Rudrashtakam - 2

The Shloka

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निराकारमोंकारमूलं तुरीयं गिराज्ञानगोतीतमीशं गिरीशम् ।

करालं महाकालकालं कृपालं गुणागारसंसारपारं नतोऽहम् ॥

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nirākāramoṃkāramūlaṃ turīyaṃ girājñānagōtītamīśaṃ girīśam ।

karālaṃ mahākālakālaṃ kṛpālaṃ guṇāgārasaṃsārapāraṃ natō’ham ॥

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Meaning / Summary

This shloka is a profound tribute to Lord Shiva, emphasizing His transcendental nature. It describes Shiva as the ultimate reality, who is beyond all forms and attributes (nirākāram), the very origin of creation as symbolized by Om (oṃkāramūlam). He is the fourth state of consciousness (turīyam), the supreme awareness that underlies and transcends the waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states. He is beyond human comprehension, speech, and knowledge (girājñānagōtītam), highlighting His infinite and incomprehensible nature. Despite His formidable and terrifying aspects (karālam), as the one who even controls Mahakala (time and death itself), He is also immensely compassionate (kṛpālaṃ) and the repository of all good qualities (guṇāgāra). The shloka concludes by revering Him as the one who liberates beings from the endless cycle of birth and death (saṃsārapāraṃ). It encourages deep devotion and surrender to this all-encompassing, supreme being.

I bow down to Him who is formless, the root of Om, the fourth state of consciousness, beyond the reach of speech, knowledge, and senses, the Lord, the Lord of mountains. To Him who is formidable, the controller of Mahakala (the great time or death), compassionate, the abode of all virtues, and who takes one beyond the cycle of worldly existence, I offer my salutations.

This shloka from Rudrashtakam is a deep salutation to Lord Shiva, describing Him as the formless origin of Om, the supreme consciousness beyond human comprehension and senses. It praises Him as the terrifying controller of time and death, yet simultaneously as the compassionate Lord who is the source of all virtues and the liberator from the cycle of rebirth. The devotee expresses complete surrender and reverence to such a powerful and benevolent deity.

Sentence - 1

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निराकारमोंकारमूलं तुरीयं गिराज्ञानगोतीतमीशं गिरीशम् ।

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Meaning

I bow down to Him who is formless, the root of Om, the fourth state of consciousness (Turiya), beyond the reach of speech, knowledge, and senses, the Lord, the Lord of mountains.

Meaning of Words

निराकारम्	nirākāram	formless, without shape
ओंकारमूलम्	oṃkāramūlam	the root or origin of the sacred syllable Om
तुरीयम्	turīyam
the fourth state of consciousness; a state of pure consciousness beyond waking, dreaming, and deep sleep
गिराज्ञानगोतीतम्	girājñānagōtītam
beyond the reach of speech, knowledge, and senses. This compound word combines ‘girā’ (by speech), ‘ajñāna’ (ignorance, lack of knowledge, implying something beyond intellectual grasp), ‘go’ (senses or the sphere of perception), and ‘atītam’ (transcended, beyond). Thus, it refers to that which cannot be described by words, comprehended by knowledge, or perceived by the senses.
ईशम्	īśam	the Lord, the ruler, the master
गिरीशम्	girīśam	Lord of mountains; an epithet for Lord Shiva

Sentence - 2

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करालं महाकालकालं कृपालं गुणागारसंसारपारं नतोऽहम् ॥

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Meaning

To Him who is formidable, the controller of Mahakala (the great time or death), compassionate, the abode of all virtues, and who takes one beyond the cycle of worldly existence, I bow down.

Meaning of Words

करालम्	karālam
formidable, terrifying, dreadful, having a gaping mouth
महाकालकालम्	mahākālakālam
the controller or destroyer of Mahakala (even beyond the great time or death). Mahakala literally means ‘Great Time’ or ‘Great Death’, often personified as a fierce form of Shiva or an aspect of the ultimate destroyer. ‘Kālam’ in this context refers to the one who governs or even transcends this ‘Mahakala’. Thus, it signifies Shiva’s supreme power over time and death.
कृपालम्	kṛpālam	compassionate, merciful, benevolent
गुणागारसंसारपारम्	guṇāgārasaṃsārapāram
the abode of all virtues; one who transcends the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas) and is the repository of all good qualities. This is a compound of ‘guṇāgāra’ (abode of qualities or virtues, implying transcendence of material qualities) and ‘saṃsārapāram’ (one who takes across or beyond ‘samsara’, the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth).
नतोऽहम्	natō’ham
I bow down; I offer salutations. ‘Nataḥ’ means ‘bowed’ or ‘prostrated’, and ‘aham’ means ‘I’. Together it means ‘I bow down’ or ‘I offer my obeisances’.

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