वामाय वामरूपाय वामनेत्राय ते नमः । अघोराय परेशाय विकटाय नमोनमः
vāmāya vāmarūpāya vāmanetrāya te namaḥ | aghorāya pareśāya vikaṭāya namonamaḥ
Salutations to You, O Vāma—of gracious form and gentle eye. Salutations again and again to You, O Aghora—Supreme Lord beyond all; and to You, the Vast and Formidable One, my repeated homage.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya; the verse functions as a stotra within the narration)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Vāmadeva
Mantra: वामाय वामरूपाय वामनेत्राय ते नमः । अघोराय परेशाय विकटाय नमोनमः
Type: rudram
Role: nurturing
Offering: pushpa
The verse teaches that the same Pati (Lord Shiva) is approached through multiple sacred aspects—Vāma (graceful, auspicious) and Aghora/Vikaṭa (fear-transcending, formidable). In Shaiva Siddhanta, such nāma-stuti purifies the pashu (bound soul) and loosens pāśa (bondage) by turning the mind toward Shiva’s protecting and liberating presence.
These epithets are Saguna pointers used in Linga worship: devotees offer water, bilva, and mantra while contemplating Shiva as both gentle (Vāma) and overwhelming in majesty (Vikaṭa), recognizing that the one Linga signifies the single Supreme Lord (Pareśa) who manifests many forms for devotion.
Use this verse as nāma-japa or stotra during daily pūjā—especially on Mahāśivarātri—after applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and wearing rudrākṣa, mentally alternating contemplation of Shiva’s soothing gaze (Vāma) and his fear-dissolving purity (Aghora).