Shiva Mahimna Stotram

महिम्नः पारं ते परमविदुषो यद्यसदृशी

Mahimnah Param Te Paramavidusho Yadyasadrishi

mahimnaḥ pāraṃ te paramaviduṣo yadyasadṛśī

If a hymn by one who does not know the furthest limit of your greatness is unworthy of you,

स्तुतिर्ब्रह्मादीनामपि तदवसन्नास्त्वयि गिरः ।

Stutirbrahmadinamapi Tadavasannastvayi Girah

stutirbrahmādīnāmapi tadavasannāstvayi giraḥ

then even the praises of Brahma and the gods fall short of you;

अथावाच्यः सर्वः स्वमतिपरिणामावधि गृणन्

Athavachyah Sarvah Svamatiparinamavadhi Grinan

athāvācyaḥ sarvaḥ svamatipariṇāmāvadhi gṛṇan

but if no one is to blame who praises you as far as their mind can reach,

ममाप्येष स्तोत्रे हर निरपवादः परिकरः ॥ १ ॥

Mamapyesha Stotre Hara Nirapavadah Parikarah

mamāpyeṣa stotre hara nirapavādaḥ parikaraḥ

then my attempt at this hymn too, O Hara, is beyond reproach.

अतीतः पन्थानं तव च महिमा वाङ्मनसयोः

Atitah Panthanam Tava Cha Mahima Vanmanasayoh

atītaḥ panthānaṃ tava ca mahimā vāṅmanasayoḥ

Your greatness lies beyond the reach of speech and mind;

अतद्व्यावृत्त्या यं चकितमभिधत्ते श्रुतिरपि ।

Atadvyavrittya Yam Chakitamabhidhatte Shrutirapi

atadvyāvṛttyā yaṃ cakitamabhidhatte śrutirapi

even the Vedas speak of it fearfully, only by saying “not this.”

स कस्य स्तोतव्यः कतिविधगुणः कस्य विषयः

Sa Kasya Stotavyah Katividhagunah Kasya Vishayah

sa kasya stotavyaḥ katividhaguṇaḥ kasya viṣayaḥ

Who can praise it? How many qualities has it? Whose object can it be?

पदे त्वर्वाचीने पतति न मनः कस्य न वचः ॥ २ ॥

Pade Tvarvachine Patati Na Manah Kasya Na Vachah

pade tvarvācīne patati na manaḥ kasya na vacaḥ

Yet whose mind and words do not fall upon your later, manifest form?

मधुस्फीता वाचः परमममृतं निर्मितवतः

Madhusphita Vachah Paramamamritam Nirmitavatah

madhusphītā vācaḥ paramamamṛtaṃ nirmitavataḥ

O Brahman, you created the Vedas, words sweet with honey and supreme nectar —

तव ब्रह्मन् किं वागपि सुरगुरोर्विस्मयपदम् ।

Tava Brahman Kim Vagapi Suragurorvismayapadam

tava brahman kiṃ vāgapi suragurorvismayapadam

can even the speech of the gods’ teacher amaze you?

मम त्वेतां वाणीं गुणकथनपुण्येन भवतः

Mama Tvetam Vanim Gunakathanapunyena Bhavatah

mama tvetāṃ vāṇīṃ guṇakathanapuṇyena bhavataḥ

But I wish to purify my own speech by the merit of telling your virtues —

पुनामीत्यर्थेऽस्मिन् पुरमथन बुद्धिर्व्यवसिता ॥ ३ ॥

Punamityarthesmin Puramathana Buddhirvyavasita

punāmītyarthe'smin puramathana buddhirvyavasitā

O destroyer of Tripura, for this my mind is resolved.

तवैश्वर्यं यत्तज्जगदुदयरक्षाप्रलयकृत्

Tavaishvaryam Yattajjagadudayarakshapralayakrit

tavaiśvaryaṃ yattajjagadudayarakṣāpralayakṛt

Your sovereignty, which brings about the creation, protection and dissolution of the world,

त्रयीवस्तु व्यस्तं तिसृषु गुणभिन्नासु तनुषु ।

Trayivastu Vyastam Tisrishu Gunabhinnasu Tanushu

trayīvastu vyastaṃ tisṛṣu guṇabhinnāsu tanuṣu

is taught by the three Vedas and divided into three forms of different qualities.

