayaccantu saukhyam - pray to bless with all purusharthas

Brahmanda Vyaptadeha - here one Lord Shiva is worshipped in eleven different forms (Ekādasa Rudras); all pervading in nature, snow white like vibhuti, snake as ornaments, necks dark in colour from poison and have got moons (shashikala) in their heads, got bows and arrows as their weapons (ścaṇḍa kodaṇḍa hastāḥ) to destroy the asuras. Tryaksa - three-eyed and have rudraksha mala, remove fear from the minds of the devotees. 

All the eleven Rudras are different aspects of the one and the same Shambu. And if one wants to know the glory of Lord Shiva, śrīrudrasūkta-prakaṭitavibhavā - the source of knowledge is Sri Rudram. Those whose glories are mentioned in the Sri Rudram, bless us with happiness and all the four purushartas. That is why after chanting rudram (namakam) we chant chamakam expressing all our desires (material desires and spiritual desires). We are asking vivekam, vairagyam, shashta sampathi, mumukshatvam, sadhana chatustaya sampathi, knowledge, moksha. Therefore chanting namakam and chamakkam one ask for any purushartha.