Divine Chants of Siva - Shiv Mahimna Stotram - Rameshbhai Oza

Shiva Mahimna Stotra (Sanskrit: शिवमहिम्न:स्तोत्र, romanized: śiva-mahimnah stotra, lit. 'Hymn about the greatness of Shiva') is a Sanskrit composition in devotion of Shiva that is believed has been authored by a gandharva (heavenly being) named Pushpadanta.

The thought behind the composition is ‘Enumerating the greatness of Shiva’, being a typical frame of devotion and dedication. In the verses of the Stotram lie stories about various great acts of the Mahadeva. The famous and oft-repeated Sanskrit shloka Asiti girisamam..., which means ‘if an ocean is made the inkpot, the branch of the mythical Parijata tree made the pen and Goddess Saraswati (The Goddess of Knowledge) embarks to write the glory of Lord (Shiva), it still will be impossible to comprehend the greatness of the Lord fully’.

Pushpadanta was a Gandharva(गांधर्व), a celestial musician. Along with the kinnar (nymphs), yaksha (archangels), apsara (celestial dancers) etc., gandharva are beings which are said to live in the skies and in the atmosphere, in contact with the higher plane: that of the Gods. They are not necessarily spiritually realised, but are superior to humans.
Pushpadanta (literally, Flower-Teethed) was a divine musician of such standing, in the court of Lord Indra(King of the Gods). Pushpadanta was also a devotee of Lord Shiva and a lover of flowers.

The Shiva Mahimna Stotra is very popular among the devotees of Lord Shiva and is considered one of the best among all Stotras (or Stutis) offered to Lord Shiva. The legend about the circumstances leading to the composition of this Stotra is as follows.

A king named Chitraratha had constructed a nice garden. There were beautiful flowers in this garden. These flowers were used every day by the king in worshipping Lord Shiva.

One day a Gandharva (Singer in the court of Indra, the Lord of the Heaven) named Pushhpadanta being fascinated by the beautiful flowers, began to steal them, as a consequence of which king Chitraratha could not offer flowers to Lord Shiva. He tried very hard to capture the thief, but in vain, because the Gandharvas have divine power to remain invisible.
Finally the king spread the Shiva Nirmaalya in his garden. Shiva Nirmaalya consists of the Bilva leaves, flowers, etcetera which have been used in worshipping Lord Shiva. The Shiva Nirmaalya is considered holy.

The thief Pushhpadanta, not knowing this, walked on the Shiva Nirmaalya, and by that he incurred the wrath of Lord Shiva and lost the divine power of invisibility. He then designed a prayer to Lord Shiva for forgiveness. In this prayer he sung the greatness of the Lord.
This very prayer became well known as the `Shiva Mahimna Stotra'. Lord Shiva became pleased by this StotraM, and returned Pushhpadanta's divine powers.

The legend has some basis since the name of the author is mentioned in verse number 38 of the stotraM. The recital of this stotra is very beneficial, and Shri Ramakrishna, one of the famous saints of the nineteenth century, went into samadhi just by reciting a few verses from this hymn.

Let its recitation be beneficial to you as well!

Aum Namah Sivaya!

Full Lyrics with Meaning
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