Hymn to Lord Shiva

Hymn to Lord Shiva

No guru can give you realisation; this you can only attain for yourself. The guru can guide and show the way, but the disciple must do the practice. - Ashes of the Book 3, Dadaji

OM SHIVAM GURUM DEVAM

(Homage to the Auspicious One, Teacher and Absolute)

I bow to the Feet of the Naked Lord Shiva,

Whose Body is Pure, Immaculate Consciousness.

I bow to the Cosmic Power, Shiva-Shakti,

Manifestation of the Cosmic Consciousness.

I bow to Shankara, Lord of Mount Kailash,

I bow to the Feet of His Consort, Uma Devee

I bow to the Feet of all Tantrik Gurus

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

This is the sunset hour when the Lord Shiva,

Mahadev, Lord of Destruction, Ghosts and Spirits,

Riding the divine Nanda, His favorite bull,

Goes through the World of men to observe

And with His Three Eyes sees the souls of men.

I worship the Lord in His form as the Shiva Lingam,

Symbol of His creative energy and regeneration.

There is none like Him, higher or greater

In all the three worlds of His creation.

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

Those who wish to break the bonds of ignorance

And seek the attainment of Atma-Jnana,

Follow the pattern He has set for the disciples,

Even to be naked as He, the Lord of All Souls.

Though this fleshy and painful human body

Is only fit to be the food of wild beasts,

Foolish people still dress and adorn themselves

With costly clothes, ornaments and perfumes,

Mistaking the body for the real self or soul.

Such as they laugh at Shiva and His saints

Mock the Lord and His devoted followers

Not understanding that the real purpose

Is to teach the uselessness of the body,

That it is only like an impermanent temple

Whereas, in reality, they am pure divine souls.

Thus does the Lord Shiva go completely naked

With the body smeared with sacred ashes

Wearing matted hair and a garland of bones.

He teaches men to lose their regard for body,

Spurn the Quest for wealth, name and fame,

Expect no reward for religious devotion,

To seek only union with Shiva as Absolute.

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

He, Mahadev, is the cause of the vast universe

And Maya (Illusion) is His Eternal Slave.

He is the Cosmic Absolute in visible form

Whose consciousness and deeds are inscrutable.

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

I bow to Shiva Vishwanath, Lord of the World,

The Actionless Lord Beyond All Actions,

Beyond the web of duties and obligations,

Free and unattached like the Solar Orb,

Dwelling in cemeteries rather than cities,

In forest groves rather than temples

His is the Natural World beyond all shame.

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

His Thousand Names are inadequate to describe

But when men know Him, they will have everything.

OM SHAKTI SHAKTI SHAKTI