These eight verses of the lingashtakam is one of many astakams (eight-verse-poetry) composed by the Rishis. The authorship of the lingashtakam is usually ascribed to Adi Shankaracharya, but is also referenced to be even under the more ancient authorship of Sage Agastya, however, no direct reference has been found.
The Linga in Hinduism represents both symbolic as well as philosophical thought. While it is the symbol of Lord Shiva, it also represents that pillar of light that is said to run throughout the cosmos, much like the milky way in deep space. A similar pillar of “light” runs through our internal world, usually represented by the Kundalini.
ब्रह्ममुरारिसुरार्चितलिङ्गं निर्मलभासितशोभितलिङ्गम् ।
जन्मजदुःखविनाशकलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥१॥
Brahma-muraari-sura-archita-liǹgam
nirmala-bhaashita-shobhita-liǹgam.
Janmaja-duhkha-vinaashaka-liǹgam
tat praṇamaami sadaa-shiva-liǹgam.
Homage and salutations to the One who is our Creator, preserver and Divine Lord whose power is evident in all of creation and whose light of wisdom and purity is all around. That gracious Supreme One removes the sorrows of birth and death. Salutation to that Almighty Gracious Supreme Lord that is evident everywhere.
ब्रह्म Brahma, The Creator मुरारी Krishna सुर divinity अर्चित praised, worshipped लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic निर्मल pure, resplendent, shining, luminous भास् light शोभित splendid, beautiful जन्म birth दुःख sorrow विनाश removal, destroy तत् that प्रणमामि salutations सदा always, ever शिव gracious supreme लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic.
देवमुनिप्रवरार्चितलिङ्गं कामदहं करुणाकरलिङ्गम् ।
रावणदर्पविनाशनलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥२॥
Deva-muni-pravara-aarcita-liǹgam
Kaama-dahan karuṇaa-kara-liǹgam.
Raavaṇa-darpa-vinaashana-liǹgam
tat praṇamaami sadaa-shiva-liǹgam
All of the sages and wise persons worship that most adorable and highest Supreme God. Through His compassion, the flames of desires are taken care of. Evil persons and sinful tendencies are all destroyed by Him. Salutation to that Almighty Gracious Supreme Lord that is evident everywhere.
देव Illuminated persons, God मुनि sages and seers प्रवर best, most excellent आर्च worship लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic काम desire अदह a place where things are burnt करुणा compassion mercy कर do, make रावण Ravan, evil, demon दर्प arrogance, haughtiness विनाशन removal, destruction तत् that प्रणमामि salutations सदा always, ever शिव gracious supreme लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic.
सर्वसुगन्धिसुलेपितलिङ्गं बुद्धिविवर्धनकारणलिङ्गम् ।
सिद्धसुरासुरवन्दितलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥३॥
Sarva-sugandhi-su-lepita-liǹgam
buddhi-vivardhana-kaaranna-liǹgam
Siddha-sura-asura-vandita-liǹgam
tat praṇamaami sadaa-shiva-liǹgam
That Almighty one is the Primary Cause of everything. His virtue and grace is affixed and evident within everything. Our intellect and our prosperity and growth is all by His Grace. He is the unchanging, ever-present Supernatural One whom the godly and even the sinful persons turn to. Salutation to that Almighty Gracious Supreme Lord that is evident everywhere.
सर्व all सुगन्धि supreme bring, virtuous, fragrant सु quickly लेप smearing, glue लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic बुद्धि intellect विवर्धन prosperity, growth, furthering कारण cause सिद्ध unalterable, well-known, supernatural सुर godly असुर demon, evil, sinful वन्दित praised तत् that प्रणमामि salutations सदा always, ever शिव gracious supreme लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic.
कनकमहामणिभूषितलिङ्गं फणिपतिवेष्टितशोभितलिङ्गम् ।
दक्षसुयज्ञविनाशनलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥४॥
Kanaka-mahaamanni-bhooshita-liǹgam
phaṇi-pati-vessh-ṭita-shobhita-liǹgam
Daksha-su-yagya-vinaashana-liǹgam
tat praṇamaami sadaa-shiva-liǹgam
The most precious and valuable is our Lord, intertwining and adding immense value through all of creation and through the cosmos. He is the father of all, the Master that encompasses all and blesses those who engage in noble and diligent living. He is the remover of our sorrows. Salutation to that Almighty Gracious Supreme Lord that is evident everywhere.
कनक Gold, precious, pure element, richest and shiniest महामणि invaluable, costly, gem भुष wealth, ornament लिङ्गं special फणि serpent, self-protective, weaving like serpent, note – Kundalini is said to be the serpent like shakti within us पति master, lord, father वेष्टित surrounded, encompassing शोभित splendid, beautiful, adorned दक्ष diligent, clever, wise सु much यज्ञ offering, sacrifice विनाश remove, destroy तत् that प्रणमामि salutations सदा always, ever शिव gracious supreme लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic.
