Shiva's Eight Forms (Ashtamurti)

Verse 1 (shiva.shatarudra.2.1)

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । शृणु तात महेशस्यावतारान्परमान्प्रभो । सर्वकार्यकराँल्लोके सर्वस्य सुखदां मुने

nandīśvara uvāca śṛṇu tāta maheśasyāvatārānparamānprabho sarvakāryakarāṁlloke sarvasya sukhadāṁ mune

Nandishvara said: Listen, dear one, O lord, to the supreme incarnations of Mahesha — accomplishers of every task in the world, givers of happiness to all, O sage.

Verse 2 (shiva.shatarudra.2.2)

तस्य शम्भोः परेशस्य मूर्त्यष्टकमयं जगत् । तस्मिन्व्याप्य स्थितं विश्वं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव

tasya śambhoḥ pareśasya mūrtyaṣṭakamayaṁ jagat tasminvyāpya sthitaṁ viśvaṁ sūtre maṇigaṇā iva

This universe is made of the eightfold form of that supreme Lord Shambhu; the whole world abides pervaded within it, like a string of gems strung on a thread.

Verse 3 (shiva.shatarudra.2.3)

शर्वो भवस्तथा रुद्र उग्रो भीमः पशोः पतिः । ईशानश्च महादेवो मूर्तयश्चाष्ट विश्रुताः

śarvo bhavastathā rudra ugro bhīmaḥ paśoḥ patiḥ īśānaśca mahādevo mūrtayaścāṣṭa viśrutāḥ

Sharva, Bhava, Rudra, Ugra, Bhima, Pashupati, Ishana and Mahadeva — these are the eight renowned forms.

Verse 4 (shiva.shatarudra.2.4)

भूम्यम्भोऽग्निमरुद्व्योमक्षेत्रज्ञार्कनिशाकराः । अधिष्ठिताश्च शर्वाद्यैरष्टरूपैः शिवस्य हि

bhūmyambho’gnimarudvyomakṣetrajñārkaniśākarāḥ adhiṣṭhitāśca śarvādyairaṣṭarūpaiḥ śivasya hi

Earth, water, fire, wind, ether, the individual soul, the sun, and the moon — these are presided over by the eight forms of Shiva beginning with Sharva.

Verse 5 (shiva.shatarudra.2.5)

धत्ते चराचरं विश्वं रूपं विश्वम्भरात्मकम् । शङ्करस्य महेशस्य शास्त्रस्यैवेति निश्चयः

dhatte carācaraṁ viśvaṁ rūpaṁ viśvambharātmakam śaṅkarasya maheśasya śāstrasyaiveti niścayaḥ

The form that bears the moving and unmoving universe is itself the world-sustaining form of Shankara Mahesha — this is the settled teaching of the scriptures.

Verse 6 (shiva.shatarudra.2.6)

सञ्जीवनं समस्तस्य जगतः सलिलात्मकम् । भव इत्युच्यते रूपं भवस्य परमात्मनः

sañjīvanaṁ samastasya jagataḥ salilātmakam bhava ityucyate rūpaṁ bhavasya paramātmanaḥ

The watery form that gives life to the whole universe is called the form named Bhava, of that Supreme Self.

Verse 7 (shiva.shatarudra.2.7)

बहिरन्तर्जगद्विश्वं बिभर्ति स्पन्दते स्वयम् । उग्र इत्युच्यते सद्भी रूपमुग्रस्य सत्प्रभोः

bahirantarjagadviśvaṁ bibharti spandate svayam ugra ityucyate sadbhī rūpamugrasya satprabhoḥ

That which sustains the world within and without and itself vibrates as the wind — that form of the true Lord is called Ugra by the wise.

Verse 8 (shiva.shatarudra.2.8)

सर्वावकाशदं सर्वव्यापकं गगनात्मकम् । रूपं भीमस्य भीमाख्यं भूपवृन्दस्व भेदकम्

sarvāvakāśadaṁ sarvavyāpakaṁ gaganātmakam rūpaṁ bhīmasya bhīmākhyaṁ bhūpavṛndasva bhedakam

That ether-formed, all-space-giving, all-pervading form is the form of Bhima, called Bhima, which supports and distinguishes the multitudes of beings.

