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Appayya Dikshita’s hymn to Shiva as Margabandhu, “the friend on the road,” chanted before travelling — five verses and the refrain “Shambho Mahadeva Deva Shiva Shambho Mahadeva Devesha Shambho.”
By Appayya Dikshita (16th century)
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Margabandhu Stotram
Son of Kali · Sacred Shiva Chants
Each line shows an easy way to say it, with its English meaning. Turn on the Sanskrit, the exact pronunciation or the word-by-word meaning whenever you want to go deeper.
शम्भो महादेव देव शिव शम्भो महादेव देवेश शम्भो ।
Shambho Mahadeva Deva Shiva Shambho Mahadeva Devesha Shambho
śambho mahādeva deva śiva śambho mahādeva deveśa śambho
O Shambhu, great God, O God, O Shiva, O Shambhu, great God, lord of gods, O Shambhu!
फालावनम्रत्किरीटं फालनेत्रार्चिषा दग्धपञ्चेषुकीटम् ।
Phalavanamrat Kiritam Phalanetrarchisha Dagdha Pancheshu Kitam
phālāvanamratkirīṭaṃ phālanetrārciṣā dagdhapañceṣukīṭam
To whom the crowned gods bow their foreheads, who burned the god of the five arrows like an insect with the fire of his forehead eye,
शूलाहतारातिकूटं शुद्धमर्धेन्दुचूडं भजे मार्गबन्धुम् ॥ १ ॥
Shulahataratikutam Shuddham Ardhendu Chudam Bhaje Margabandhum
śūlāhatārātikūṭaṃ śuddhamardhenducūḍaṃ bhaje mārgabandhum
who strikes down hosts of enemies with his trident, the pure one crowned with the half-moon — I worship the friend on the road.
अङ्गे विराजद्भुजङ्गं अभ्रगङ्गातरङ्गाभिरामोत्तमाङ्गम् ।
Ange Virajad Bhujangam Abhra Ganga Tarangabhiramottamangam
aṅge virājadbhujaṅgaṃ abhragaṅgātaraṅgābhirāmottamāṅgam
Serpents shining on his body, his head made lovely by the waves of the heavenly Ganga,
ओङ्कारवाटीकुरङ्गं सिद्धसंसेविताङ्घ्रिं भजे मार्गबन्धुम् ॥ २ ॥
Omkara Vati Kurangam Siddha Samsevitanghrim Bhaje Margabandhum
oṅkāravāṭīkuraṅgaṃ siddhasaṃsevitāṅghriṃ bhaje mārgabandhum
the deer that roams the garden of Om, whose feet are served by the perfected ones — I worship the friend on the road.
नित्यं चिदानन्दरूपं निह्नुताशेषलोकेशवैरिप्रतापम् ।
Nityam Chidananda Rupam Nihnutashesha Lokesha Vairi Pratapam
nityaṃ cidānandarūpaṃ nihnutāśeṣalokeśavairipratāpam
Eternal, whose form is consciousness and bliss, who crushed the might of all the enemies of the world’s guardians,
कार्तस्वरागेन्द्रचापं कृत्तिवासं भजे दिव्यसन्मार्गबन्धुम् ॥ ३ ॥
Kartasvaragendra Chapam Krittivasam Bhaje Divya Sanmarga Bandhum
kārtasvarāgendracāpaṃ kṛttivāsaṃ bhaje divyasanmārgabandhum
whose bow is the golden mountain Meru, clothed in a hide — I worship the divine friend on the good road.