अभव्यानामस्मिन्वरद रमणीयामरमणीं

Abhavyanamasminvarada Ramaniyamaramanim

abhavyānāmasminvarada ramaṇīyāmaramaṇīṃ

O giver of boons, some dull-witted people here raise their voices

विहन्तुं व्याक्रोशीं विदधत इहैके जडधियः ॥ ४ ॥

Vihantum Vyakroshim Vidadhata Ihaike Jadadhiyah

vihantuṃ vyākrośīṃ vidadhata ihaike jaḍadhiyaḥ

to attack it with arguments that please only the foolish.

किमीहः किङ्कायः स खलु किमुपायस्त्रिभुवनं

Kimihah Kinkayah Sa Khalu Kimupayastribhuvanam

kimīhaḥ kiṅkāyaḥ sa khalu kimupāyastribhuvanaṃ

“With what desire, what body, what means, does the Creator create the three worlds?

किमाधारो धाता सृजति किमुपादान इति च ।

Kimadharo Dhata Srijati Kimupadana Iti Cha

kimādhāro dhātā sṛjati kimupādāna iti ca

On what support, from what material?” —

अतर्क्यैश्वर्ये त्वय्यनवसर दुःस्थो हतधियः

Atarkyaishvarye Tvayyanavasara Duhstho Hatadhiyah

atarkyaiśvarye tvayyanavasara duḥstho hatadhiyaḥ

such misguided reasoning about you, whose power is beyond logic,

कुतर्कोऽयं कांश्चिन्मुखरयति मोहाय जगताम् ॥ ५ ॥

Kutarkoyam Kamshchinmukharayati Mohaya Jagatam

kutarko'yaṃ kāṃścinmukharayati mohāya jagatām

only makes some people talk, and confuses the world.

अजन्मानो लोकाः किमवयववन्तोऽपि जगतां

Ajanmano Lokah Kimavayavavantopi Jagatam

ajanmāno lokāḥ kimavayavavanto'pi jagatāṃ

Are the worlds, though made of parts, unborn?

अधिष्ठातारं किं भवविधिरनादृत्य भवति ।

Adhishthataram Kim Bhavavidhiranadritya Bhavati

adhiṣṭhātāraṃ kiṃ bhavavidhiranādṛtya bhavati

Can creation happen without a ruler of the worlds?

अनीशो वा कुर्याद्भुवनजनने कः परिकरो

Anisho Va Kuryadbhuvanajanane Kah Parikaro

anīśo vā kuryādbhuvanajanane kaḥ parikaro

If someone other than the Lord made the universe, what would their tools be?

यतो मन्दास्त्वां प्रत्यमरवर संशेरत इमे ॥ ६ ॥

Yato Mandastvam Pratyamaravara Samsherata Ime

yato mandāstvāṃ pratyamaravara saṃśerata ime

Only the dull, O best of gods, doubt you.

त्रयी साङ्ख्यं योगः पशुपतिमतं वैष्णवमिति

Trayi Sankhyam Yogah Pashupatimatam Vaishnavamiti

trayī sāṅkhyaṃ yogaḥ paśupatimataṃ vaiṣṇavamiti

The three Vedas, Sankhya, Yoga, the Pashupata teaching, the Vaishnava way —

प्रभिन्ने प्रस्थाने परमिदमदः पथ्यमिति च ।

Prabhinne Prasthane Paramidamadah Pathyamiti Cha

prabhinne prasthāne paramidamadaḥ pathyamiti ca

in these different paths, people say “this is best, that is right,”

रुचीनां वैचित्र्यादृजुकुटिल नानापथजुषां

Ruchinam Vaichitryadrijukutila Nanapathajusham

rucīnāṃ vaicitryādṛjukuṭila nānāpathajuṣāṃ

according to their different tastes, taking straight or winding paths;

नृणामेको गम्यस्त्वमसि पयसामर्णव इव ॥ ७ ॥

Nrinameko Gamyastvamasi Payasamarnava Iva

nṛṇāmeko gamyastvamasi payasāmarṇava iva

yet you alone are the goal of all people, as the ocean is the goal of all rivers.

