Shloka 39

The Bestowal of Boons upon Aṅga

Devanagari script

मायाधराय मूर्ताय त्वमूर्ताय नमोनमः । सर्वमूर्तिधरायैव शंकराय नमोनमः

Transliteration

māyādharāya mūrtāya tvamūrtāya namonamaḥ | sarvamūrtidharāyaiva śaṃkarāya namonamaḥ

Translation

माया धारण करणाऱ्या, साकार तसेच निराकार अशा शंकरास वारंवार नमस्कार; जो एकटाच सर्व रूपे धारण करतो, त्यास वारंवार प्रणाम।

Word by Word

• मायाधराय: to the bearer of māyā
• मायाधराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (मायां धरति इति)

• मूर्ताय: to the embodied one
• मूर्ताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोग (मूर्तः)

• त्वमूर्ताय: to the unembodied one
• त्वमूर्ताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्व् (निषेध-उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; नञर्थक-प्रयोग (अमूर्तः/अव्यक्तः)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• नमः: salutation (again)
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• सर्वमूर्तिधराय: to the bearer of all forms
• सर्वमूर्तिधराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + मूर्ति + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वा मूर्तिः यस्य/येन धार्यते)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphasis/only)

• शंकराय: to Śaṅkara
• शंकराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• नमः: salutation (again)
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

Speaker

A devotee/narrative voice offering a hymn of praise (stuti) to Śiva/Śaṅkara

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: नमोनमः = नमः + नमः (विसर्ग-लोप/ओ-आदेश); धरायैव = धराय + एव (स्वर-सन्धि); शंकर = शङ्कर (अनुस्वार/निग्रह).

Characters & Entities

• Shankara (Shiva)

FAQs

How can Śaṅkara be described as both with form and formless in this verse?

The verse praises Śiva as manifest in worshipable forms (mūrta) while also being the transcendent reality beyond form (a-mūrta), expressing a theological synthesis of immanence and transcendence.

What does “sarva-mūrti-dhara” imply about Śiva’s nature?

It suggests Śiva is the underlying support of all manifested forms—divine, cosmic, and individual—indicating His all-pervasive presence and sovereignty over manifestation.

What devotional practice does this shloka model?

It models stuti (hymnic praise) through repeated salutations (namo namaḥ), emphasizing humility and contemplative remembrance of the deity’s paradoxical attributes.