Shiva Tandava Stotram — Verse 4

Sanskrit

Transliteration

jaṭābhujaṅgapiṅgala sphurattaphaṇāmaṇiprabhā kadamba kuṅkumadrava pralidadigvadhūmukhe madāndhasindhurasphurat tvaguttarīyamedure mano vinodamadbhutam bibhartu bhūtabhartari

Word Meanings

jaṭā—matted locks; bhujaṅga—serpent; piṅgala—tawny/golden; sphurat—shining; phaṇā—hood of serpent; maṇi—gem; prabhā—radiance; kadamba—kadamba flower; kuṅkuma—saffron; drava—liquid; pralidita—smeared; dig-vadhū—directions as women; mukhe—face; mada-andha—intoxicated; sindhura—elephant; sphurat—gleaming; tvak—hide; uttarīya—upper garment; medure—dense; mano—mind; vinōdam—joy; adbhutam—wonderful; bibhartu—may hold; bhūta-bhartari—in the Lord of all beings.

Translation

May my mind hold wonderful delight in the Lord of all beings — whose forehead's lustre is like the saffron-liquid-smeared faces of the quarter-directions, illumined by the golden radiance of the gem on the serpent's hood in His matted hair, and who wears the dense hide of an intoxicated elephant as His upper garment.

Commentary

This verse describes Shiva wearing the skin of the elephant demon Gajasura, whom He slew. The elephant represents the mad ego-force of samsara. Shiva wearing it as a garment means He has conquered ego absolutely — not by suppressing it but by transforming it into an ornament. The serpents in His hair with gleaming gems represent kundalini shakti fully awakened.