Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 33

देवस्तुतिः—शिवस्य परब्रह्मत्वं, मायाशक्तिः, कर्मफलप्रदातृत्वं च

Devas’ Hymn: Śiva as Parabrahman, Māyā-Śakti, and Giver of Karmic Fruits

Devanagari script

वामाय वामरूपाय वामनेत्राय ते नमः । अघोराय परेशाय विकटाय नमोनमः

Transliteration

vāmāya vāmarūpāya vāmanetrāya te namaḥ | aghorāya pareśāya vikaṭāya namonamaḥ

Translation

顶礼于汝，噢婆摩（Vāma）——慈和之相、柔善之目者。再三顶礼于汝，噢阿伽罗（Aghora）——超越一切的至上主；亦顶礼于汝，那广大而威猛可畏者。

Word by Word

• वामाय: to Vāma
• वामाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; विशेष-नाम (वाम)

• वामरूपाय: to him of the Vāma-form
• वामरूपाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—वामं रूपं यस्य सः (वामरूप)

• वामनेत्राय: to him with the left eye (Vāma-eyed)
• वामनेत्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—वामं नेत्रं यस्य सः (वामनेत्र)

• ते: to you/your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; (to you/your)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava (भाव/Utterance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

• अघोराय: to Aghora
• अघोराय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; विशेष-नाम (अघोर)

• परेशाय: to the supreme Lord
• परेशाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—पराणाम् ईशः (परेश)

• विकटाय: to the formidable one
• विकटाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava (भाव/Utterance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

• नमः: salutation (again)
• नमः: Bhava (भाव/Utterance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (intensification)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya; the verse functions as a stotra within the narration)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vāmadeva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: वामाय वामरूपाय वामनेत्राय ते नमः । अघोराय परेशाय विकटाय नमोनमः

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that the same Pati (Lord Shiva) is approached through multiple sacred aspects—Vāma (graceful, auspicious) and Aghora/Vikaṭa (fear-transcending, formidable). In Shaiva Siddhanta, such nāma-stuti purifies the pashu (bound soul) and loosens pāśa (bondage) by turning the mind toward Shiva’s protecting and liberating presence.

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

These epithets are Saguna pointers used in Linga worship: devotees offer water, bilva, and mantra while contemplating Shiva as both gentle (Vāma) and overwhelming in majesty (Vikaṭa), recognizing that the one Linga signifies the single Supreme Lord (Pareśa) who manifests many forms for devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use this verse as nāma-japa or stotra during daily pūjā—especially on Mahāśivarātri—after applying tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and wearing rudrākṣa, mentally alternating contemplation of Shiva’s soothing gaze (Vāma) and his fear-dissolving purity (Aghora).