Shiva Panchanana stotram

(Prayer to Lord Shiva with five faces)
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander




(Normally Lord Shiva is worshipped as Shiva Linga. Shivalingas with five faces are also
found in some places. The Names of the five faces are- Sadyojat, Vamdev, Aghoraa ,
Tatpurush and Îshana . The four faces of Lord Brahma represent knowledge of 1.
creation, 2. sustenance, 3. dissolution and 4. spiritual experiences. The four faces of
Shiva represent the four directions. The fifth face which points skywards is the universal
face symbolic of purity and spiritual progress


This rare prayer in each stanza addresses each one of these five faces of Shiva. They
are in this prayer identified with 4 Vedas as well as Om.)

Praleyachala mindu kunda davalam goksheera phena prabham,
Bhasmabhyanga mananga deha dahana jwaala valee lochanam,
Vishnu brahmarul ganarchitha padanjargwedha nadhodhayam,
Vandeham sakalam kalanga rahitham Sthanormukham paschimam. 1

I salute the western face of the ever stable God ,
Who is everything and without any trace of stain,
Who is as white as snow mountain, moon and the jasmine,
Who is as shining as the foam of the boiling milk,
Who has a body applied with white sacred ash,
Who has eyes which burnt the body of god of love,
And whose reverberations give rise to Rig Veda.

Gouram kumkuma pangilam suthilakam vyapandu ganda sthalam,
Broovikshepa kadaksha veekshshana lasad samsaktha karnodhphalam,
Snighdham bimbaphaladharam prahasitham neelala kalamkrutham,
Vande yajusha veda gosha janakam vakthram harsyotharam. 2

I salute the northern face of Lord Shiva,
Which gives rise to the sound of Yajur Veda,
Who is white and has a thilaka of Kumkum,
Who shines with an extremely white neck,
Who shines with shifting side long glances,
Who is affectionate and has lips as red as a cherry,
And who is pretty with his blue hair locks and his smile.

Samvarthagni thadith prathaptha kanaka praspardhi thejo mayam,
Gambeera dhwani sama veda janakam thamradharam sundaram,
Ardhendu dhyuthi phaala pingala jata bhara prabhadhoragam,
Vande sidha surasurendra namitham poorvam mukham soolina. 3

I salute the eastern face of the holder of the trident,
Who is worshipped Sidhas, devas, asuras and their kings,
Who has more shine than the Gold purified again and again,
Who is the source of Sama Veda recited in regal tone,
Who has red pretty lips of the colour of copper,
And who has decorated his matted locks,
With the crescent of the moon and a serpent.

Kalabhra bramaranjana dhyuthi nibham vyavartha pingekshanam,
Karnodhbasitha bhoghi masthaka maniprothphulla damshtrakuram,
Sarpa prothaka pala shukthisaka lavyakeernasachhekaram,
Vande dakshina meswarasya vadanachaadharva vedhodhayam. 4

I salute the southern face of the God of all,
Which gives rise to the Atharva Veda,
Who has the shine of black cloud , bee and Collyrium,
Who has brown eyes which rotate,
Who has teeth which are clearly seen in the shine in the light ,
Of the Gem in the heads of the snakes which reside in his ears,
And who has the shine of the crescent in the head decorated by the snake.

Vyaktha vyaktha niroopitham cha paramam shad thrimsa thathwadhikam,
Thasmad uthara thatwa maksharamithi dheyyam sada yogibhi,
Omkaaradhi samastha manthra janakam sookshmadhi sookshmam param,
Vande panchamamneeswarasya vadanam Kham vyapi thejo mayam. 5

I salute that fifth face facing the sky of Iswara ,
Which is divine and greater than greatest,
Which is greater than the thirty six principles,
That cannot be classified as clear or unclear,
Which is meditated upon by great sages,
As the greatest and deathless principle,
Which is the origin of mantras like “Om”,
And which is smaller than the smallest.

Yethani pancha vadananbi Maheswarasya,
Ye keerthayanthi purusha sathatham pradoshe,
Gachanthi they Shiva purim ruchirair vimanai,
Kredanthi nandana vane saha loka palai.

Than man who reads this great prayer,
Addressed to the five faces of the great God,
Without fail on the Pradosha days,
Would travel in a pretty airplane to the town of Shiva,
And would spend his time playing with Gods.