Parvati Vallabha Ashtakam: Sanskrit Text, Meaning & Benefits
Parvati Vallabha Ashtakam — Sanskrit Text
नमो भूतनाथं नमो देवदेवं
नमः कालकालं नमो दिव्यतेजः ।
नमः कामभस्मं नमश्शान्तशीलं
भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥१॥
सदा तीर्थसिद्धं सदा भक्तरक्षं
सदा शैवपूज्यं सदा शुभ्रभस्मम् ।
सदा ध्यानयुक्तं सदा ज्ञानतल्पं
भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥२॥
श्मशाने शयानं महास्थानवासं
शरीरं गजानं सदा चर्मवेष्टम् ।
पिशाचादिनाथं पशूनां प्रतिष्ठं
भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥३॥
फणीनागकण्ठे भुजङ्गाद्यनेकं
गले रुण्डमालं महावीर शूरम् ।
कटिव्याघ्रचर्मं चिताभस्मलेपं
भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥४॥
शिरश्शुद्धगङ्गा शिवावामभागं
बृहद्दीर्घकेशं सदा मां त्रिनेत्रम् ।
फणीनागकर्णं सदा भालचन्द्रं
भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥५॥
करे शूलधारं महाकष्टनाशं
सुरेशं परेशं महेशं जनेशम् ।
धनेशस्तुतेशं ध्वजेशं गिरीशं
भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥६॥
उदानं सुदासं सुकैलासवासं
धरा निर्धरं संस्थितं ह्यादिदेवम् ।
अजं हेमकल्पद्रुमं कल्पसेव्यं
भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥७॥
मुनीनां वरेण्यं गुणं रूपवर्णं
द्विजानं पठन्तं शिवं वेदशास्त्रम् ।
अहो दीनवत्सं कृपालुं शिवं तं
भजे पार्वतीवल्लभं नीलकण्ठम् ॥८॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
namo bhūtanāthaṃ namo devadevaṃ
namaḥ kālakālaṃ namo divyatejaḥ |
namaḥ kāmabhasmaṃ namaśśāntaśīlaṃ
bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham ||1||
sadā tīrthasiddhaṃ sadā bhaktarakṣaṃ
sadā śaivapūjyaṃ sadā śubhrabhasmam |
sadā dhyānayuktaṃ sadā jñānatalpaṃ
bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham ||2||
śmaśāne śayānaṃ mahāsthānavāsaṃ
śarīraṃ gajānaṃ sadā carmaveṣṭam |
piśācādināthaṃ paśūnāṃ pratiṣṭhaṃ
bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham ||3||
phaṇīnāgakaṇṭhe bhujaṅgādyanekaṃ
gale ruṇḍamālaṃ mahāvīra śūram |
kaṭivyāghracarmaṃ citābhasmalepaṃ
bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham ||4||
śiraśśuddhagaṅgā śivāvāmabhāgaṃ
bṛhaddīrghakeśaṃ sadā māṃ trinetram |
phaṇīnāgakarṇaṃ sadā bhālacandraṃ
bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham ||5||
kare śūladhāraṃ mahākaṣṭanāśaṃ
sureśaṃ pareśaṃ maheśaṃ janeśam |
dhaneśastuteśaṃ dhvajeśaṃ girīśaṃ
bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham ||6||
udānaṃ sudāsaṃ sukailāsavāsaṃ
dharā nirdharaṃ saṃsthitaṃ hyādidevam |
ajaṃ hemakalpadrumaṃ kalpasevyaṃ
bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham ||7||
munīnāṃ vareṇyaṃ guṇaṃ rūpavarṇaṃ
dvijānaṃ paṭhantaṃ śivaṃ vedaśāstram |
aho dīnavatsaṃ kṛpāluṃ śivaṃ taṃ
bhaje pārvatīvallabhaṃ nīlakaṇṭham ||8||
Meaning
“I worship the blue-throated Lord, the beloved of Parvati.” The first verse bows to Shiva as the Lord of all beings, God of gods, the Death of death (Kala-kala), embodiment of divine radiance, the one who reduced Kama (desire) to ashes, and whose nature is perfect peace.
The hymn then portrays Shiva in his classic iconography: ever-established in sacred tirthas, protector of devotees, smeared with bright ash, absorbed in meditation and reposing on a bed of pure knowledge; reclining in the cremation ground, wearing the elephant’s and tiger’s skin; garlanded with serpents and skulls; bearing the pure Ganga on his head with Parvati at his left side, three-eyed, crowned by the crescent moon; holding the trident that destroys great suffering; lord of gods, of Kubera, of mountains; the unborn, eternal, wish-fulfilling tree of refuge; and the most revered of sages, gracious and tender to the lowly. Each image closes with the loving refrain, “Bhaje Parvati-vallabham Nilakantham.”
