From the forest of His matted hair, the river Ganga flows, consecrating the surface of His neck,

Around which hangs a lofty garland of a serpent.

The Damaru drum emits the sound "Damad, Damad, Damad,"

Shiva performed the fierce Tandava dance—may He extend our well-being.

The celestial river, swirling and wandering through His matted hair like a cauldron,

With its playful waves caressing His glorious head.

The fire on the surface of His forehead burns brightly, "Dhagad, Dhagad, Dhagad,"

My delight is in Him, who has the crescent moon as a crest-jewel, at every moment.

The friend and companion in the playful activities of the daughter of the mountain king (Parvati),

His mind rejoices in the ever-expanding horizons of creation.

His stream of compassionate glances checks unbearable hardships,

May my mind find joy in the Digambara (the naked one), in whom all things reside.

The radiant jewel on the glistening hood of the coiling serpent in His matted hair,

Spreads its saffron-hued lustre on the faces of the celestial maidens of the directions.

His upper garment is the skin of a mighty elephant, maddened with passion,

May my mind hold wonderful delight in the Lord of all beings.

His footstool is grayed by the streams of pollen dust from the flowers on the heads of all the gods, including Indra (the thousand-eyed one) and others.

His matted locks are bound by the king of serpents,

May He, whose crest is the moon, the friend of the Chakora bird, bring long-lasting prosperity.

The blazing sparks of the fire on the plane of His forehead,

Consumed the God of Five Arrows (Kamadeva), as the lords of the gods bowed down.

His crest is adorned with a streak of the nectar-rayed moon,

May the wealth of the great Kapali, with His matted hair, be ours.

The fierce surface of His forehead, blazing "Dhagad, Dhagad, Dhagad,"

Offered the mighty God of Five Arrows into the fire.

He is the sole artist who draws decorative lines on the tips of the breasts of Parvati, the daughter of the mountain king,

My delight is in the three-eyed one.

His neck is bound by the dense darkness of a new cloud formation, which is hard to endure, like the darkest night of a new moon.

He holds the celestial river; His garment is an elephant hide,

He, the supporter of the universe, with the moon as His charming jewel, may He extend our prosperity.

His neck is encircled by the lustre of the filaments hanging in the calyx of a fully bloomed blue lotus, which resembles the darkness of the universe.

I worship Him who destroyed Smara (Kamadeva), Pur (Tripura), Bhava (worldly existence), and the sacrifice (of Daksha),

Who destroyed the elephant demon, Andhaka, and even the God of Death (Yama).

He is like a bee, delighting in the sweet nectar flowing from the cluster of auspicious arts, which are like Kadamba blossoms.

I worship Him, the destroyer of Smara, Pura, Bhava, and the sacrifice,

The destroyer of the elephant demon, Andhaka, and even the God of Death.

Victory to Him, whose fierce Tandava is set in motion by the sequence of sounds from the high and auspicious Mridanga drum, "Dhimid, Dhimid, Dhimid,"

As the fire on His fierce forehead, fed by the hissing breath of the serpent wandering in the sky-like expanse, spreads in sequence.

When will I worship Sadasiva, with a mind that looks equally upon

A stone slab and a decorated couch, a serpent and a pearl necklace,

A precious jewel and a lump of clay, a friend and a foe,

A blade of grass and a lotus-eyed person, a commoner and a great emperor?

When, dwelling in the hollow of a grove by the celestial river,

Freed from evil thoughts, always bearing folded hands on my head,

With eyes restless and unsteady, and a forehead marked with the divine sign,

Chanting the mantra "Shiva," will I be happy?

Whoever reads, remembers, and recites this eternal, best of the best hymn as described,

Attains constant purity.

He quickly attains deep devotion to Guru Hara (Shiva); there is no other path or refuge,

For the contemplation of Shankara is indeed captivating for all beings.