कुङ्गकुमचन्दनलेपितलिङ्गं पङ्कजहारसुशोभितलिङ्गम् ।
सञ्चितपापविनाशनलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥५॥
Kuǹgkuma-chandana-lepita-liǹgam
pangkaja-haara-su-shobhita-liǹgam
San-chita-paapa-vinaashana-liǹgam
tat praṇamaami sadaa-shiva-liǹgam
Whatever our pathways, whether we adorn ourselves like sages with saffron and sandal paste or not. We can all rise like the lotus, rising from the mud to blossom beautifully and splendidly. And upon doing so, that Almighty master will remove and dissolve challenges and any tendency to sin. Salutation to that Almighty Gracious Supreme Lord that is evident everywhere.
कुङ्कुम saffron चन्दन sandal लेप smear, anoint पङ्कज lotus, born in mud हार garland सु much शोभित adorned, embellish, splendid सञ्च accumulation, collection पाप sins विनाश remove, dissolve तत् that प्रणमामि salutations सदा always, ever शिव gracious supreme लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic.
देवगणार्चितसेवितलिङ्गं भावैर्भक्तिभिरेव च लिङ्गम् ।
दिनकरकोटिप्रभाकरलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥६॥
Deva-ganna-aarchita-sevita-liǹgam
Bhaavair-bhakti-bhir-eva cha liǹgam.
Dina-kara-koṭi-prabhaa-kara-liǹgam
tat praṇamaami sadaa-shiva-liǹgam.
All the wise persons band together in worship of Him and noble persons conduct seva, selfless service, in his name. All are devoted to that master who created not just the Sun, but the light of millions – innumerable suns. Salutation to that Almighty Gracious Supreme Lord that is evident everywhere.
देव wise persons गण band together, flock आर्च worship सेवा selfless service भाव contemplate, meditate भक्ति devotion एव thus, indeed च and दिनकर maker of the day, maker of the sun कोटि ten million, innumerable प्रभाकर maker of light तत् that प्रणमामि salutations सदा always, ever शिव gracious supreme लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic.
अष्टदलोपरिवेष्टितलिङ्गं सर्वसमुद्भवकारणलिङ्गम् ।
अष्टदरिद्रविनाशितलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥७॥
Aṣhṭa-dalo-pariveṣhiṭa-liǹgam
sarva-samud-bhava-kaaraṇa-liǹgam
Aṣhṭa-daridra-vinaashita-liǹgam
tat praṇamaami sadaa-shiva-liǹgam.
Lord, you are the Prime Cause of our life, we are like a petal in the flower of creation. We are needy of your blessings so that we can be revived with divine realisation. Please remove anything that can keep us away from realising your Majesty. Salutation to that Almighty Gracious Supreme Lord that is evident everywhere.
अष्ट a set, eight दल petals, detachment परिवेष्टित swathed, covered, enveloped सर्व all समुद्भव revival, coming to life again, existence, origin कारण cause अष्ट part, set, eight दरिद्र needy, deprived of विनाश dissolve, remove तत् that प्रणमामि salutations सदा always, ever शिव gracious supreme लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic.
सुरगुरुसुरवरपूजितलिङ्गं सुरवनपुष्पसदार्चितलिङ्गम् ।
परात्परं परमात्मकलिङ्गं तत् प्रणमामि सदाशिवलिङ्गम् ॥८॥
Suraguru-suravara-poojita-liǹgam
Suravana-pushpa-sada-aarchita-liǹgam
Paraatparam paramaatmaka-liǹgam
tat praṇamaami sadaa-shiva-liǹgam.
O Highest Guru, Greatest of the Great, Best of all Divinity, ever blooming flower of our life, you are our Lord and Master, you are our Greatest of Great, most superior Almighty God. Salutation to that Almighty Gracious Supreme Lord that is evident everywhere.
सुरगुरु Highest teacher, Highest Guru सुरवर best of divinity पूजित worshiped सुरवन divine place, divine place of worship in which God is present पुष्प flower, beauty सदा always अर्चित worshipping परात्परम् superior to the best, highest of the high परमात्मक highest, greatest तत् that प्रणमामि salutations सदा always, ever शिव gracious supreme लिङ्गं special, evident, proof, mark characteristic.
लिङ्गाष्टकमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेत् शिवसन्निधौ ।
शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते ॥
Liǹgaṣhṭakam-idam puṇyam yah paṭhet shiva-sannidhau.
Shivalokam-avaapnoti shivena saha modate.
Whoever recites these eight auspicious verses will be blessed with God’s presence in their life. Meditating these verses will earn us God’s love and bliss along with the delight of his heavenly protection.
लिंगाष्टकम् These eight stanzas of the Special Gracious Supreme God इदम् This पुण्य virtue, holy यः who पठ recites, read शिव God, Lord Supreme संनिध vicinity, presence शिवलोक Heavenly अप्नोति obtain, pervade शिवेन loved by God सह along with मोद joy, delight
