Shiva Tandava Stotram — Verse 8

Sanskrit

Transliteration

navīna megha maṇḍalī niruddha durdharasphurat kuhū niśīthini tamaḥ prabandha baddha kandharaḥ nilimpa nirjharīdharas tanotu kṛtti sinduraḥ kalānidānabandhurah śriyaṁ jagaddhurhandharaḥ

Word Meanings

navīna—new; megha—cloud; maṇḍalī—cluster; niruddha—blocked/hiding; durdharā—terrible; sphurat—glowing; kuhū—new moon night; niśīthini—midnight; tamaḥ—darkness; prabandha—continuous; baddha—bound; kandharaḥ—neck/throat; nilimpa—divine; nirjharī—river; dharaḥ—bearer; tanotu—may expand; kṛtti—skin; sindhuraḥ—wearing elephant skin; kalā—crescent moon; nidhāna—repository; bandhurah—beautiful; śriyam—prosperity; jagat—world; dhurhandharaḥ—bearer of the burden.

Translation

May Shiva — whose neck is bound with the deep darkness of the midnight of a new moon, blocked by clusters of new clouds, who bears the divine river, who wears the elephant's hide, who is beautiful with the crescent moon, and who bears the burden of the world — bestow prosperity.

Commentary

The description of the dark throat (Nilakantha) refers to Shiva holding the cosmic poison Halahala in His neck during the churning of the ocean, saving all creation. The darkness of new-moon midnight around His throat is an image of this cosmic self-sacrifice. Shiva holds the poison of suffering so the world can experience sweetness — the archetype of divine compassion through absorption.