Shloka 16

Kāmarūpeśvara’s Trial and Śiva’s Hidden Protection (कামरूपेश्वर-रक्षा-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

नृप उवाच । भजामि शंकरं देवं स्वभक्तपरिपालकम् । चराचराणां सर्वेषामीश्वरं निर्विकारकम्

Transliteration

nṛpa uvāca | bhajāmi śaṃkaraṃ devaṃ svabhaktaparipālakam | carācarāṇāṃ sarveṣāmīśvaraṃ nirvikārakam

Translation

国王说道：“我礼敬商羯罗天尊，护持自家奉献者之主；祂是统御一切有情与无情之大自在者，恒常不变、无有变异。”

Word by Word

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भजामि: I worship
• भजामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; apposition to शंकरम्

• स्वभक्तपरिपालकम्: protector of his devotees
• स्वभक्तपरिपालकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + भक्त + परिपालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: स्वस्य भक्तानां परिपालकः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; qualifies शंकरम्/देवम्

• चराचराणाम्: of the moving and unmoving beings
• चराचराणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर: चर + अचर); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; qualifies चराचराणाम्

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• निर्विकारकम्: unchanging/without modification
• निर्विकारकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + विकारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद/नञ्-तत्पुरुषभाव: निर्-उपसर्गयुक्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; qualifies ईश्वरम्

Speaker

The King (Nṛpa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: भजामि शंकरं देवं स्वभक्तपरिपालकम् । चराचराणां सर्वेषामीश्वरं निर्विकारकम्

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Pati (the Supreme Lord) who compassionately protects devotees while remaining nirvikāra—unchanged by worldly conditions—encouraging surrender and steady bhakti as a path toward liberation.

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

Although Shiva is described as changeless (a nirguna attribute), the act of “bhajāmi” points to saguna worship—devotion expressed through forms such as the Śiva-liṅga, where the devotee approaches the transcendent Lord through a sanctified symbol.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is daily bhajana with Panchākṣarī japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating Shiva as the protector of devotees and the Lord of all beings; this can be paired with simple liṅga-pūjā and offering of bilva leaves.