Daridrya Dahana Shiva Stotram
Hymn to Burn Away Poverty
Eight verses to Shiva, traditionally credited to Sage Vasishtha, asking him to burn away poverty and sorrow; verse 9 lists the benefits.
Verses
The hymn to Lord Shiva that consumes the fire of poverty.
Verse 1
O Lord of the universe, who delivers souls from the ocean of hell, who is nectar to the ears, who bears the crescent moon on His head, who is radiant like camphor, who wears matted locks—I bow to You, Shiva, who burns away the suffering of poverty.
Verse 2
O beloved of Gauri, who holds the digit of the moon, who is the destroyer of Time, who wears the serpent king as an ornament, who bears the Ganges, who crushed the elephant-demon—I bow to You, Shiva, who burns away the suffering of poverty.
Verse 3
O lover of devotion, who removes the fear of the disease of worldly existence, who is fierce, who carries souls across the ocean of the world, who is made of light, who dances to the chanting of Your names and virtues—I bow to You, Shiva, who burns away the suffering of poverty.
Verse 4
O wearer of animal hide, who smears Yourself with funeral ashes, who has an eye on Your forehead, who is adorned with jeweled earrings, whose feet are graced with anklets, who wears matted locks—I bow to You, Shiva, who burns away the suffering of poverty.
Verse 5
O five-faced one, who is adorned with the serpent king, who is clothed in golden radiance, who beautifies the three worlds, who is the ground of bliss and the bestower of boons, who is beyond darkness—I bow to You, Shiva, who burns away the suffering of poverty.
Verse 6
O beloved of the sun, who carries souls across the ocean of existence, who is the destroyer of Time, who is worshipped by Lord Brahma, who has three eyes, who is marked with auspicious signs—I bow to You, Shiva, who burns away the suffering of poverty.
Verse 7
O beloved of Rama, who granted boons to Lord Raghunatha, who loves serpents, who delivers souls from the ocean of hell, who is filled with merit in all virtuous deeds, who is adored by the gods—I bow to You, Shiva, who burns away the suffering of poverty.
Verse 8
O Lord of liberation, who bestows fruits, who is the Lord of the Ganas, who loves song, who rides the bull, who wears the elephant's hide as a garment, O great Lord—I bow to You, Shiva, who burns away the suffering of poverty.
Verse 9
This hymn, composed by the sage Vasishtha, removes all diseases, bestows all wealth swiftly, and increases sons, grandsons, and so forth. Whoever recites it daily at the three junctures of the day attains heaven.
Verse 10
Thus ends the hymn to Shiva that burns away poverty, composed by the sage Vasishtha.
Verse 11
Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)
Monday (Somwar) & Pradosham
Early Morning (Brahma Muhurta) or Evening Twilight (Sandhya)
Bilva leaves, Ganga water, Bhasma (sacred ash), Dhatura & White flowers
- Inner stillness, destruction of negative karma, and freedom from fear of death (Mrityunjaya)
Background
This hymn belongs to the Shaiva devotional tradition, which reveres Shiva as the supreme deity. The Sanskrit Documents text, whose colophon reads 'composed by Vasishtha', credits it to the sage Vasishtha, and verse 9 itself says 'vasishthena kritam stotram'; as with most stotras, the attribution is traditional and the hymn cannot be dated. Verses 1-8 each end with the refrain 'daridrya-duhkha-dahanaya namah shivaya' (salutations to Shiva, who burns away the suffering of poverty), and verse 9 is the phalashruti, the statement of benefits. Devotees recite it for relief from poverty, suffering and obstacles, and verse 9 recommends reciting it at the three junctures of the day (tri-sandhya).
About this Text
Composed by: Sage Vashistha
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Author and Tradition
Attributed to the sage Vasiṣṭha, one of the seven great sages (Saptarṣi) in Hindu tradition, this hymn is part of a genre of stotras focused on removing poverty and suffering. Verse 9 states that it was composed by Vasiṣṭha and promises that it removes all diseases and grants prosperity.
Structure and Refrain
The stotra consists of eight verses (ślokas), each ending with the same refrain: "dāridryaduḥkhadahanāya namaḥ śivāya" — "Salutations to Shiva, who burns the suffering of poverty." This repetitive structure makes it easy to memorize and chant, reinforcing the central petition.
Key Epithets of Shiva
Each verse highlights different aspects of Shiva: his white camphor-like complexion (karpūrakānti), his matted hair (jaṭādhara), his love for Gaurī (Pārvatī), his wearing of the crescent moon, his destruction of the god of death (Kālāntaka), his five faces (pañcānana), and his vehicle the bull (vṛṣabheśvara). These vivid descriptions help the devotee visualize and connect with the deity.
Prescribed Recitation and Benefits
The ninth verse (phalaśruti) specifies that reciting this hymn three times daily (at dawn, noon, and dusk — tri-sandhyam) removes all diseases, grants wealth, and increases progeny. It promises that the reciter will attain heaven (svarga). This makes it a practical devotional tool for material and spiritual well-being.
Context and Purpose
Unlike many Shiva stotras that focus on liberation (mokṣa), this one explicitly addresses worldly suffering — poverty and disease. It belongs to a category of "dāridrya-dahana" (poverty-burning) hymns, reflecting a devotional tradition where the deity is invoked for immediate relief from financial hardship, while still acknowledging Shiva's supreme nature.
Shiva
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