महोक्षः खट्वाङ्गं परशुरजिनं भस्म फणिनः

Mahokshah Khatvangam Parashurajinam Bhasma Phaninah

mahokṣaḥ khaṭvāṅgaṃ paraśurajinaṃ bhasma phaṇinaḥ

A great bull, a skull-staff, an axe, a hide, ash and snakes,

कपालं चेतीयत्तव वरद तन्त्रोपकरणम् ।

Kapalam Chetiyattava Varada Tantropakaranam

kapālaṃ cetīyattava varada tantropakaraṇam

and a skull — these alone, O giver of boons, are your household goods;

सुरास्तां तामृद्धिं दधति तु भवद्भूप्रणिहितां

Surastam Tamriddhim Dadhati Tu Bhavadbhupranihitam

surāstāṃ tāmṛddhiṃ dadhati tu bhavadbhūpraṇihitāṃ

yet the gods hold their wealth only because you gave it with a glance of your brow.

न हि स्वात्मारामं विषयमृगतृष्णा भ्रमयति ॥ ८ ॥

Na Hi Svatmaramam Vishayamrigatrishna Bhramayati

na hi svātmārāmaṃ viṣayamṛgatṛṣṇā bhramayati

The mirage of the senses does not lead astray one who delights in the Self.

ध्रुवं कश्चिद्ब्रूते सकलमपरस्त्वं ध्रुवमिति

Dhruvam Kashchidbrute Sakalamaparastvam Dhruvamiti

dhruvaṃ kaścidbrūte sakalamaparastvaṃ dhruvamiti

One says the whole world is permanent, another that it is impermanent,

परो ध्रौव्याध्रौव्ये जगति गदति व्यस्तविषये ।

Paro Dhrauvyadhrauvye Jagati Gadati Vyastavishaye

paro dhrauvyādhrauvye jagati gadati vyastaviṣaye

another that it is both, each speaking of a different aspect;

समस्तेऽप्येतस्मिन्पुरमथन तैर्विस्मित इव

Samastepyetasminpuramathana Tairvismita Iva

samaste'pyetasminpuramathana tairvismita iva

amazed by all of them, O destroyer of Tripura,

स्तुवन्जिह्रेमि त्वां न खलु ननु धृष्टा मुखरता ॥ ९ ॥

Stuvanjihremi Tvam Na Khalu Nanu Dhrishta Mukharata

stuvanjihremi tvāṃ na khalu nanu dhṛṣṭā mukharatā

I am not ashamed to praise you — my talkativeness is surely bold.

तवैश्वर्यं यत्नाद्यदुपरि विरिञ्चिर्हरिरधः

Tavaishvaryam Yatnadyadupari Virinchirhariradhah

tavaiśvaryaṃ yatnādyadupari viriñcirhariradhaḥ

When, to measure your glory, Brahma went upward and Vishnu downward with great effort,

परिच्छेत्तुं यातावनलमनलस्कन्धवपुषः

Paricchettum Yatavanalamanalaskandhavapushah

paricchettuṃ yātāvanalamanalaskandhavapuṣaḥ

they could not reach the end of you, whose form was a pillar of fire;

ततो भक्तिश्रद्धाभरगुरुगृणद्भ्यां गिरिश यत्

Tato Bhaktishraddhabharagurugrinadbhyam Girisha Yat

tato bhaktiśraddhābharagurugṛṇadbhyāṃ giriśa yat

then, O lord of the mountain, as they praised you, heavy with devotion and faith,

स्वयं तस्थे ताभ्यां तव किमनुवृत्तिर्न फलति ॥ १० ॥

Svayam Tasthe Tabhyam Tava Kimanuvrittirna Phalati

svayaṃ tasthe tābhyāṃ tava kimanuvṛttirna phalati

you yourself stood before them. Does worship of you ever fail to bear fruit?