naṭarāja stotraṃ (patañjali kṛtam)

Oh mind, worship within your heart the Lord of Chidambaram, who is the nectar for the eyes of Patanjali, the One who is untouched by stains, whose lotus feet are immovable, and who destroys the cycle of birth and death. He possesses the brilliance of the Kadamba flower, wears the sky as His garment, and His throat is dark like a cluster of rain clouds. He is the jewel of the ocean of consciousness, the sun that awakens the lotus of the hearts of the wise, and the Dancer of the supreme Chidambaram.

Worship within your heart that eternal Lord of Chidambaram, who is Hara (the destroyer of sorrows), who shattered the three cities, whose bracelets are infinite serpents, who is boundless compassion, and who is beyond time. His feet are meditated upon by Brahma and the assembly of gods; He wears the crescent moon as His crown, is the supreme abode that conquers death, and His body is adorned with sacred ash. He is the deceiver of the god of love, the ancient treasure contained within the sacred Pranava (Om), and the Dancer of Chidambaram.

Worship within your heart the Lord of Chidambaram, who protects the entire universe, who is supreme in merit and beyond definition. He holds the moon, His matted locks are entangled with the waves of the celestial river Ganga, He destroys the arrogance of Yama, and He removes the world of suffering. He is the auspicious one whose arms extend to the ten directions, who holds a young deer in His hand, who is the Lord of all beings (Pashupati), the slayer of Tripura, who has fire, sun, and moon as His eyes, and who is the Dancer of Chidambaram.

Worship within your heart the Lord of Chidambaram, whose anklets and small bells produce a rhythmic "jhala-jhala" sound, and whose dancing feet keep time with the drum beats played by Vishnu and Brahma. He is surrounded by an assembly of beings—Nandi, Bhringi, and the sages Sananda and Sanaka—and He is the destroyer of all fears. He, whose lotus feet are worshipped by the sages, is the Dancer of Chidambaram.

Worship within your heart the compassionate Lord of Chidambaram, who possesses infinite glory, whose feet are worshipped by the gods, and who dwells in the hearts of sages as the pure, immaculate truth. He embodies the elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ether—and the sun, and His form is beautiful. He is the infinite splendor, the jewel within the three worlds, the three-eyed destroyer of the three cities, whose feet are worshipped by Sananda Muni, and who is the Dancer of Chidambaram.

Worship within your heart the Lord of Chidambaram, whose throat is beautiful with the brilliance of a swarm of bees, and whose form is as white as a cluster of blooming Kunda flowers. He is adorned with serpent-earrings and worshipped by Vishnu and the host of gods including Indra. He is the unshakable one, the compassionate lover of Rati, the treasure of auspiciousness for the righteous, the slayer of the demon Gajasura, the Lord of all beings, praised by Agni, and the Dancer of Chidambaram.

Worship within your heart the supreme Lord of Chidambaram, who is the best of gods, the destroyer of the cities, the Lord of all beings, the father of Ganesha and Shanmukha. He is Mrida (the compassionate), whose matted locks are golden-yellow, the sun that blossoms the lotus of the sages, the cool-rayed moon, and the calm-minded one. He swallowed the poison produced by the ocean, is the incomparable treasure of virtues, the granter of boons to Sananda, and the moon-faced Dancer of Chidambaram.

Worship within your heart the Lord of Chidambaram, who is unborn, who uses the earth as His chariot, whose bow string is the king of serpents (Vasuki), and who holds in His hands the golden bow, the deer, the axe, the drum, and the fire. He uses Vishnu as His arrow, grants unfailing fruits to those who bow to Him, uses the Vedas as His horses, and is incomparable. He is the consort of Chandika, who instantly destroyed the three cities, and is the Dancer of Chidambaram.

Worship within your heart the Lord of Chidambaram, who is the enemy of the bodiless Manmatha (Cupid), the unborn One, the upholder of the earth, and the One who showers mercy upon all. He is the blazing fire, the destroyer of Death, whose feet are constantly worshipped by Indra and the gods. His body is fragrant and shines with the radiance of a hundred suns; He is the parrot in the cage of the Pranava (Om), praised by Patanjali, and the Dancer of Chidambaram.

Whoever recites this hymn composed by the king of serpents (Patanjali) every day with a devout mind, and contemplates the two feet of the Lord of the assembly, shall transcend the ocean of worldly existence, which is the cause of great sorrow and sin. They shall reach the supreme abode of Shankara, worshipped by the divinities including Brahma, Vishnu, and the guardians of the directions, and shall never again be trapped in the cycle of birth and death.