Shloka 43
Viśvānara-Gṛhapati Upākhyāna — Śivasya Agni-gṛhe Avatāraḥ
The Account of Viśvānara Gṛhapati and Śiva’s Descent into the House of Fire
कर्ता हर्त्ता त्वं हि सर्वस्य शम्भो नानारूपेष्वेकरूपोऽप्यरूपः । यद्वत्प्रत्यग्धर्म एकोऽप्यनेकस्तस्मान्नान्यन्त्वां विनेशम्प्रपद्ये
kartā harttā tvaṃ hi sarvasya śambho nānārūpeṣvekarūpo'pyarūpaḥ | yadvatpratyagdharma eko'pyanekastasmānnānyantvāṃ vineśamprapadye
O Śambhu, You alone are the creator and the withdrawer of all. Though You appear in many forms, in truth You are One, and yet beyond every form. As the one indwelling principle (the inner Self) is spoken of as many through its functions, so too You are one in essence. Therefore, apart from You, O Lord, I seek no other refuge.
A devotee-sage offering a hymn of surrender to Lord Shiva (as narrated within Śatarudrasaṃhitā by Suta Goswami).
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Type: stotra
FAQs
It affirms Shiva as both the source and the dissolver of the cosmos, teaching that his many manifest forms are expressions of one supreme reality; liberation comes through exclusive surrender to that one Lord as the final refuge.
The verse supports Saguna worship (forms and names) while grounding it in Nirguna truth: the Linga and other forms are approachable manifestations of the same formless Shiva who transcends all form.
The takeaway is śaraṇāgati (surrender) supported by japa and contemplation—such as repeating the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while meditating on Shiva as the one Lord appearing in many forms yet beyond form.