कन्दर्पदर्पघ्नमीशं कालकण्ठं महेशं महाव्योमकेशम् ।
Kandarpa Darpaghnam Isham Kalakantham Mahesham Mahavyomakesham
kandarpadarpaghnamīśaṃ kālakaṇṭhaṃ maheśaṃ mahāvyomakeśam
The Lord who destroyed the pride of Kama, dark-throated, the great Lord, whose hair is the vast sky,
कुन्दाभदन्तं सुरेशं कोटिसूर्यप्रकाशं भजे मार्गबन्धुम् ॥ ४ ॥
Kundabha Dantam Suresham Koti Surya Prakasham Bhaje Margabandhum
kundābhadantaṃ sureśaṃ koṭisūryaprakāśaṃ bhaje mārgabandhum
his teeth white as jasmine, lord of the gods, bright as ten million suns — I worship the friend on the road.
मन्दारभूतेरुदारं मन्दरागेन्द्रसारं महागौर्यदूरम् ।
Mandara Bhuterudaram Mandaragendra Saram Mahagauryaduram
mandārabhūterudāraṃ mandarāgendrasāraṃ mahāgauryadūram
More generous than the wish-granting mandara tree, firm as Mount Mandara, never far from the great Gauri,
सिन्दूरदूरप्रचारं सिन्धुराजातिधीरं भजे मार्गबन्धुम् ॥ ५ ॥
Sindura Dura Pracharam Sindhu Rajatidhiram Bhaje Margabandhum
sindūradūrapracāraṃ sindhurājātidhīraṃ bhaje mārgabandhum
whose stately gait surpasses the elephant’s, steadier than the ocean — I worship the friend on the road.
अप्पय्ययज्वेन्द्रगीतं स्तोत्रराजं पठेद्यस्तु भक्त्या प्रयाणे ।
Appayya Yajvendra Gitam Stotrarajam Pathed Yastu Bhaktya Prayane
appayyayajvendragītaṃ stotrarājaṃ paṭhedyastu bhaktyā prayāṇe
Whoever recites with devotion, when setting out, this king of hymns sung by Appayya, the foremost of priests,
तस्यार्थसिद्धिं विधत्ते मार्गमध्येऽभयं चाशुतोषो महेशः ॥ ६ ॥
Tasyartha Siddhim Vidhatte Margamadhye Abhayam Chashutosho Maheshah
tasyārthasiddhiṃ vidhatte mārgamadhye'bhayaṃ cāśutoṣo maheśaḥ
for them easily pleased Shiva brings their purpose to success and grants fearlessness on the way.
Mārgabandhu means “friend on the road.” In the temple town of Virinchipuram in Tamil Nadu, Shiva is worshipped by this name, and tradition says he once appeared to guide the great scholar-saint Appayya Dikshita and his companions safely on a dangerous journey.
In gratitude Appayya Dikshita composed this hymn. Each verse describes Shiva — the forehead eye that burned Kama, the Ganga’s waves in his hair, the Kailasa bow — and ends bhaje mārgabandhum, “I worship the friend on the road.” A joyful refrain is sung between the verses.
The closing verse promises that whoever chants it with devotion when setting out will succeed in their purpose, and that easily pleased Shiva will grant them fearlessness on the way.
Appayya Dikshita and his party were travelling through a forest known for robbers. An old man appeared and offered to walk with them as their guide, leading them safely to Virinchipuram, where he suddenly vanished at the temple door.
Appayya Dikshita understood that it had been Shiva himself, and wrote this hymn on the spot.
When to chant
How many times
Once before leaving; the refrain can be repeated during the journey.
Before setting out, pause at the door and join your palms.
Chant the hymn, or at least the refrain, picturing Shiva walking beside you.
Ask him to be your friend on the road.
Set out calmly.
The sounds that trip people up most in this hymn, and how to say them.
mārgabandhum
maar-ga-bun-dhum — “the friend of the road.”
phālanetrārciṣā
phaa-la-nay-traar-chi-shaa.
appayya
up-pie-ya.
The music
by Son of Kali
What is the Margabandhu Stotram?
A hymn to Shiva as “the friend on the road,” chanted for safety before travelling.
Who wrote it?
Appayya Dikshita, the 16th-century scholar and Shiva devotee from Tamil Nadu.
When should I chant it?
Before any journey, or when someone you love is travelling.