Karpura Gauram - 4

The Shloka

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नागेन्द्रहाराय त्रिलोचनाय भस्माङ्गरागाय महेश्वराय।

नित्याय शुद्धाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै नकाराय नमः शिवाय।

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Nāgendrahārāya Trilocanāya Bhasmāṅgarāgāya Maheśvarāya.

Nityāya Śuddhāya Digambarāya Tasmai Nakārāya Namaḥ Śivāya.

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Meaning / Summary

This shloka is the first verse of the revered Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, a hymn of praise dedicated to Lord Shiva. It specifically invokes the ‘Na’ syllable from the sacred ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ mantra. The significance lies in its profound devotional descriptions of Shiva’s key attributes: his transcendence over danger (serpents), divine knowledge (three eyes), detachment from the material world (ash-smeared body, sky-clad), and his eternal, pure, and supreme nature. Chanting this verse is believed to cleanse the mind, invoke Shiva’s blessings, and guide the devotee towards spiritual understanding and liberation, emphasizing the formless yet attribute-laden nature of the Divine.

Salutations to Lord Shiva, who wears the king of serpents as a garland, who has three eyes, whose body is adorned with sacred ash, who is the Great Lord; to the Eternal, the Pure, the one whose garments are the directions, to Him, who is represented by the syllable ‘Na’.

This verse is a beautiful eulogy to Lord Shiva, describing him as the one adorned with the king of serpents, the possessor of three eyes, smeared with sacred ash, and the supreme Great Lord. It further praises him as the Eternal, the Pure, and the Digambara (sky-clad). The verse concludes with a salutation to this Shiva, specifically associating these attributes with the ‘Na’ syllable of the Panchakshara mantra, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’.

Sentence - 1

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नागेन्द्रहाराय त्रिलोचनाय भस्माङ्गरागाय महेश्वराय।

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Meaning

To Him who wears the lord of serpents as a garland, to the three-eyed one, to Him whose body is smeared with sacred ash, to the Great Lord.

Meaning of Words

नागेन्द्रहाराय	Nāgendrahārāya
To Him who wears the king of serpents as a garland. Nāga means serpent or cobra, Indra means chief or king, so Nāgendra refers to the king of serpents (often identified with Vasuki, the serpent around Shiva’s neck). Hāra means garland or necklace. The suffix -āya means ‘to him’ or ‘for him’ in the dative case. Thus, it refers to Lord Shiva, who adorns himself with the king of serpents as a garland, symbolizing his mastery over all fears and dangerous beings, and his transcendence of mortality.
त्रिलोचनाय	Trilocanāya
To the three-eyed one. Tri means three, and Locana means eye. The suffix -āya is for the dative case. Lord Shiva is known for his three eyes: the two ordinary eyes representing the sun and moon (activity and tranquility, objective and subjective perception), and the third eye (located on his forehead) representing wisdom, knowledge, and intuition. When opened, the third eye can destroy ignorance, evil, and the desires of the material world.
भस्माङ्गरागाय	Bhasmāṅgarāgāya
To Him whose body is smeared with sacred ash. Bhasma means sacred ash, typically from cremation grounds or sacrificial fires. Aṅga means body or limb. Rāga here means smearing or anointing. The suffix -āya is for the dative case. Shiva’s smearing of ash on his body symbolizes detachment from the material world, the ephemeral nature of the physical body, and his association with the ultimate reality after creation and destruction. It also signifies purity and asceticism.
महेश्वराय	Maheśvarāya
To the Great Lord. Mahā means great or supreme, and Īśvara means lord or ruler. The suffix -āya is for the dative case. Maheśvara is one of the most common and revered names of Lord Shiva, acknowledging his supreme power, sovereignty, and benevolent nature as the controller of the universe.

Sentence - 2

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नित्याय शुद्धाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै नकाराय नमः शिवाय।

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Meaning

To the Eternal, to the Pure, to the one who is sky-clad (clothed in directions); to Him, represented by the syllable ‘Na’, salutations to Shiva.

Meaning of Words

नित्याय	Nityāya
To the Eternal one. Nitya means eternal, perpetual, or constant. The suffix -āya is for the dative case. It signifies that Lord Shiva is beyond the cycles of birth, death, and time; he is the unchanging, everlasting reality.
शुद्धाय	Śuddhāya
To the Pure one. Śuddha means pure, clean, or undefiled. The suffix -āya is for the dative case. Shiva is considered pristine and untainted by worldly impurities, desires, or karmic actions. He represents ultimate purity and transcendence.
दिगम्बराय	Digambarāya
To the one whose garments are the directions (sky-clad). Dik means direction (such as north, south, east, west), and Ambara means garment or sky. The suffix -āya is for the dative case. Digambara literally means ‘one whose garments are the directions,’ implying that he is nude or sky-clad. This symbolizes his complete detachment from material possessions, his all-pervading nature, and his transcendence of social norms and physical limitations. It signifies that the entire universe is his covering.
तस्मै	Tasmai
To Him. Tasmai is the dative singular form of ‘tad,’ meaning ‘that’ or ‘him.’ It refers back to Lord Shiva, emphasizing the direct address to him.
नकाराय	Nakārāya
To the one represented by the syllable ‘Na’. Nakāra refers to the syllable ‘Na’. The suffix -āya is for the dative case. This shloka is the first verse of the Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, where each verse describes an attribute of Shiva starting with one of the five syllables of the sacred mantra ‘Na-Ma-Śi-Vā-Ya’ (Om Namah Shivaya). This particular verse extols Shiva’s qualities corresponding to the syllable ‘Na’.
नमः	Namaḥ
Salutations. Namaḥ signifies salutations, obeisance, reverence, or bowing down. It is a gesture of respectful submission and devotion.
शिवाय	Śivāya
To Shiva, to the Auspicious one. Śiva means auspicious, benevolent, or propitious. The suffix -āya is for the dative case. It is the name of the supreme deity, Lord Shiva, revered as the transformer and destroyer within the Trimurti (Hindu Trinity), but also as the source of all good and ultimate liberation.

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