Aarti · Shiva
Om Jai Shiv Omkara: Shiv aarti lyrics with meaning
The best-known aarti of Shiva, sung on Mondays, in Shravan and through the night of Mahashivratri. Here it is in Hindi, in English letters and with a plain meaning for every verse.
Listen: Shiv Aarti: Om Jai Shiv Omkara
A computer-voiced recitation over a soft aarti rhythm of claps, bell and manjira, checked line by line against the text. It is an aid to reading along, not a replacement for a priest or a family elder.
What this aarti is
“Om Jai Shiv Omkara” praises Shiva as Omkara, the one who is the sacred sound Om. Its most striking idea is in the middle: Brahma, Vishnu and Sadashiv, who look like three, are one inside the syllable Om; only the unwise see them as separate. Around this it paints Shiva's forms: one-faced, four-faced and five-faced, riding the swan, Garuda and the bull, with the Ganga in his hair and Parvati as half of himself.
The last verse names Shivanand Swami, to whom the aarti is traditionally credited, as is “Jai Ambe Gauri”. It is an old devotional text, free for everyone.
When it is sung
- Mondays: Shiva's day, after offering water or milk to the Shivling.
- Pradosh, the month of Shravan and Mahashivratri, where it is sung in each of the four watches of the night.
- After the Shiv Chalisa or the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra.
How to do the aarti, step by step
You need no priest. Aarti is the closing part of any puja, and it can also be done on its own, morning or evening, in about six minutes.
- Wash your hands and face and stand or sit before a picture or murti of Shiva.
- Prepare a plate (thali) with a ghee diya or a piece of camphor, a little roli and rice, a flower and a bel leaf and a sweet.
- Light the diya or camphor. Someone rings a small bell, or everyone claps along while singing.
- Sing the aarti below and slowly wave the plate clockwise before the deity: four times at the feet, twice at the middle, once at the face, then seven times around the whole form.
- After the last verse, circle a little water around the plate and set it down.
- Everyone takes the aarti: hold both palms briefly over the flame and touch them to your eyes and head. Share the prasad.
Tunes and a few words differ from family to family. Sing it the way your home does; the feeling matters more than the exact wording.
Om Jai Shiv Omkara, with meaning
The first verse is the refrain: it is sung at the start and repeated after every verse.
Refrain
ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा, स्वामी जय शिव ओंकारा।
ब्रह्मा विष्णु सदाशिव, अर्द्धांगी धारा॥
Om jai shiv omkara, swami jai shiv omkara,
brahma vishnu sadashiv, ardhangi dhara.
अर्थ: जय हो ओंकार रूप शिव, जय हो स्वामी! आप ही ब्रह्मा, विष्णु और सदाशिव हैं, और पार्वती को अपने आधे अंग में धारण करते हैं।
Meaning: Glory to Shiva, who is Om! You are Brahma, Vishnu and Sadashiv, and you hold Parvati as half of your own body.
Verse 1
एकानन चतुरानन, पंचानन राजे।
हंसासन गरुड़ासन, वृषवाहन साजे॥
Ekanan chaturanan, panchanan raje,
hansasan garudasan, vrishvahan saje.
अर्थ: आप एक मुख (विष्णु), चार मुख (ब्रह्मा) और पाँच मुख (शिव) के रूप में शोभा पाते हैं; हंस, गरुड़ और बैल पर सवार होते हैं।
Meaning: You shine as the one-faced (Vishnu), the four-faced (Brahma) and the five-faced (Shiva), riding the swan, Garuda and the bull.
Verse 2
दो भुज चार चतुर्भुज, दसभुज अति सोहे।
त्रिगुण रूप निरखते, त्रिभुवन जन मोहे॥
Do bhuj chaar chaturbhuj, dasbhuj ati sohe,
trigun roop nirakhte, tribhuvan jan mohe.
अर्थ: दो भुजाओं, चार भुजाओं और दस भुजाओं वाले रूप अत्यंत सुंदर हैं। आपके तीनों गुणों वाले रूप देखकर तीनों लोकों के लोग मोहित हो जाते हैं।
Meaning: Two-armed, four-armed and ten-armed, your forms are radiant. Seeing your three forms, the people of the three worlds are enchanted.
Verse 3
अक्षमाला वनमाला, मुण्डमाला धारी।
चंदन मृगमद सोहे, भाले शशिधारी॥
Akshamala vanmala, mundmala dhari,
chandan mrigmad sohe, bhale shashidhari.
अर्थ: आप रुद्राक्ष की माला, वनफूलों की माला और मुंडों की माला धारण करते हैं; चंदन और कस्तूरी शोभा देते हैं, और माथे पर चंद्रमा है।
Meaning: You wear a rosary of beads, a garland of wild flowers and a garland of skulls; sandal paste and musk adorn you, and the Moon rests on your brow.
Verse 4
श्वेताम्बर पीताम्बर, बाघम्बर अंगे।
सनकादिक गरुड़ादिक, भूतादिक संगे॥
Shvetambar pitambar, baaghambar ange,
sanakadik garudadik, bhootadik sange.
अर्थ: आपके अंगों पर सफ़ेद वस्त्र, पीले वस्त्र और बाघ की खाल है; सनक आदि ऋषि, गरुड़ आदि और भूत-गण आपके साथ रहते हैं।
Meaning: You are clothed in white, in yellow and in tiger skin; the sage Sanaka and his brothers, Garuda and the spirit hosts are with you.
