Mahalinga Ashtakam

Mahalingashtakam stotram
Octet to Mahalinga by Gopala

Mahalingam, Mahadevam, Maheswaram, Umapathim,
SAmbam, Madhyarjunesam tham gurum devam nathoismyaham.
I am the devotee of that great Linga, that great Deva, that great God, the consort of Uma, Who is Samba, the God of madhyarjuna, the teacher and the great God.
Jyothi roopam, Krishna roopam, sarva roopam, jagad pathim,
Ishatartha sidhitham shambhum, Mahalingam, nathosmyaham.
I am the devotee of the shining form, the black form, the One Who is all forms, the Lord of the universe, Shambhu Who fulfills our desires and the great Linga.
Kasi kshethra samanamcha, kailasadhadhikam priyam,
Saswatha sthira vasam cha, Mahalingam nathosmyaham.
I am the devotee of that great linga, Who stays in a place equal to Benares, which is greater than Kailasam and Who stays there permanently.
Brahad kuchamba sahitham, mookamba thapa saphalam,
Ganadhyaksham, shanmukhancha, Mahalingam nathosmyaham.
I am the great devotee of that Linga along with Ganesa and Shanumhka, as well as Brahadkuchambal, Who made the penance of Mookamba fruitful.
Pradakshinath Aswamedham, Namanath Vajapeyakam,
Stotrath Sri Rajasooyakhyam, smaranath mukthi dhayakam.
Going round him is equal to Aswamedha, saluting Him is equal to Vajapeya, chanting prayers is equal to Rajasooya and thinking about Him, one gets salvation.
Kshethra vasascha nirmuktha, theertha snanayi sadaa suchi,
Panchakshara japaschaiva, Mahalinga prathushyathi.
By staying in the temple one gets liberated , by taking bath in sacred waters, you will become ever pure, and by chanting "Om Namashivaya" the God Mahalinga would become happy.
Ya Pradosha Mahalingam Rudra japath pradoshayeth,
Sa sarva roga nirmuktha sathayusha sukhamethathu.
That Mahalingam can be made happy by chanting Rudra during Pradosham, and he who chants would get rid of alL diseases and live for one hundred years.
Darsanath sarva papagnam, namanath vanchitha pradham,
Smaranath sarva sayujyam, Mahalingam nathosmyaham.
I am the devotee of that great Linga, seeing which all sins would be destroyed, saluting which all desires would be fulfilled and meditating on which he gets merged with god.
Mahalingashtakam stotram, krutham kashtougha nasanam,
Mahalinga prerithena Gopalena krutham Shubham.
The prayer of the octet addressed to Mahalinga which destroys all sufferings, was composed by Gopala as per encouragement of Mahalinga. Let there be good.

Translated by P.R.Ramachander

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA