Nageshwar Jyotirlinga Mantra
Meaning, pronunciation and long-form chant of the Nageshwar verse
The Nageshwar verse salutes Shiva as lord of the nāgas — the serpents. It asks for two things together, and the order matters: true devotion first, and liberation after.
Jyotirlinga mantra — the Nageshwar verse of the Dvādaśa Jyotirliṅga Stotram · 2h 25m chant
Verse 10 of 12 — part of the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram — all 12 verses.
Listen
This is Spiritual Awakening's own long-form recording — the official way to listen. There is no separate audio hosted on this page.
Best suited for: Working with fear rather than avoiding it · Asking for devotion before asking for anything else · Evening practice
Sacred text
Devanagari
याम्ये सदङ्गे नगरेऽतिरम्ये विभूषिताङ्गं विविधैश्च भोगैः। सद्भक्तिमुक्तिप्रदमीशमेकं श्रीनागनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये॥
IAST transliteration
Yāmye Sadaṅge Nagare'tiramye Vibhūṣitāṅgaṃ Vividhaiśca Bhogaiḥ | Sadbhaktimuktipradamīśamekaṃ Śrīnāganāthaṃ Śaraṇaṃ Prapadye ||
Simple pronunciation
Yaam-ye Sa-dan-ge Na-ga-re-ti-ram-ye Vi-bhoo-shi-taan-gam Vi-vid-hai-shcha Bho-gaih; Sad-bhak-ti-muk-ti-pra-da-mee-sha-me-kam Shree-naa-ga-naa-tham Sha-ra-nam Pra-pad-ye
Meaning
I take refuge in Shri Naganath, the one Lord who grants true devotion and liberation — adorned in splendour, in the lovely southern city of Sadanga.
- Literal meaning
- In the southern, most delightful city of Sadanga, his form adorned with manifold splendours, the one Lord who bestows true devotion and liberation — to Shri Naganatha I go for refuge.
- Devotional interpretation
- Serpents are what most people fear; here they are his companions. The verse asks first for devotion and only then for liberation — as if to say that loving well is not the means to freedom but already part of it.
Word-by-word meaning
| Word | IAST | Literal meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| याम्ये | yāmye | in the south | Yama's direction — the south. |
| सदङ्गे नगरे | sadaṅge nagare | in the city of Sadanga | The place-name as given in the verse. |
| अतिरम्ये | ati-ramye | most delightful | The recurring word of the stotra for a beautiful place. |
| विभूषिताङ्गं | vibhūṣita-aṅgaṃ | whose body is adorned | Shiva pictured splendidly ornamented. |
| विविधैश्च भोगैः | vividhaiś ca bhogaiḥ | with manifold splendours | Bhoga can mean both ornament and enjoyment, and — punningly — the coils of a serpent. |
| सद्भक्ति | sad-bhakti | true devotion | Not display, but genuine love. |
| मुक्तिप्रदम् | mukti-pradam | granting liberation | The second gift, named after devotion. |
| ईशमेकं | īśam ekaṃ | the one Lord | One without a second. |
| श्रीनागनाथं | śrī-nāganāthaṃ | Shri Naganath, lord of serpents | Nāga — serpent; the shrine's name. |
याम्येyāmye
- Literal meaning
- in the south
- Explanation
- Yama's direction — the south.
सदङ्गे नगरेsadaṅge nagare
- Literal meaning
- in the city of Sadanga
- Explanation
- The place-name as given in the verse.
अतिरम्येati-ramye
- Literal meaning
- most delightful
- Explanation
- The recurring word of the stotra for a beautiful place.
विभूषिताङ्गंvibhūṣita-aṅgaṃ
- Literal meaning
- whose body is adorned
- Explanation
- Shiva pictured splendidly ornamented.
विविधैश्च भोगैःvividhaiś ca bhogaiḥ
- Literal meaning
- with manifold splendours
- Explanation
- Bhoga can mean both ornament and enjoyment, and — punningly — the coils of a serpent.
सद्भक्तिsad-bhakti
- Literal meaning
- true devotion
- Explanation
- Not display, but genuine love.
मुक्तिप्रदम्mukti-pradam
- Literal meaning
- granting liberation
- Explanation
- The second gift, named after devotion.
ईशमेकंīśam ekaṃ
- Literal meaning
- the one Lord
- Explanation
- One without a second.
श्रीनागनाथंśrī-nāganāthaṃ
- Literal meaning
- Shri Naganath, lord of serpents
- Explanation
- Nāga — serpent; the shrine's name.