Verse 5
कर के मध्य कमण्डलु, चक्र त्रिशूलधारी।
सुखकारी दुखहारी, जगपालन कारी॥
Kar ke madhya kamandalu, chakra trishooldhari,
sukhkari dukhhari, jagpalan kari.
अर्थ: आपके हाथों में कमंडल, चक्र और त्रिशूल हैं। आप सुख देने वाले, दुख हरने वाले और जगत का पालन करने वाले हैं।
Meaning: In your hands are the water pot, the discus and the trident. You give joy, take away sorrow and sustain the world.
Verse 6
ब्रह्मा विष्णु सदाशिव, जानत अविवेका।
प्रणवाक्षर में शोभित, ये तीनों एका॥
Brahma vishnu sadashiv, jaanat aviveka,
pranavakshar mein shobhit, ye teenon eka.
अर्थ: अविवेकी लोग ब्रह्मा, विष्णु और सदाशिव को अलग-अलग समझते हैं, पर ॐ अक्षर में ये तीनों एक ही होकर शोभित हैं।
Meaning: The unwise think of Brahma, Vishnu and Sadashiv as separate; in the syllable Om the three shine as one.
Verse 7
लक्ष्मी व सावित्री, पार्वती संगा।
पार्वती अर्द्धांगी, शिवलहरी गंगा॥
Lakshmi va savitri, parvati sanga,
parvati ardhangi, shivlahari ganga.
अर्थ: लक्ष्मी, सावित्री और पार्वती साथ हैं; पार्वती आपकी अर्धांगिनी हैं, और गंगा आपकी जटा से लहराती बहती हैं।
Meaning: Lakshmi, Savitri and Parvati are with you; Parvati is half of you, and the Ganga flows in waves from your hair.
Verse 8
पर्वत सोहें पार्वती, शंकर कैलासा।
भांग धतूरे का भोजन, भस्मी में वासा॥
Parvat sohen parvati, shankar kailasa,
bhaang dhature ka bhojan, bhasmi mein vaasa.
अर्थ: पर्वत पर पार्वती शोभा पाती हैं, और शंकर कैलास पर। भांग और धतूरा आपका भोजन है, और आप भस्म में वास करते हैं।
Meaning: Parvati graces the mountain and Shankar dwells on Kailash. Bhang and datura are his food, and he lives covered in sacred ash.
Verse 9
जटा में गंग बहत है, गल मुण्डन माला।
शेष नाग लिपटावत, ओढ़त मृगछाला॥
Jata mein gang bahat hai, gal mundan mala,
shesh naag liptavat, odhat mrigchhala.
अर्थ: आपकी जटा में गंगा बहती है, गले में मुंडों की माला है; शेषनाग आपसे लिपटे रहते हैं, और आप मृगछाला ओढ़ते हैं।
Meaning: The Ganga flows in your matted hair, a garland of skulls hangs at your neck; the serpent Shesha coils around you, and you wear a deerskin.
Verse 10
काशी में विराजे विश्वनाथ, नंदी ब्रह्मचारी।
नित उठ दर्शन पावत, महिमा अति भारी॥
Kashi mein viraje vishwanath, nandi brahmachari,
nit uth darshan pavat, mahima ati bhari.
अर्थ: काशी में विश्वनाथ के रूप में आप विराजते हैं, और ब्रह्मचारी नंदी आपकी सेवा में हैं। जो रोज़ उठकर आपके दर्शन करता है, उसकी महिमा बहुत बड़ी है।
Meaning: In Kashi you reign as Vishwanath, with the celibate Nandi beside you. Great is the blessing of those who rise each day to see you.
Verse 11
त्रिगुणस्वामी जी की आरती, जो कोई नर गावे।
कहत शिवानंद स्वामी, मनवांछित फल पावे॥
Trigunswami ji ki aarti, jo koi nar gave,
kahat shivanand swami, manvanchhit phal pave.
अर्थ: शिवानंद स्वामी कहते हैं: जो भी तीनों गुणों के स्वामी की यह आरती गाता है, उसे मनचाहा फल मिलता है।
Meaning: Shivanand Swami says: whoever sings this aarti of the Lord of the three qualities receives what the heart wishes for.
Questions
Is it “Om Jai Shiv Omkara” or “Om Jai Shiv Onkara”?
Both spellings are the same word, Omkara: the one who is Om.
Why does a Shiva aarti name Brahma and Vishnu?
Because its central teaching is that the three are one in Om. The first verses describe all three forms, and verse 6 says that only the unwise see them as separate.
Some versions are shorter. Which is right?
Both. Older collections end after verse 6 with the Shivanand verse; the longer version with the Lakshmi–Savitri, Kailash, Ganga and Kashi verses is what most homes sing today. Sing the length your family knows.
Text and sources
The Hindi text is a traditional, public-domain aarti credited to Shivanand Swami. Every line was checked against Drik Panchang, Shubh Panchang, the Sanskrit Documents “Arati Sangrah” and Bharat Discovery; where they differ we follow the majority. Variants you may meet: “teenon roop nirakhte” (verse 2), “tripurari kansari kar mala dhari” (verse 3, Drik), “kar mein shreshth kamandalu… jagkarta jagharta jag palan karta” (verse 5, older texts), “pranavakshar madhye” (verse 6), “swami har shiv omkara” in the refrain. The transliteration and meanings are our own.
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