Nathopadesa stotram

Natho upadesa storam
(Prayer that teaches the devotees.)
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander

(This prayer addressed to Lord Shiva is not a popular one but is very pretty. It has 20 slokas, which are of four sets of five similar slokas.)


Mana samadhou paramantharangam,
Vidhaya nishpandamanutha rangam.,
Bidha vidhathum bhava bheetha bhangam,
Vibhum bhajathwam girija bhujangam. 1

Oh knowledgeable ones, to remove fear of this worldly life,
Keep the mind in Samadhi, and deep inside our mind,
Think of that God who is storehouse of everything,
And pray that God who is the darling of Parvathi.

Pasyaavaseneva maha vihangam,
Valgabaleneva maha thurangam,
Nirudhya yogena mana plavangam,
Vibhum bhajadwam girija bhujangam. 2

Control the mind which is like a monkey through yoga,
Like you control a big bird by the use of a rope,
And a big horse by the use of strong rope controls,
And pray that God who is the darling of Parvathi.


Manthraoushadhi kriyaya bhujangam,
Yadha Yadha vaguraya kurangam,
Manasthadhayamya dhiyasthasangam,
Vibhum bhajadwam girija bhujangam. 3

Control the mind and make it immobile by the intellect ,
Like the way you control the snake by using charms and drugs,
And the way that a deer is made immobile by use of the net,
And then pray that God who is the darling of Parvathi.

Bithwalikam subrukutee vibhangam,
Yasyagnir idhyad thrabha sadanangam,
Dadaha tham mohathama pathangam,
Vibhum bhajadwam girija bhujangam. 4


Pray that God who is the darling of Parvathi,
Who is like the Sun who kills the darkness of passion,
And whose forehead has several lines,
From where rose the great fire that killed the God of love.

Vahantham udhama bhujangamangam,
Jadabhara nirbharanakagangam,
Vilochanam chagni sikha visangam,
Vibhum bhajadwam girija bhujangam. 5


Pray that God who is the darling of Parvathi,
Whose body is decorated by several big snakes,
And who carries with him in the matted locks,
The great Ganges of the sky and the reddish eye due to emit fire.


Bhava bandha baddha vidhurodharanam,
Phani mandala jwalad alangaranam,
Vrajatha kshamadhara daree saranam,
Saranam thushara kiranabharanam. 6

Seek refuge of that God who wears moon as ornament,
Who saves those tied by the rope of worldly life,
Who decorates himself with a group of snakes,
And who lives in the caves of the mountains.


Krutha gha smara niraakaranam
Katu kaala koota kabalikaranam,
Vrajatha prapanna janatha saranam ,
Saranam thushara kiranabharanam. 7

Seek refuge of that God who wears moon as ornament,
Who killed the avaricious god of love,
Who swallowed the potent poison of Kala Koota,
And who is the protector of those who depend on him.

Maru medhinee rachitha sancharanam ,
Tridasendra sekhara saracharanam,
Vrajatha tri dukha harana smaranam,
Saranam thushara kiranabharanam. 8

Seek refuge of that God who wears moon as ornament,
Who travels round the cremation grounds,
Who has the potent feet saluted by Devas and Indra,
And who removes the here sorrows , just by thought.

Pranatham janam jithajaramaranam,
Rachanyantha maptha bhava nistharanam,
Vraja thahitha Tripura samharanam,
Saranam thushara kiranabharanam. 9

Seek refuge of that God who wears moon as ornament,
Who prevents old age and death to those who pray him,
Who decides to remove sorrows of worldly life from his devotees,
And who destroyed the enemies from the three cities.

Avadhootha moha thimiravaranam
Kari kruthi kalpitha paravaranam,
Vrajatha prakalpitha pure saranam,
Saranam thushara kiranabharanam. 10

Seek refuge of that God who wears moon as ornament,
Who removes the screen of the darkness of passion from sages,
Who wears the hide of the elephant as a great dress,
And who fought the asuras of the three cities.

Tharunathamaala maleemasathaalam
Jwalana sikha patalojjwalaphalam,
Sirasilasath parameshtikapalam,
Sryatha vibhum hatha kalmasha jalam. 11

Seek refuge of that God who removes the net of sin,
Who made the weapon of God of love ineffective,
Who has a forehead in which, there is burning fire,
And who wears the skull of Brahma.

Naramukha kalpitha sekharamaalam,
Nathajana jrumbhitha mohahamaalam,
Nayanashikaa satha sathitha kaalam,
Sryatha vibhum hatha kalmasha jalam. 12

Seek refuge of that God who removes the net of sin,
Who wears the garland of human heads,
Who removes ignorance of those who bow to him,
And who burnt the God of death by the fire of his eye.

Vishama vishagni sikha vikaraalam,
Phanipathi haramathheva vishalam,
Galabhuvi vibhratha mrugasiraalam,
Sryatha vibhum hatha kalmasha jalam. 13

Seek refuge of that God who removes the net of sin,
Who can tolerate the great fire of poison,
Who wears the garland of the king of snakes,
And who holds the great poison in his neck.

Vidalaithum na mruthe bhava naalam,
Tribhuvana seemani kaschana naalam,
Thama mala maanasa vasa maralam,
Sryatha vibhum hatha kalmasha jalam. 14

Seek refuge of that God who removes the net of sin,
Who is the only one capable in the three worlds,
To break the growing misery of day today life,
And who lives like a swan in the people with good hearts.

Kamala paraga pisanga jataalam,
Jaladhi samarpana tharpitha balam,
Bhava bhata bhanga maha karavaalam,
Sryatha vibhum hatha kalmasha jalam. 15

Seek refuge of that God who removes the net of sin,
Who has matted lock with the colour of pollen of lotus,
Who wears the Moon who rose from the sea,
Who is the great sword which cuts away the sorrows.

Athiga smara bhasmara jodawalam,
Nathaloka samarpitha bodha balam,
Dwaja dhama virajitha maha dawalam,
Bhajatha prabhumadhri sutha dawalam. 16

Pray the lord of the daughter of the mountain,
Who reminds one of the whiteness of ash,
Who gives inner strength to his devotees,
And who has the white bull in his flag.

Prabhaya pari bhootha dalath davalam,
Gala mangadarathna shikha sabalam,
Dadhatham visha knuptha maha kabalam,
Bhajatha prabhumadhri sutha dawalam. 17

Pray the lord of the daughter of the mountain,
Who wins in whiteness the colour of his steed,
Who shines due to the gems in his shoulder belts,
And who has a neck coloured due to the poison he drank.

Shikharam dhyoona dheela haree tharalam ,
Galamoola mupoda maha garalam,
Dadhtaham hrudayam cha sudha saralam,
Bhajatha prabhumadhri sutha dawalam. 18

Pray the lord of the daughter of the mountain,
Who has the shaking head due to the ganges,
Who has a neck filled with poison,
And who has nectar like heart with which he blesses.

Apaneetha kukarma kalangamalam,
Nathaloka vitheerna maha kamalam,
Dadatham shubha sidhi vibha kamalam,
Bhajatha prabhumadhri sutha dawalam. 19


Pray the lord of the daughter of the mountain,
Who cleanses the dirt due to our committed sins,
Who blesses the world of his devotees with bliss,
And who blesses his devotees with good powers.

Dadatham vachanam ghanahasa kalam,
Namatham dalayanthamagham sakalam,
Bhajatham cha disantha mabeeshta phalam,
Bhajatha prabhumadhri sutha dawalam. 20


Pray the lord of the daughter of the mountain,
Who tells sweet words laced with wit,
Who removes all sins from whom who bow,
And who grants all their wishes to those who pray.