I bow to the God who is the Lord of Umā, teacher of the gods; I bow to the cause of the world. I bow to him adorned with serpents, who holds the deer; I bow to the Lord of all beings. I bow to him whose eyes are the sun, the moon and fire; I bow to the beloved of Mukunda. I bow to the refuge of devotees, the giver of boons; I bow to Śiva, to Śaṅkara.
A much-loved prayer verse, said at the start of Śiva worship. Eight times it says vande, “I bow”.
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Original text
वन्दे देव उमापतिं सुरगुरुं वन्दे जगत्कारणं
वन्दे पन्नगभूषणं मृगधरं वन्दे पशूनां पतिम् ।
वन्दे सूर्यशशाङ्कवह्निनयनं वन्दे मुकुन्दप्रियं
वन्दे भक्तजनाश्रयं च वरदं वन्दे शिवं शङ्करम् ॥
vande deva umāpatiṃ sura-guruṃ vande jagat-kāraṇaṃ
vande pannaga-bhūṣaṇaṃ mṛga-dharaṃ vande paśūnāṃ patim |
vande sūrya-śaśāṅka-vahni-nayanaṃ vande mukunda-priyaṃ
vande bhakta-janāśrayaṃ ca varadaṃ vande śivaṃ śaṅkaram ||
Translation
I bow to the God who is the Lord of Umā, teacher of the gods; I bow to the cause of the world. I bow to him adorned with serpents, who holds the deer; I bow to the Lord of all beings. I bow to him whose eyes are the sun, the moon and fire; I bow to the beloved of Mukunda. I bow to the refuge of devotees, the giver of boons; I bow to Śiva, to Śaṅkara.
Translation by: Om Namah Shivay
This passage is in our collection; editorial review is still pending.
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