Karpura Gauram

About this stotra

Karpūragauraṃ karuṇāvatāraṃ, is a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to Lord Shiva and Parvati (Bhavani), chanted especially during Aarati (or Mangala Aarati). It describes Lord Shiva as radiant like camphor (karpūragauraṃ), embodying pure consciousness, and as the very incarnation of compassion (karuṇāvatāraṃ). He is portrayed as saṃsārasāram - the unchanging essence that underlies and pervades the entire cosmic play of creation, sustenance and dissolution, the substratum of all existence while remaining untouched by its changes. He is adorned with the king of serpents (bhujagendrahāram), symbolising his mastery over the energies of creation such as the Kundalini Shakti and also a mastery over the fears that usually bind ordinary beings.
The divine couple is visualised as eternally dwelling (sadāvasantaṃ) in the lotus of the heart (hṛdayāravinde), suggesting that divine consciousness is ever-fresh and alive within us. The verse concludes by offering prostrations (namāmi) to Lord Shiva (bhavaṃ), together with Bhavani (bhavānīsahitaṃ), emphasising the inseparable unity of consciousness and energy, the masculine and feminine principles that together comprise the totality of existence.