About this Stotra
The Parvati Vallabha Nilakantha Ashtakam is a much-loved eight-verse Shaiva hymn, widely attributed in tradition to Adi Shankaracharya. “Parvati-vallabha” means “the beloved of Parvati,” and “Nilakantha” (blue-throated) recalls the legend of Shiva drinking the halahala poison churned from the cosmic ocean to save creation, his throat turning blue. The hymn weaves together the most cherished epithets and images of Mahadeva into a melodious, easily memorised garland of praise.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
This ashtakam is recited for the grace of Lord Shiva: removal of great difficulties (maha-kashta-nasha, as the sixth verse declares), protection of devotees, inner peace, and steadiness in meditation and knowledge. Because Shiva is invoked here as the conqueror of death and desire, the hymn is favoured for longevity, freedom from fear, mastery over the senses, and liberation (moksha). Regular recitation is believed to bring calm, courage and the dissolving of obstacles.
Astrological Relevance
Lord Shiva is the supreme deity for the remediation of Saturn (Shani) and the Moon, and as Nilakantha — the holder of poison — he is especially invoked to neutralise affliction, toxicity and crisis in the chart. Worship of Shiva is a classic upaya during Sade-Sati, the Shani mahadasha/antardasha, and for Kala Sarpa or Chandra-related distress, since he is Mrityunjaya, the conqueror of untimely death (8th-house matters). As Bhutanatha and Kala-kala he steadies the mind (Moon) and grants the detachment and discipline associated with a well-placed Saturn. Mondays and the Pradosha hour are the recommended windows for these remedies.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
After bathing, sit before a Shiva lingam or image of Mahadeva facing east or north. Offer water, bilva (bael) leaves, white flowers and dhoop, and light a lamp. Begin with “Om Namah Shivaya” a few times, then recite the eight verses with devotion, keeping the refrain steady. Conclude by offering the merit at Shiva’s feet and praying for peace and protection. The hymn can be chanted 1, 3 or 11 times daily, and is especially powerful during the Pradosha twilight.
Best Day & Time
Mondays (Somvar), Pradosha tithis (the 13th lunar day), Maha Shivaratri and the Shravana month are most auspicious. Early morning Brahma-muhurta or the evening Pradosha period (about ninety minutes before sunset) are ideal times to recite this Shiva ashtakam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Shiva called Nilakantha in this hymn?
Nilakantha means “blue-throated.” When the gods and demons churned the cosmic ocean, the deadly halahala poison arose; Shiva drank it to protect all creation and held it in his throat, which turned blue — hence Nilakantha.
Who is the author of the Parvati Vallabha Ashtakam?
It is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. Like many devotional ashtakams in his name, it is treasured across Shaiva tradition regardless of strict authorship.
What is the chief benefit of reciting it?
It is chanted to remove great obstacles and suffering, to gain Shiva’s protection and inner peace, and for courage, longevity and spiritual progress.
The blue-throated beloved: Shiva as refuge of the devoted heart
The Parvati Vallabha Nilakantha Ashtakam, traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya, weaves together two of Shiva's most beloved epithets - Parvati Vallabha, the cherished consort of Parvati, and Nilakantha, the blue-throated one who swallowed the world's poison during the churning of the cosmic ocean. By holding these two images together, the hymn presents Shiva as both intimate and heroic: the devoted husband who is also the selfless protector who absorbs suffering so that creation may survive. This pairing gives the ashtakam a remarkable emotional range, moving between tender bhakti and awe at cosmic sacrifice within the space of each verse. The repeating refrain functions as a steady anchor, drawing the mind back to the central act of worship with each stanza.
Devotees recite this ashtakam on Mondays, during Shivaratri vigils, and at the beginning of morning Shiva puja, when the mind is fresh and the heart most open to the texture of devotional verse. The blue-throated image carries special resonance in the Jyotish tradition, where Shiva and Shani (Saturn) share a close relationship - Saturn is said to be a great devotee of Shiva, and Shiva hymns are traditionally recommended as a means of propitiating Shani's influence and seeking protection during his more challenging transits. The ashtakam's origin in Shankaracharya's lineage also makes it a text of non-dual wisdom clothed in devotional form, reminding practitioners that the beloved deity and the worshipping self share, at the deepest level, one undivided reality.