Shloka 24

कैलासमार्गे शङ्करस्य परीक्षा — Śiva Tests the Approachers on the Kailāsa Path

Devanagari script

विरूपाक्षाय रुद्राय बहुरूपाय शंभवे । विरूपायातिरूपाय रूपातीताय ते नमः

Transliteration

virūpākṣāya rudrāya bahurūpāya śaṃbhave | virūpāyātirūpāya rūpātītāya te namaḥ

Translation

Salutations to You—Rudra, the Virūpākṣa, Lord of wondrous and transcendent sight; Śambhu of manifold forms; You who are beyond ordinary form, beyond even all supernal forms, and who ultimately transcend form altogether.

Word by Word

• विरूपाक्षाय: to Virūpākṣa (the odd/varied-eyed Lord)
• विरूपाक्षाय: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूपाक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थं दत्तिः (recipient of salutation)

• रुद्राय: to Rudra
• रुद्राय: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• बहुरूपाय: to the many-formed one
• बहुरूपाय: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• शंभवे: to Śambhu
• शंभवे: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (शंभु-शब्दस्य चतुर्थी एकवचनम्: शंभवे)

• विरूपाय: to the formless/odd-formed one
• विरूपाय: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• अतिरूपाय: to the exceedingly beautiful one
• अतिरूपाय: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• रूपातीताय: to the one beyond form
• रूपातीताय: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूपातीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रूपस्य अतीतः)

• ते: to you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (सम्प्रदानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (ते = तुभ्यम्)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन/सम्बन्ध (नमस्कार-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/उद्गार), नमस्कारार्थक; प्रायः चतुर्थी-सम्बन्धेन प्रयुज्यते

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the hymn within the Yuddha-khaṇḍa context to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Meditation on Śiva as ‘bahurūpa’ yet ‘rūpātīta’ supports the pilgrim’s inner-tīrtha: seeing all forms as His concealment (tirodhāna) and realizing the formless through grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: virūpākṣāya rudrāya bahurūpāya śaṃbhave | virūpāyātirūpāya rūpātītāya te namaḥ

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

This verse praises Śiva as simultaneously accessible through countless divine forms (bahurūpa) and ultimately transcendent of all form (rūpātīta). In a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it directs devotion toward Pati (Śiva) who grants grace and liberation—showing that worship may begin with form, yet culminates in realizing the Formless Lord beyond all limiting appearances.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The Linga is a central Shaiva symbol that holds both meanings at once: a worshipable presence (saguṇa support for bhakti) and a sign of the formless Absolute (nirguṇa reality). Calling Śiva bahurūpa and rūpātīta harmonizes image-based devotion with the truth that Śiva is not confined to any single icon or attribute.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use this as a short stotra during japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), contemplating Śiva as the many-formed Lord pervading all, then resting attention in the rūpātīta (beyond-form) silence. In pūjā, it pairs naturally with offering bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and bilva leaves while maintaining inner remembrance of Śiva’s transcendence.