108 Names of Shiva

The Lord has 108 names describing his attributes and achievements. Grace is guaranteed to those who chant these names. Names ending with -esh or eshwar, almost always refer to Shiva. Many of the names are shared by other gods, as they all manifestations of the same supreme divinity.

Name and Meaning

ACHALESHWAR
Immovable lord; the resolute one

ADINATH
Primeval master

AGHORA
Not terrifying; pleasing

AJA
Unmanifest

AJA EKAPADA
One-footed lord

AJAGANDHI
He who smells like a goat

AKURURA
Kind god

ANDHAKEHSWAR
Dispeller of darkness

APAMNIDHI
Lord of the waters

ARDHANARI
Half woman

ASHANI
Thunderbolt

ASUTOSH
Easily pleased

AVADHUT
Naked ascetic

BALESHWAR
Long haired

BASAVA
Bull

BHAIRAVA
Quick tempered god

BHASMESHWAR
Smeared with ash

BHAVA
Existence

BHIKSHATAN
Celestial beggar

BHIMA
Strong one

BHISMA
Terrible one

BHOLA
Simpleton; guileless god

BHOOTPATI
God of ghosts

BHUTESHWAR
Lord of elements

BHUVANESH
Lord of the world

BILVA DANDIN
Bearer of a staff of bilva

CHANDRACHUDA
Moon crested

DAKSHINESWAR
Teacher who faces the South

DAMARUDARIN
Bearer of the rattle drum

EKAVRATYA
Unorthodox sage

GAJANTAKA
Killer of the elephant demon

GAMBHIRESH
Austere ascetic

GANAPATI
Lord of ganas

GANGADHAR
Bearer of the Ganges

GHORA
Fearsome

GIRISHA
Lord of the hills

GRIHAPATI
Householder

GUHESHWAR
Lord of the caves;mysterious one

HARA
Router, seizer, ravisher

HIRANYARETAS
Lord of the golden seed

ISHAN
Lord

ISHWARA
Godhead

JAMBUKESHWAR
Lord of Jambudvipa i.e India

JATESHWAR
Lord with matted hair

JIMUTAVAHAN
He who rides the clouds

JVARESHVAR
Lord of fevers

KALESHVAR
Lord of time; lord of art

KAMANDALUDHARI
Bearer of the water pot

KAMANASHE
Destroyer of desire

KAPALIN
Bearer of skulls

KAPARDIN
Lord with a conch shaped top knot

KARPURA GAURANGA
White as camphor

KEDAR
Lord of the hills

KIRAATA
Tribal

KRITTIVASA
He who wears animal hide

LAKULISHA
Bearer of the staff

MAHABALESHWAR
Almighty one

MAHADEV
Great god

MAHARSHI
Great sage

MAHESH
Great lord

MAITHUNESHWAR
Lord of sexual union

MANISH
Conqueror of the mind

MARUTTA
Wind; storm

NAGESHWAR
Lord of serpents

NAGNAVRATADHARI
Naked sage

NATARAJA
Lord of dance and drama

NEELAKANTA
Blue necked one

OMKARNATH
Lord of the mystic syllable "Om"

PASHAYE
Lord of the noose

PASHUPATI
Lord of the beasts

PAVAKA
Fire; lava

PURUSHA
Cosmic spirit; primeval man

RUDRA
Wild god ;the howler

SADJYOTA
Eternally radiant

SAILESH
Lord of mountains

SAMHARI
Destroyer

SHANBU
Benign

SHANKAR
Benevolent

SHARABHA
Dragon

SHARVA
Archer

SHIKHANDIN
Lord with a peacock plume

SHIVA
Auspicious one

SIDDHARTH
One who is accomplished

SOMASUNDARA
Beautiful as the moon

SOMNATH
Lord of soma, the herb of vitality

STHANU
Still

SUNDARMURTI
Alluring body

SVASHVA
Master of dogs

TAMASOPATI
Lord of inertia, darkness, passivity

TEJOMAYA
Radiant being

TRILOCHAN
Three eyed

TRIPURANTAKA
Destroyer of demon cities

TRISHULDARI
Bearer of the trident

UGRA
Fierce

UMAPATI
Husband of uma-parvati

URDHVALINGA
Aroused yet restrained manhood

VAIDYANATH
Lord of physicians

VAMADEV
Lord of antinomian sects

VIBHUTI BHUSHAN
Bedecked with ash marks

VINAPANI
He who pays the lute

VIRABHADRA
The noble hero

VIRESHWAR
Lord of martial arts

VIRUPAKSHA
Lord with ill - formed malignant eyes

VISHWANATH
Lord of the universe

VRIKSHANATH
Lord of trees

VRISHABHANATH
Tamer of bulls

YAKSHANATH
Lord of yakshas, forest spirits

YOGESH
Lord of yoga