Karpur Gauram Shiva Stuti

Karpur Gauram is a short but profound Sanskrit shloka in praise of Lord Shiva, traditionally chanted at the conclusion of Shiva worship, immediately after the Hindi aarti Om Jai Shiv Omkara. It describes Shiva as camphor-white, an incarnation of compassion, the essence of all existence, adorned with a garland of serpents, forever dwelling in the lotus of the devotee's heart. Together with the full Om Jai Shiv Omkara aarti, it forms the complete evening worship of Shiva observed in temples and homes across India.

कर्पूरगौरं करुणावतारं संसारसारं भुजगेन्द्रहारम् । सदावसन्तं हृदयारविन्दे भवं भवानीसहितं नमामि ॥

I bow to Bhava, Lord Shiva, together with Bhavani, Mother Parvati, who is as white as camphor, who is the very incarnation of compassion, who is the essence of all worldly existence, who wears the king of serpents as a garland, and who forever resides in the lotus of my heart. This single verse contains the entire spirit of Shiva bhakti: purity, compassion, detachment from the world's illusions, and the certainty that Shiva dwells within the devotee's own heart.

ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा, स्वामी जय शिव ओंकारा ब्रह्मा विष्णु सदाशिव, अर्धांगी धारा ॥ ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा...

एकानन चतुरानन पञ्चानन राजे हंसासन गरुड़ासन वृषवाहन साजे ॥ ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा...

दो भुज चार चतुर्भुज दस भुज अति सोहे त्रिगुण रूप निरखते त्रिभुवन जन मोहे ॥ ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा...

अक्षमाला वनमाला मुण्डमाला धारी त्रिपुरारी कंसारी कर माला धारी ॥ ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा...

श्वेताम्बर पीताम्बर बाघम्बर अंगे सनकादिक गरुणादिक भूतादिक संगे ॥ ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा...

कर के मध्य कमण्डलु चक्र त्रिशूल धत्ता सुखकारी दुखहारी जगपालनकर्ता ॥ ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा...

ब्रह्मा विष्णु सदाशिव जानत अविवेका प्रणवाक्षर मध्ये ये तीनों एका ॥ ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा...

काशी में विश्वनाथ विराजत नन्दी ब्रह्मचारी नित उठि दर्शन पावत महिमा अति भारी ॥ ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा...

त्रिगुणस्वामी जी की आरती जो कोई नर गावे कहत शिवानन्द स्वामी मनवांछित फल पावे ॥ ॐ जय शिव ओंकारा...

The aarti hails Shiva as the very embodiment of the sacred syllable Om, whose one half of the body is shared with Devi Parvati, and who exists as Brahma, Vishnu and Sadashiva in one. He is described with one face, four faces or five faces depending on his form, seated variously on a swan, an eagle or his bull Nandi. His two, four or ten arms are adorned with a rosary, garland of forest flowers and a garland of skulls; he holds weapons and symbols that mark him as Tripurari, the destroyer of the three cities, and Kansari.

He wears white, yellow or tiger-skin garments and is accompanied by sages like Sanaka, by Garuda and by his ganas. In his hands he holds the water pot, discus and trishul, and he is both the giver of happiness and the remover of sorrow, the sustainer of the world. Those without true understanding see Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as separate, but within the syllable Om, these three are one. In Kashi, Lord Vishwanath resides with the celibate Nandi ever in attendance, and those who behold him daily receive his profound grace. Whoever sings this aarti of the three-gunas Lord attains whatever their heart truly desires, as Shivanand Swami affirms.

Both the Om Jai Shiv Omkara aarti and the Karpur Gauram shloka are chanted every evening during Shiva puja, especially on Mondays, Pradosh, Shivratri and throughout the month of Shravan. Light a lamp with ghee and camphor before the Shivling or Shiva's image, offer bel patra, water and white flowers, sing the full aarti, and conclude by chanting Karpur Gauram softly with folded hands as the aarti flame is offered. This closing shloka is meant to be chanted slowly and with feeling, as a final surrender at Shiva's feet.

Regular chanting of this aarti and shloka is believed to bring inner peace, dissolve fear and ego, and deepen one's connection to Shiva as the formless consciousness dwelling within. It is especially cherished for its simplicity, only four lines, yet it carries the entire philosophy of Shiva bhakti: seeing the divine both in form and within one's own heart.

Is Karpur Gauram a full aarti by itself: it is a short, complete Sanskrit shloka traditionally chanted right after the Hindi aarti Om Jai Shiv Omkara, together forming the full evening worship.

When should this be chanted: every evening during Shiva puja, and especially on Mondays, Pradosh and Maha Shivratri.

What offerings go with it: bel patra, water, white flowers, a ghee lamp and camphor.