Shiv Tandav Stotram is a poem in Sanskrit that praises Lord Shiva and is known for describing His form and energy.<\/p>\n
Shiv Tandav Stotram is said to be written by Ravana, the King of Lanka, from the Ramayana. The stotram was composed in rhythmic Sanskrit.<\/p>\n
A popular story relates Shiv Tandav Stotram to the devotion of Ravana to Shiva.<\/p>\n
In this story, Ravana tried to lift Kailasha (Shiva’s abode), and Shiva, in His cosmic form, pressed down Kailasha and trapped Ravana beneath it.<\/p>\n
From that trapped position, Ravana is said to have produced the Shiv Tandav Stotram.<\/p>\n
The story appears in Hindu mythological literature and varies across different regions of India.<\/p>\n
Shiv Tandav Stotram is written in strikingly visual language. It describes the matted locks, the Ganga, the moon, the serpent, and the energy of the Tandava.<\/p>\n
Because of this, the stotram is a powerful poem to hear on its own. This is one of the reasons it has become popular well outside temple premises.<\/p>\n
Shiv Tandav Stotram can be enjoyed as focused listening, and it can be appreciated even more deeply alongside a translation.<\/p>\n
Try to notice how many symbols of Shiva appear in the poem. The more you concentrate, the deeper the poem becomes.<\/p>\n