Shloka 16
Kāmarūpeśvara’s Trial and Śiva’s Hidden Protection (कামरूपेश्वर-रक्षा-प्रसङ्गः)
नृप उवाच । भजामि शंकरं देवं स्वभक्तपरिपालकम् । चराचराणां सर्वेषामीश्वरं निर्विकारकम्
nṛpa uvāca | bhajāmi śaṃkaraṃ devaṃ svabhaktaparipālakam | carācarāṇāṃ sarveṣāmīśvaraṃ nirvikārakam
The King said: “I worship Lord Śaṅkara, the divine protector of His own devotees—He who is the sovereign Lord of all beings, moving and unmoving, and who remains ever changeless.”
The King (Nṛpa)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Mantra: भजामि शंकरं देवं स्वभक्तपरिपालकम् । चराचराणां सर्वेषामीश्वरं निर्विकारकम्
Type: stotra
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It presents Shiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who compassionately protects devotees while remaining nirvikāra—unchanged by worldly conditions—encouraging surrender and steady bhakti as a path toward liberation.
Although Shiva is described as changeless (a nirguna attribute), the act of “bhajāmi” points to saguna worship—devotion expressed through forms such as the Śiva-liṅga, where the devotee approaches the transcendent Lord through a sanctified symbol.
A direct takeaway is daily bhajana with Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating Shiva as the protector of devotees and the Lord of all beings; this can be paired with simple liṅga-pūjā and offering of bilva leaves.