Sanskrit Encyclopaedia

Shiva Shadakashara Stotram

षडक्षर (ṣaḍakṣara): six syllables (ṣaṭ = six, akṣara = syllable) स्तोत्रम् (stotram): hymn, praise

ॐकारं बिंदुसंयुक्तं नित्यं ध्यायंति योगिनः ।
कामदं मोक्षदं चैव ॐकाराय नमो नमः ॥१॥

नमंति ऋषयो देवा नमन्त्यप्सरसां गणाः ।
नरा नमंति देवेशं नकाराय नमो नमः ॥२॥

महादेवं महात्मानं महाध्यानं परायणम् ।
महापापहरं देवं मकाराय नमो नमः ॥३॥

शिवं शांतं जगन्नाथं लोकानुग्रहकारकम् ।
शिवमेकपदं नित्यं शिकाराय नमो नमः ॥४॥ 

वाहनं वृषभो यस्य वासुकिः कंठभूषणम् ।
वामे शक्तिधरं देवं वकाराय नमो नमः ॥५॥

यत्र यत्र स्थितो देवः सर्वव्यापी महेश्वरः ।
यो गुरुः सर्वदेवानां यकाराय नमो नमः ॥६॥

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LznvOR_tkbc

https://shlokam.org/shivashadaksharastotram/

ॐकारं बिन्दुसंयुक्तं नित्यं ध्यायंति योगिनः । कामदं मोक्षदं चैव ॐकाराय नमो नमः ॥ १ ॥

ॐकारं (oṃkāram): the syllable Om

बिन्दुसंयुक्तं (bindusaṃyuktam): joined with a dot (bindu = dot, samyuktam = joined)

नित्यं (nityam): always, constantly

ध्यायंति (dhyāyanti): meditate upon

योगिनः (yoginaḥ): yogis

कामदं (kāmadam): giver of desires (kāma = desire, dam = giver)

मोक्षदं (mokṣadam): giver of liberation (mokṣa = liberation, dam = giver)

चैव (caiva): and also

ॐकाराय (oṃkārāya): to Om (the syllable)

नमो नमः (namo namaḥ): salutations, salutations

Who resides in the spiritual heart center as Omkara, On whom the yogis constantly meditate, Who grants all desires and also liberation to his devotees. Salutations to that Shiva, who is represented by syllable “Om”, The first syllable of the Sadakshara matra “Om-Na-Ma-Shi-Va-Ya”

नमंति ऋषयो देवा नमन्त्यप्सरसां गणाः । नरा नमंति देवेशं नकाराय नमो नमः ॥ २ ॥

नमंति (namanti): bow down, salute

ऋषयः (ṛṣayaḥ): sages

देवाः (devāḥ): gods

नमन्ति (namanti): bow down, salute

अप्सरसां (apsarasām): of the celestial maidens

गणाः (gaṇāḥ): groups, multitudes

नराः (narāḥ): humans, men

नमंति (namanti): bow down, salute

देवेशं (deveśam): lord of the gods (deva = god, īśa = lord)

नकाराय (nakārāya): to the syllable Na

नमो नमः (namo namaḥ): salutations, salutations

“Sages and gods bow down. Groups of celestial maidens bow down. Humans bow down to the lord of the gods. Salutations, salutations to the syllable Na.”

महादेवं महात्मानं महाध्यानं परायणम् । महापापहरं देवं मकाराय नमो नमः ॥३॥

महादेवं (mahādevam): the great God (mahā = great, deva = god) - This is a common epithet for Lord Shiva.

महात्मानं (mahātmānaṁ): the great soul (mahā = great, ātmā = soul)

महाध्यानं (mahādhyānaṁ): great meditation (mahā = great, dhyāna = meditation)

परायणम् (parāyaṇam): the ultimate goal, the supreme refuge

महापापहरं (mahāpāpaharam): remover of great sins (mahā = great, pāpa = sin, haram = remover)

देवं (devam): god

मकाराय (makārāya): to the syllable Ma

नमो नमः (namo namaḥ): salutations, salutations

“Salutations, salutations to the syllable Ma, which represents the great God, the great soul, the ultimate goal of meditation, the remover of great sins.”

शिवं शांतं जगन्नाथं लोकानुग्रहकारकम् । शिवमेकपदं नित्यं शिकाराय नमो नमः ॥

शिवं (śivam): auspicious, benevolent, Shiva (the Auspicious One)

शान्तं (śāntam): peaceful, tranquil

जगन्नाथं (jagannātham): lord of the universe (jagat = universe, nātha = lord)

लोकानुग्रहकारकम् (lokānugrahakārakam): benefactor of the worlds (loka = world, anugraha = grace, blessing, kāraka = doer, bestower)

शिवम् (śivam): auspiciousness, welfare

एकपदं (ekapadam): one word, single syllable

नित्यं (nityam): eternal, constant

शिकाराय (śikārāya): to the syllable “Shi”

नमो नमः (namo namaḥ): salutations, salutations

“Salutations, salutations to the syllable Shi, which represents Shiva, the auspicious one, who is peaceful, the lord of the universe, the benefactor of the worlds, and the one eternal word.”

वाहनं वृषभो यस्य वासुकिः कंठभूषणम् । वामे शक्तिधरं देवं वकाराय नमो नमः ॥

वाहनं (vāhanam): vehicle, mount

वृषभो (vṛṣabho): bull

यस्य (yasya): whose

वासुकिः (vāsukiḥ): Vasuki (the serpent king)

कंठ (kaṇṭha): neck

भूषणम् (bhūṣaṇam): ornament

वामे (vāme): on the left side

शक्तिधरं (śakti-dharam): holding Shakti (the Divine Mother)

देवं (devam): god

वकाराय (vakārāya): to the syllable Va

नमो नमः (namo namaḥ): salutations, salutations

Salutations, salutations to the syllable Va, which represents the God who has a bull as his vehicle, who wears the serpent Vasuki as an ornament on his neck, and who holds the Goddess Shakti on his left side.”

यत्र यत्र स्थितो देवः सर्वव्यापी महेश्वरः । यो गुरुः सर्वदेवानां यकाराय नमो नमः ॥

यत्र यत्र (yatra yatra): wherever, in every place

स्थितः (sthitaḥ): situated, residing

देवः (devaḥ): god

सर्वव्यापी (sarva-vyāpī): all-pervading (sarva = all, vyāpī = pervading)

महेश्वरः (maheśvaraḥ): the great Lord (another name for Shiva)

यः (yaḥ): who

गुरुः (guruḥ): teacher, preceptor

सर्व (sarva): all

देवानां (devānām): of the gods

यकाराय (yakārāya): to the syllable Ya

नमो नमः (namo namaḥ): salutations, salutations

Salutations, salutations to the syllable Ya, which represents the great Lord who is all-pervading and resides wherever the gods are situated, who is the teacher of all the gods.