Namastubhyaḿ Virúpákśa namaste divyacakśuśe;
Namah pinákahastáya vajrahastáya vae namah.
Namastrishúlahastáya dańd́apáshásipáńaye;
Namastraelokyanátháya bhútánáḿ pataye namah.
Namah Shiváya shántáya kárańatrayahetave;
Nivedayámi cátmánaḿ tvaḿ gatih Parameshvara.

[Salutations to You, O Virúpákśa, salutations to the one with
divine vision –
Salutations to the one holding the pináka drum and the
thunderbolt –
Salutations to the wielder of the trishúla, staff and rope –
Salutations to the lord of the three worlds and the lord of all
created beings –
Salutations to Shiva the tranquil, the cause of the three worlds
I surrender myself to You, the culmination of my journey, the
Supreme Lord.]

The word virúpákśa has two meanings. One of the meanings is, “one whose eyes are virúpa – displeased or angry”. The second meaning is “a person who looks upon everything with His special expression of sweet benevolence, who views everything with compassion”. To the sinful, Shiva is virúpákśa in the first sense, and to the virtuous He is virúpákśa in the second sense.

One who possesses divine vision is called divyacakśu – that is, “one who can see the original hidden cause of everything – the omniscient knower of past, present and future”. The one who, by playing His pináka drum, is creating a stir in the bodies, a vibration in the minds, and a thrill in the souls of all creatures is Sadáshiva. For the punishment of the wicked and the protection of the good, weapons have been used in all ages, and will be used in future. Shiva has been wielding His terrible weapon vajra, the thunderbolt, for the welfare of all. Thus He is not only vajradhara [“the wielder of the thunderbolt”], but shubhavajradhara [“the wielder of the thunderbolt of welfare”].

The weapon which pierces sinners from three sides is called trishúla. In Shiva’s hand there was a trishúla (so He is called shúlapáńi) to strike terror in the hearts of the sinners so that they might desist from their sins and be forced to let honest people live in peace. And to control the sinners and bind them in tight bondages, Shiva held in His hand a lathi [staff] and a rope.

He is controlling the psychic realm which sustains and nourishes the entire life-flow of heaven, earth and underworld – so He is called Trilokanátha [the Lord of the Three Worlds]. And in this quinquelemental world, He clearly understands the nature and behaviour of each and every entity, so He is called Bhútanátha [the Lord of All Created Beings]. He is also Pramathanátha [the Lord of Music Students]. As Shiva has consummate control over Himself, both internally and externally, He is called shánta [tranquil]. This tranquil puruśa has the authority to control everything, and that is why regarding Him it has been said, Namah Shiváya shántáya [“Salutations to Shiva the tranquil one”].

In the crude, subtle and causal worlds, the noumenal factor is Citishakti [Consciousness]. Shiva and Citishakti are identical. Thus regarding Him it has been said, kárańatrayahetave [“the causal factor of the three worlds”]. All entities prostrate before that Supreme Entity which has illuminated the inside and outside of all manifested and unmanifested entities with His own sweet, glorious effulgence; they all totally surrender to Him. He is the culminating point of all the entities, so about Him it has been said, nivedayámi cátmánaḿ tvaḿ gatih Parameshvara [“O Supreme Lord, I surrender myself unto You; You are my supreme shelter”]. “O Shiva, O Parama Puruśa, the last shelter of the shelterless, the final rest of the weary – I surrender all my existential feeling unto Your feet. Besides You I have nothing – without You, I have no existence.”