Translations are prepared with editorial review against the Sanskrit text, transliteration and English master meaning. Sanskrit words may carry layers of meaning that no single translation can fully express.
How to chant
Preparation
- Name to yourself, briefly, what you are afraid of. Then begin.
- Let the shoulders drop before the first line — serpents coil loosely, not tensely.
Pronunciation notes
- Sadbhaktimuktipradam — the order matters: bhakti before mukti. Keep both audible.
- Śrīnāganāthaṃ — 'shree-naa-ga-naa-tham', with the two 'naa's evenly weighted.
How many times
A round of nine or twenty-seven suits it. Some chant it on Nag Panchami in longer sittings; no count is required.
To close
Notice, before rising, whether the thing you named at the start has changed size.
How to use the recording
Chanting along
Join in at a low, unhurried pitch; this verse does not want brightness.
Meditation
Hold the image of the serpent as ornament — the feared thing at rest around the neck of the divine.
Prayer or pūjā
Chosen by many when praying for courage rather than for outcome.
Sleep listening
Its steadiness suits anxious nights; keep the volume low.
Morning practice
Useful before a day you are dreading.
Background atmosphere
A quiet, settling presence rather than an uplifting one.
Background & sourcesClassification, origin, historical context, symbolism, intentions & occasions
What kind of sacred text is this?
This is chanted as a mantra, and it helps to know exactly what it is: textually it is verse 10 of the Dvādaśa Jyotirliṅga Stotram, a twelve-verse hymn in which each verse salutes one Jyotirlinga. Its protective, settling feeling comes from that devotion rather than from a limb-by-limb protective hymn. Chanted alone it stands complete as a salutation to Nageshwar; read in sequence with the other eleven it becomes a pilgrimage in sound. You can read the whole hymn on the Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram — all 12 verses page.
Origin and textual source
- Tradition / work
- Dvādaśa Jyotirliṅga Stotram
- Section
- Verse 10 of 12 — the Nageshwar verse
- Attribution
- Traditionally attributed to Ādi Śaṅkarācārya
- Variants
- Spellings and word-splits vary slightly between printed editions of the stotra.
Historical and devotional context
Nageshwar is most commonly identified with the shrine near Dwarka in Gujarat, though other sites are also revered under this name. As with Vaidyanath, the traditions differ and this page does not choose between them.
Shiva's association with serpents is ancient — the nāga around his neck appears in the earliest imagery. Devotees chant this verse for fearlessness, and it is sometimes recited on Nag Panchami.
Symbolism and inner meaning
- The serpent as ornament rather than threat: what frightens us can be worn, not fled.
- Devotion asked for before liberation — the order is the teaching.
- 'Bhoga' as both ornament and serpent-coil: the verse's quiet pun.
Traditionally associated intentions
Traditional purpose
- Salutation to Shiva as worshipped at Nageshwar
- Devotional remembrance of the twelve Jyotirlingas
- Recitation as part of the complete stotra
Devotional intentions
- Devotion
- Surrender
- Reverence for the sacred shrines
- Inner steadiness
This recording is for
- Long-form devotional chanting
- Meditation
- Calm listening before sleep
- A quiet devotional atmosphere at home
A note on wellbeing: The verse treats what is feared as something that can be worn rather than fled. Many find that framing calming; it remains devotional practice, not treatment.
When is it traditionally chanted?
Monday (Somvār) and Pradosha
Days traditionally kept for Shiva worship. The verse may be chanted on any day with devotion — these are customs, not conditions.
Maha Shivaratri
Many devotees recite the complete twelve-verse stotra through the night of Shivaratri.
Nag Panchami
The festival of serpents is the natural day for this verse. Nageshwar's location is held differently by different traditions.
Related mantras
2h 34mKarpur Gauram Karunavataram — Shiva Stuti
कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारम् भुजगेन्द्रहारम् । सदावसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानी सहितं नमामि ॥
2h 35mMahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Mantra
अवन्तिकायां विहितावतारं मुक्तिप्रदानाय च सज्जनानाम्। अकालमृत्योः परिरक्षणार्थं वन्दे महाकाल-महासुरेशम्॥
2h 31mTrimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga Mantra
सह्याद्रिशीर्षे विमले वसन्तं गोदावरीतीरपवित्रदेशे । यद्दर्शनात्पातकमाशू नाशं प्रयाति तं त्र्यम्बकमीशमीडे ॥