Muñjavān on Himavat: Maheśvara’s abode, Śiva-stuti, and sacrificial gold
Chapter 8
विरूपाक्षं दशभुजं दिव्यगोवृषभध्वजम् । उम्र॑ स्थाणुं शिवं रौद्रं शर्व गौरीशमी श्वरम्
virūpākṣaṃ daśabhujaṃ divyagovṛṣabhadhvajam | ugraṃ sthāṇuṃ śivaṃ raudraṃ śarvaṃ gaurīśam īśvaram ||
વિરૂપાક્ષ, દશભુજ, ધ્વજ પર દિવ્ય વृषભચિહ્ન ધારણ કરનાર; ઉગ્ર છતાં સ્થાણુ, શિવ છતાં રૌદ્ર; શર્વ, ગૌરીશ, પરમેશ્વર—તે પ્રભુનું હું શરણ લઉં છું।
संवर्त उवाच
The verse teaches devotional orientation through remembrance of the divine by many names: acknowledging Śiva as both auspicious (śiva) and formidable (ugra/raudra) encourages humility, surrender, and trust in a higher moral order—especially relevant in the post-war setting where rites and responsibilities must be grounded in reverence and restraint.
Saṃvarta offers a hymn-like invocation to Śiva, stringing together epithets that highlight Śiva’s power, sovereignty, and relationship to Gaurī, while also evoking his emblem (the bull on the banner). This functions as a formal act of praise and taking refuge before or during consequential actions in the Ashvamedhika context.