Shloka 36

Lord Śiva Instructs the Pracetās (Śiva-stuti and the Path of Bhakti)

Devanagari script

नमो नमोऽनिरुद्धाय हृषीकेशेन्द्रियात्मने । नम: परमहंसाय पूर्णाय निभृतात्मने ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

namo namo ’niruddhāya hṛṣīkeśendriyātmane namaḥ paramahaṁsāya pūrṇāya nibhṛtātmane

Translation

Again and again I offer obeisances to Aniruddha, Hṛṣīkeśa—the master of the senses and the director of the mind. Obeisances to the Paramahaṁsa, the all-complete Lord, who abides in deep inner stillness.

Synonyms

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address-function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (salutatory particle)

• namaḥ: salutation (again)
• namaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address-function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• aniruddhāya: to Aniruddha
• aniruddhāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aniruddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• hṛṣīkeśa-indriya-ātmane: to the Lord of the senses, the Self of the senses
• hṛṣīkeśa-indriya-ātmane: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛṣīkeśa (प्रातिपदिक) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—हृषीकेशस्य (इन्द्रियाणां ईशस्य) इन्द्रियात्मा (the Self of the senses, i.e., Lord of senses)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address-function)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (salutatory particle)

• paramahaṁsāya: to the supreme haṁsa (supreme sage)
• paramahaṁsāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + haṁsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—परमः हंसः (supreme swan; supreme ascetic)

• pūrṇāya: to the complete one
• pūrṇāya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• nibhṛta-ātmane: to the one of tranquil self
• nibhṛta-ātmane: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nibhṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—निभृतः आत्मा यस्य (one whose self is restrained/quiet)

Purport

Hṛṣīkeśendriyātmane. The mind is the director of the senses, and Lord Aniruddha is the director of the mind. In order to execute devotional service, one has to fix his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa; therefore Lord Śiva prays to the controller of the mind, Lord Aniruddha, to be pleased to help him engage his mind on the lotus feet of the Lord. It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.34) , man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. The mind has to be engaged in meditation on the lotus feet of the Lord in order to execute devotional service. It is also stated in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) , mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: from the Lord come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. Thus if Lord Aniruddha is pleased, He can help the mind engage in the service of the Lord. It is also indicated in this verse that Lord Aniruddha is the sun-god by virtue of His expansions. Since the predominating deity of the sun is an expansion of Lord Aniruddha, Lord Śiva also prays to the sun-god in this verse.

Characters & Entities

• Hṛṣīkeśa
• Aniruddha
• Paramahaṁsa (the Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam mean by Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses?

This verse praises the Lord as Hṛṣīkeśa—He governs the senses and is the inner Self behind their power, so sense-control is perfected by surrendering the senses to Him.

Why does Lord Śiva offer repeated obeisances in the Rudra-gīta?

In these prayers, Śiva teaches pure devotion by glorifying the Supreme Lord as unconquerable, complete, and inwardly self-contained—showing that even the greatest devas worship Him.

How can this verse be applied in modern life for self-control and peace?

Remember the Lord as the indwelling guide of the senses, and consciously dedicate sense-activities (seeing, speaking, eating) to devotion; this steadies the mind and reduces agitation.