Verse 9 (shiva.shatarudra.2.9)

सर्वात्मनामधिष्ठानं सर्वक्षेत्रनिवासकम् । रूपं पशुपतेर्ज्ञेयं पशुपाशनिकृन्तनम्

sarvātmanāmadhiṣṭhānaṁ sarvakṣetranivāsakam rūpaṁ paśupaterjñeyaṁ paśupāśanikṛntanam

The form of Pashupati is to be known as the substratum of all souls, dwelling within every body, the one who cuts the bonds of creatures.

Verse 10 (shiva.shatarudra.2.10)

सन्दीपयञ्जगत्सर्वं दिवाकरसमाह्वयम् । ईशानाख्यं महेशस्य रूपं दिवि विसर्पति

sandīpayañjagatsarvaṁ divākarasamāhvayam īśānākhyaṁ maheśasya rūpaṁ divi visarpati

That form of Mahesha called Ishana, bearing the name of the sun, illumining the whole world, moves through the sky.

Verse 11 (shiva.shatarudra.2.11)

आप्याययति यो विश्वममृतांशुर्निशाकरः । महादेवस्य तद्रूपं महादेवस्य चाह्वयम्

āpyāyayati yo viśvamamṛtāṁśurniśākaraḥ mahādevasya tadrūpaṁ mahādevasya cāhvayam

That which nourishes the universe as the nectar-rayed moon is the form of Mahadeva, and it bears the name Mahadeva.

Verse 12 (shiva.shatarudra.2.12)

आत्मा तस्याष्टमं रूपं शिवस्य परमात्मनः । व्यापिकेतरमूर्तीनां विश्वं तस्माच्छिवात्मकम्

ātmā tasyāṣṭamaṁ rūpaṁ śivasya paramātmanaḥ vyāpiketaramūrtīnāṁ viśvaṁ tasmācchivātmakam

The individual soul is the eighth form of Shiva, the Supreme Self, pervading the other seven forms; hence the universe is of the nature of Shiva.

Verse 13 (shiva.shatarudra.2.13)

शाखाः पुष्यन्ति वृक्षस्य वृक्षमूलस्य सेचनात् । तद्वदस्य वपुर्विश्वं पुष्यते च शिवार्चनात्

śākhāḥ puṣyanti vṛkṣasya vṛkṣamūlasya secanāt tadvadasya vapurviśvaṁ puṣyate ca śivārcanāt

As the branches of a tree flourish when its root is watered, so this body of the universe flourishes through the worship of Shiva.

Verse 14 (shiva.shatarudra.2.14)

यथेह पुत्रपौत्रादेः प्रीत्या प्रीतो भवेत्पिता । तथा विश्वस्य सम्प्रीत्या प्रीतो भवति शङ्करः

yatheha putrapautrādeḥ prītyā prīto bhavetpitā tathā viśvasya samprītyā prīto bhavati śaṅkaraḥ

As here a father becomes pleased through the love of his sons and grandsons, so Shankara becomes pleased through the true love of the universe.

Verse 15 (shiva.shatarudra.2.15)

क्रियते यस्य कस्यापि देहिनो यदि निग्रहः । अष्टमूर्तेरनिष्टं तत्कृतमेव न संशयः

kriyate yasya kasyāpi dehino yadi nigrahaḥ aṣṭamūrteraniṣṭaṁ tatkṛtameva na saṁśayaḥ

If harm is done to any embodied being whatsoever, it is, without doubt, harm done to the Eightfold-formed one himself.

Verse 16 (shiva.shatarudra.2.16)

अष्टमूर्त्यात्मना विश्वमधिष्ठायास्थितं शिवम् । भजस्व सर्वभावेन रुद्रं परमकारणम्

aṣṭamūrtyātmanā viśvamadhiṣṭhāyāsthitaṁ śivam bhajasva sarvabhāvena rudraṁ paramakāraṇam

Worship with your whole being that Rudra, the supreme cause, Shiva, who abides pervading the universe in the form of these eight forms.

Verse 17 (shiva.shatarudra.2.17)

इति प्रोक्ताः स्वरूपास्ते विधिपुत्राष्टविश्रुताः । सर्वोपकारनिरताः सेव्याः श्रेयोऽर्थिभिर्नरैः

iti proktāḥ svarūpāste vidhiputrāṣṭaviśrutāḥ sarvopakāraniratāḥ sevyāḥ śreyo’rthibhirnaraiḥ

Thus have these eight renowned forms, ordained by sacred rule, been described — ever devoted to the good of all; they are to be served by men who seek their own welfare.