Shloka 38

कामभस्म-प्रार्थना: रत्याः शङ्करं प्रति विनयः / Rati’s Supplication to Śaṅkara regarding Kāma’s Ashes

Devanagari script

जय निर्गुण निष्काम कारणातीत सर्वग । जय लीलाखिलाधार धृतरूप नमोऽस्तु ते

Transliteration

jaya nirguṇa niṣkāma kāraṇātīta sarvaga | jaya līlākhilādhāra dhṛtarūpa namo'stu te

Translation

जय निर्गुण निष्काम कारणातीत सर्वग! जय लीलाखिलाधार स्वेच्छाधृतरूप! नमोऽस्तु ते॥

Word by Word

• जय: victory! hail!
• जय: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जय (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: सम्बोधनार्थक-जयशब्दः; अव्यय (interjection/particle of salutation)

• निर्गुण: O attributeless one
• निर्गुण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक; निर्+गुण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; विशेषण (vocative adjective)

• निष्काम: O desireless one
• निष्काम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्काम (प्रातिपदिक; निः+काम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कारणातीत: O one beyond cause
• कारणातीत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कारणातीत (प्रातिपदिक; कारण+अतीत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वग: O all-pervading one
• सर्वग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वग (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व+ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जय: hail!
• जय: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जय (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: सम्बोधनार्थक-निपात; अव्यय

• लीलाखिलाधार: O support of all (by divine play)
• लीलाखिलाधार: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला+अखिल+आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः): लीलायाः अखिलस्य आधारः (support of all through play)

• धृतरूप: O bearer of (assumed) forms
• धृतरूप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत+रूप (प्रातिपदिक; धृ-धातुज कृदन्त ‘धृत’ + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः): धृतं रूपं येन/यस्य

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (indeclinable salutation); प्रायः चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-संबन्धेन प्रयुज्यते

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: to you / for you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive) एकवचन; सर्वनाम; ‘to you/for you’ अर्थे दत्तिवत् प्रयोगः अपि (genitive of reference)

Speaker

Parvati (as a hymn of praise to Lord Shiva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a jyotirliṅga account; the verse articulates the nirguṇa–saguṇa dialectic: Śiva beyond guṇas yet assuming forms for līlā and governance.

Significance: Supports contemplative worship: seeing Śiva as both transcendent (nirguṇa) and immanent (dhṛtarūpa) stabilizes devotion and knowledge, aiding release from pāśa (māyā).

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: जय निर्गुण निष्काम कारणातीत सर्वग । जय लीलाखिलाधार धृतरूप नमोऽस्तु ते

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It praises Shiva as simultaneously transcendent (nirguṇa, beyond the guṇas and causal limitation) and immanent (sarvaga, all-pervading), guiding the devotee to surrender beyond desire (niṣkāma) toward liberation (moksha) through devotion.

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

By calling Shiva ‘dhṛta-rūpa’ (the One who assumes forms), it affirms saguna worship—such as the Śiva-liṅga—as a compassionate manifestation of the nirguṇa Reality, making the transcendent approachable for bhakti and meditation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A niṣkāma bhakti practice: repeat the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while contemplating Shiva as nirguṇa (formless substratum) and as dhṛta-rūpa (the deity present in the liṅga), ideally with tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and steady japa-dhyāna.