Shiva Namavali Ashtakam

Acharya Shankara bhagavadpaada composed this hymn Shiva Namavali ashtakam as an octet (ashtaka) composed of names of lord shiva. The hymn is beautiful and poetic. The hymn is composed in vasanta tilaka metre which indicates the charm and bliss of spring. We can understand that every name chanted by us is like a beautiful flower offered to the lord and the metre in which all these names are chanted is the spring itself.

Many of the names are found in pauranic stotras like shiva ashtottara shatanama stotra (of shiva rahasya khanda), Veda sara shiva sahasranama stotra (of Padma purana) shiva sahasranama stotra of Mahabharata and Linga purana (tandi krutam) etc.

In the end of every stanza of this hymn, acharya bhagavadpada prays to shiva saying “saṃsāraduḥkhagahanājjagadīśa rakṣa” – O lord, please save me from the great fire of sorrow of this mundane cycle of birth, life and death.

This book is an attempt to throw light on the deeper meanings of the names backed by puranas, Agamas and Vedas.