Lord Shiva is the presiding deity in the Chidambara temple and he is in the dancing pose called Nataraja. It is one of the ancient and holiest Shiva temple in south India. It is also a Pancha Bhootha sthala glorifying Shiva in the form of ether (sky). The great Shaivite saints have written voluminously about this great temple. Here is a mellifluous stotra praising that “Sea of mercy”.
॥ Sri Chidambareswara Stotram – English & Meaning ॥
॥ śrī cidambarēśvara stōtram ॥
Krupa samaudram, sumukham, trinethram,
Jadadaharam, Parvathi vama bhagam,
Sada shivam, rudramanantha roopam,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 1 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is the ocean of mercy,
Who has a pleasant mien,
Who has three eyes,
Who has matted locks,
Who keeps Parvathy on his left side,
Who is ever peaceful,
And who is limitless and angry.
Vachamatheetham phani bhooshanangam,
Ganesa thatham dhanadasya mithram,
Kandarpa nasam, Kamlothpalaksham,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 2 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is beyond words,
Who wears the serpent as ornament,
Who is the father of Ganesa,
Who is the friend of Kubhera,
Who destroys pride,
And who has eyes like the lotus flower.
Ramesavandhyam rajathadrinatham,
Sri vamadevam bhava dukhanasam,
Rakshakaram rakshasa peedithanam,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 3 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is worshipped by Lord Vishnu,
Who is the lord of the silver mountain,
Who judges and awards punishments,
Who destroys the sorrow of the future,
And who protects those troubled by rakshasas.
Devathidevam jagadeka nadam.
Devesa vandyam sasi ganda choodam,
Gowri sametham krutha vigna daksham,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 4 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is the lord of all devas.
Who is the one lord of the universe,
Who is worshipped by Indra,
Who wears the crescent of the moon,
Who is with goddess Gowri,
And who stopped the yaga of Daksha.
Vedanthavedhyam, Sura vairi vignam,
Shubhapradam bhakthimadantharanam,
Kaalanthakam sri karuna kadaksham,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 5 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is the ultimate end of Vedas,
Who destroys enemies of devas,
Who blesses with good his devotees,
Who killed the god of death,
And who has a merciful look.
Hemadri chapam trigunathmabhavam,
Guhathmajam vyagrapureesamadhyam,
Smasana vasam, vrusha vaha nadam,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 6 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who made the golden mountain as his bow,
Who is the soul principle of three qualities,
Who is the father of Lord Subhramanya,
Who is the lord of the town of tiger,
Who lives in cremation ground,
And who rides on a bull.
Adhyantha soonyam tripurarimeesam,
Nandeesa mukhya sthuti vaibhavadyam,
Samastha devai pari poojithamgrim,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 7 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is nothing from beginning to end,
Who is the god of the enemies of the three cities,
Who is the chief, worshipped by lord Nandi,
And who is again and again worshipped by all devas.
Thameva bhantham, hyanubhoothi sarvam,
Anekaroopam paramarthamekham,
Pinakapanim bhava nasa hethum,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 8 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is with in himself the end,
Who is all that is to happen,
Who has several forms,
Who is the only truth,
Who holds the bow called Pinaka,
And who is the reason for destruction in future.
Visweswaram nithyamananthamadhyam,
Trilochanam chandrakalavathamsam,
Pathim pasoonam hrudhi sannivishtam,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 9 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is the lord of the universe,
Who is stable from beginning to end,
Who has three eyes,
Who wears the crescent of the moon,
Who lives in the mind of beings as their lord.
Viswadhikam vishnumukhairupasyam,
Trilochanam pancha mukham prasannam,
Umapathim papaharam prasantham,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 10 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is more than the universe,
Who is present in the face of Vishnu,
Who has three eyes,
Who has five faces which are having a pleasant look,
Who is the lord of Goddess Uma,
And who destroys sins and is ever peaceful.
Karpoora gathram kamaneeya nethram,
Kamasari mithram kamalendu vakthram,
Kandarpa gathram kamalesa mithram,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 11 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Whose body shines like burning camphor,
Who has very pretty eyes,
Who is the friend of the enemy of Kamsa,
Who has a lotus and moon-like face,
Who has a very strong and zestful body,
And who is the friend of Lord Brahma.
Visalanethram paripoornagathram,
Gowri kalathram haridambaresam,
Kubhera mithram jagatha pavithram,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 12 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who has very broad eyes,
Who has a complete body,
Who is the consort of Gowri,
Who is the god of Lord Vishnu,
Who is the friend of Khubera,
And who makes the world holy.
Kalyana murthim kanakadri chapam,
Kantha samakrantha nijardha deham,
Kapardhinam kamaripum purarim,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 13 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is the God of good,
Who makes the golden mountain as his bow,
Who has given and shares his body with his wife,
Who is the God with matted locks,
Who is the enemy of the lord of love,
And who is the destroyer of the cities.
Kalpantha kalahitha chanda nrutham,
Samastha vedantha vacho nigoodam,
Ayugma nethram, girija sahayam,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 14 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who at time of deluge dances the dance of destruction,
Who is not understood by all the philosophies,
Who has odd number of eyes,
And who helps the daughter of the mountain.
Digambaram,sankha sithalpahasam,
Kapalinam soolinam aprameyam,
Nagathmaja vakthra payoja sooryam,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 15 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who wears the directions as apparel,
Who laughs mildly like a conch,
Who carries a skull,
Who is armed with a trident,
And who is beyond description.
Sadshivam sad purushair anekai,
Sadarchitham samasirassu geetham,
Vaiyagra charmambara mugra meesam,
Chidambaresam hrudhi bhavayami. ॥ 16 ॥
I meditate on that Lord of Chidambaram,
Who is always peaceful,
Who is always worshipped by many good people,
Who likes the songs of Sama Veda,
And who is the terrible god who wears a tiger hide.
Phalasruthi
Chidambarasya sthavanam padedhya,
Pradosha kaleshu puman cha dhanya,
Bhogaan asesham anubhooya bhooya,
Sayujyamapyethi chidambarasya.
Benefits:
That blessed gentleman,
Who reads this prayer of Chidambara,
During the time of pradosha,
Will enjoy fully all the pleasures of this world,
And in the end, attain the presence of the lord of Chidambara.
– Chant Stotra in Other Languages –
Chidambareswara Stotram in Sanskrit – English – Kannada – Telugu – Tamil