Tulsidas's eight-verse hymn to Rudra from the Ramcharitmanas — “Namami-shamishan nirvana-rupam” — praising Shiva as formless consciousness and beautiful form alike, recited to win his grace.
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I bow to the Lord, Ishan, the embodiment of liberation; almighty, all-pervading, the very form of Brahman and the Vedas. I worship Shiva — abiding in himself, beyond qualities, beyond change, desireless; the sky of pure consciousness, clothed in the sky itself.
Formless, the root of Omkara, the fourth state beyond speech, knowledge and the senses — the Lord, master of Kailasa. Terrible, the death of great Death itself, yet full of grace; the treasure-house of virtues, beyond the world — to him I bow.
White as the snow-mountain, deep and serene, his beautiful body radiant as millions of gods of love; upon his head sparkles the lovely, wave-tossed Ganga; the young crescent moon gleams on his brow, and a serpent adorns his throat.
With swaying earrings, graceful brows and large eyes, a serene face, blue-throated and merciful; clad in the lion's skin, garlanded with skulls — that beloved Shankara, lord of all, I worship.
Fierce, exalted, mighty, the supreme Lord; undivided, unborn, blazing like ten million suns; uprooter of the threefold suffering, trident in hand — I worship the Lord of Bhavani, who is reached through love.
Beyond time's divisions, ever-auspicious, bringer of the aeon's end; constant giver of joy to the virtuous, destroyer of the demon cities; mass of consciousness and bliss, remover of delusion — be gracious, be gracious, O Lord, enemy of Kamadeva.
Verse 7
न यावद् उमानाथ पादारविन्दं
भजन्तीह लोके परे वा नराणाम् ।
न तावत्सुखं शान्तिसन्तापनाशं
प्रसीद प्रभो सर्वभूताधिवासम् ॥
na yavad umanatha-padaravindam
bhajantiha loke pare va naranam
na tavat sukham shanti-santapa-nasham
prasida prabho sarva-bhutadhivasam
na yāvad umānātha-pādāravindaṃ
bhajantīha loke pare vā narāṇām
na tāvat sukhaṃ śānti-santāpa-nāśaṃ
prasīda prabho sarva-bhūtādhivāsam
As long as men do not worship the lotus feet of Uma's Lord, there is no happiness, no peace, no end of suffering for them — in this world or the next. Be gracious, O Lord who dwells in all beings.
Verse 8
न जानामि योगं जपं नैव पूजां
नतोऽहं सदा सर्वदा शम्भु तुभ्यम् ।
जराजन्मदुःखौघतातप्यमानं
प्रभो पाहि आपन्नमामीश शम्भो ॥
na janami yogam japam naiva pujam
nato 'ham sada sarvada shambhu tubhyam
jara-janma-duhkhaugha-tatapyamanam
prabho pahi apannamam isha shambho
na jānāmi yogaṃ japaṃ naiva pūjāṃ
nato 'haṃ sadā sarvadā śambhu tubhyam
jarā-janma-duḥkhaugha-tātapyamānaṃ
prabho pāhi āpannamām īśa śambho
I know no yoga, no japa, no ritual worship; I simply bow to you, always and forever, O Shambhu. Tormented by the flood of the sorrows of birth and old age — protect me, O Lord; protect this afflicted soul, O Isha, O Shambhu.
Thus ends Shri Rudrashtakam, composed by Shri Goswami Tulsidas, in the Uttara Kanda of the Shri Ramcharitmanas.
When it is recited: Recited in Shiva puja and after rudrabhisheka — on Mondays, Pradosh, through the month of Shravan and on Maha Shivaratri. In the Ramcharitmanas it is taught as the prayer that wins Shiva's grace.
Traditional significance: Though it appears in the Hindi Ramcharitmanas, the Rudrashtakam is pure Sanskrit. Tulsidas gathers the whole vision of Shiva into eight verses — the formless Brahman and the moon-crested yogi, the fierce destroyer and the ocean of mercy — and the closing verse promises that Shambhu is pleased with all who recite it with devotion.
Questions
Who composed the Rudrashtakam?
Goswami Tulsidas. It appears in the Uttara Kanda of his Ramcharitmanas, where a brahmin recites it to please Lord Shiva — and the closing verse promises that Shambhu is gracious to whoever recites it with devotion.
When should the Rudrashtakam be recited?
Any time in Shiva worship — it is especially loved on Mondays, during Pradosh, through the month of Shravan and on Maha Shivaratri, and is often sung after rudrabhisheka.