The song “The Thaandavam” from the album Akhanda 2 – Thaandavam features singers Shankar Mahadevan, Kailash Kher, and Deepak Blue. Lyricist Kalyan Chakravarthy opens by addressing a being who shatters all things to pieces. The music by Thaman S supports the performance of star Nandamuri Balakrishna.
Released: November 14, 2025
The Thaandavam
Kailash Kher | Shankar Mahadevan • From “Akhanda 2 – Thaandavam”
Akhanda 2 – Thaandavam’s The Thaandavam Lyrics Translation
The lyrics later define a dual role as the “Punisher of the wicked, Protector of the righteous.” This line removes moral questions about the character’s actions. The song also links the sound of a drum to the annihilation of evils, presenting destruction as a natural rhythm.
Akhanda TaandavamThe relentless cosmic dance.
Akhanda TaandavamThe relentless cosmic dance.
Hey Khanda Khanda KhanditaHey, you who shatters all things to pieces,
Dhanda Yoga ManditaAdorned with the discipline of divine power,
Chanda Baahu Runda Maala ChanditaDecorated with a fearsome garland of skulls on your mighty arms.
Hey Dharma Loka RakshitaHey, protector of the world of righteousness,
Suprabhaata VeekshitaYou are the vision of a new dawn,
Bhoonabhontaraala Sarva RakshitaThe ultimate guardian of the earth, sky, and all that lies between.
Ranga Ranga Shambhu Linga EeshwaraaO vibrant and sacred Lord, the divine ‘Shambhu Linga’,
Antaranga Hey Bhujanga ShankaraaO Shankara, the serpent who dwells within the soul,
Hey Neelakantha Nirmalangaa EeshwaraaHey, blue-throated Lord, the flawlessly pure one,
Kumbhamela Sambhava ShubhankaraaThe auspicious one who appears at the ‘Kumbh Mela’ festival.
Hey Damaka Damaka Damaka Naatha OmkaaraaHey, Lord of the primal sound, your drumbeat thunders,
Dhamaka Dhamaka Dhamaka Koti SamhaaraaWith every beat, you bring the annihilation of a million evils,
Hey Damaka Damaka Damaka Naatha OmkaaraaHey, Lord of the primal sound, your drumbeat thunders,
Dhooma Dhaama Dhooshitangaa SamhaaraaYou destroy all that is corrupt with smoke and fury.
Hey Naaga Naaga NaayakaHey, great leader of the serpent gods,
Naaga Roopa DhaayakaThe one who takes the form of a serpent,
Deva Deva Shankara ShivaO God of gods, Shankara, Shiva.
Hey Raama Raama TaarakaHey, the one who liberates through the name of Rama,
Raama Naama PaalakaaThe one who upholds the name of Rama,
Narasimha Dharma RakshakaaThe protector of righteousness, fierce as the man-lion ‘Narasimha’,
Mahaa Pancha Bhoota SanchakaYou who move through the five great elements.
Akhanda TaandavamThe relentless cosmic dance.
Akhanda Taandavam Hara Hara Mahaa DevThe relentless cosmic dance, hail the great God,
Akhanda Taandavam Om Namah ShivaayThe relentless cosmic dance, I bow to Lord Shiva.
Shankara Shankara Shoolapaani ShekharaO Shankara, the supreme one who wields the trident,
Sarvadhaa ShubhankaraaYou are always the bringer of prosperity,
Bho ShambhoO great Shambho.
Saadhu Sangha RakshakaaYou are the protector of the company of saints,
Satya Bhanga ShikshakaaThe punisher of those who break their sacred vow,
Antarangaa VeekshakaaThe observer of the innermost soul,
Bho ShambhoO great Shambho.
Kinkara Shubhankara Drohina LayankaraaYou bring fortune to your servants and destruction to traitors,
Sarvadhaa JayankaraaYou are always the bringer of victory,
Hey ShambhoHey, Shambho.
Nirvikalpa DhaayakaYou are the giver of the state beyond all thought,
Nitya Satya SaayakaThe eternal archer of truth,
Nirgunaabdhi NaayakaThe master of the formless ocean,
Hey ShambhoHey, Shambho.
Akhanda TaandavamThe relentless cosmic dance.
Hey Kanda Chanda ChanditaaHey, you who are adorned with terrifying fierceness,
Chanda Yoga ManditaYou who are consecrated by the power of creation,
Chanda Veera Taandavaala RanjitaDelighting in a heroic and ferocious cosmic dance.
Yey Veda Veda VanditaHey, you who are praised in every sacred scripture,
Vedamula VardhitaThe one by whom all sacred knowledge grows,
Janda Janda Jandavaala GarjitaYou roar with the thunder of a mighty battle flag.
Linga Linga Shambhu Linga EeshwaraaO sacred Lord, the divine ‘Shambhu Linga’,
Ganga Leela Rangarinchu ShankaraaO Shankara, whose divine play brought forth the river Ganges,
Hey Kaala Kaala Kaala Kantha EeshwaraaHey Lord, whose throat holds the power to end Time itself,
Kaasi Naatha Hey Shiva ShubhankaraaHey Lord of Kasi, O Shiva, the bringer of good fortune.
Hey Damaka Damaka Damaka Naatha OmkaaraaHey, Lord of the primal sound, your drumbeat thunders,
Dhamaka Dhamaka Dhamaka Koti SamhaaraaWith every beat, you bring the annihilation of a million evils,
Hey Damaka Damaka Damaka Naatha OmkaaraaHey, Lord of the primal sound, your drumbeat thunders,
Dhooma Dhaama Dhooshitangaa SamhaaraaYou destroy all that is corrupt with smoke and fury.
Hey Naaga Naaga NaayakaHey, great leader of the serpent gods,
Naaga Roopa DhaayakaThe one who takes the form of a serpent,
Deva Deva Shankara ShivaO God of gods, Shankara, Shiva.
Hey Ghora Ghora NaashakaHey, destroyer of the most terrifying evils,
Ghora Paapa ChooshakaThe one who absorbs the most dreadful sins,
Hindu Sindhu Dhaara VaahakaThe one who carries the flow of the great ‘Sindhu’ river,
Mahaa Pancha Bhoota SanchakaYou who move through the five great elements.
Akhanda TaandavamThe relentless cosmic dance.
Hey Dushta Shikshaka Shishta RakshakaHey, punisher of the wicked and protector of the virtuous,
Dharma BhookshukaYou are the very ornament of righteousness.
Hey Bhagna Chooshakaa Bhasma KshayakaaHey, you who absorbs the broken and reduces evil to ash,
Bhadhra HaasukaaYou are the giver of security.
Hey Dharma Paalakaa Kaala KetikaHey, guardian of righteousness and the banner of time,
Sootra NaayakaYou are the master of the cosmic thread.
Hey Ugra Shooshaka Nigra PoshakaaHey, you who dries up aggression and nurtures discipline,
Nitya NandakaaYou are eternal bliss itself.
Akhanda TaandavamThe relentless cosmic dance.
The Thaandavam Music Video
The song consistently uses names and attributes of Shiva, such as the blue-throated “Neelakantha.” This connects the protagonist’s actions directly to a divine source of power. The song presents the character’s destructive force as a necessary act of purification to restore order.