Shiva Mahimna Stotra

Shloka 33

Meanng:  Lord Chandrasekhara (Shiva) has been worshipped by devas, danavas (demons), and sages, and His glories have been described in the Vedas. He is a God with form and without form. The most virtuous Pushpadanta composed a wonderful hymn for Lord Chandrasekhara in various long Sanskrit poetry meters.                                                                                            

Reflections:  Lord Shiva is filled with compassion and love for all. He can be easily pleased. That is why he is also known as ‘Bholanath’, a simple-minded God who can be easily pleased. Because of his love for all, people with different mindsets, like devas, danavas, and sages, worship Lord Shiva. 

Three important things have been mentioned in this shloka: (i) Lord Shiva has a crescent moon on his head, (ii) Shiva Mahimna Stotra has been composed in long Chandas, meaning in long Sanskrit Poetic Meters, and (iii) The Shiva is God with form and God without form. Let us look into these things.                                                                 

(i) Why Lord Shiva is called ‘Indumaule’, ‘Chandramauli’, or ‘Chandrasekhara’?

Chandra (Moon) was married to twenty-seven daughters of Daksha Prajapati. (This is symbolic. There are 27 Nakshatras or Constellations, connected to the Chandra (Moon)).

Over some time, Chandra was more attracted to Rohini, one of the twenty-seven wives.  The other twenty-six wives complained to their father Daksha about this unfair treatment. Daksha sat down a couple of times with Chandra and requested him to treat all his wives equally, but Chandra turned a deaf ear to Daksha’s request.

Finally, Daksha got angry and cursed Chandra ‘You will have the tuberculosis disease and you will wane. You will slowly lose your luster and disappear’. Chandra started decreasing and losing his luster. All devas and Rishis were worried because Chandra (Moon) was needed for the juice in the vegetation. Chandra also did not want to die. He went to all the devas and requested them to go to Brahma, the Creator, and find the solution. Brahma told them that Chandra should go to the sacred place called Prabhasa with all the devas, establish a Shivalinga there, offer worship to Lord Shiva, and try to please Lord Shiva with the ‘Japa of the Mrutunjaya Mantra’. 

Chandra did everything that Brahma had told him to do and with his severe austerity, he pleased Lord Shiva. When Lord Shiva asked Chandra what he wanted, Chandra said to make him free from the tuberculosis disease. Lord Shiva said that Daksha’s curse would remain, and because of that he would wane for 15 days, but after 15 days he would grow again to his normal form. This is how the waxing and waning of Chandra (moon) started.

Then, the devas and Rishis were very happy and requested Lord Shiva to stay at that place. Lord Shiva blessed all and said that his presence would be felt at that place. This place is nothing but one of the famous Twelve Jyotirlingas (luminous emblems of Lord Shiva), called Somanath Temple in Saurashtra, Gujarat, India. ‘Soma’ means Chandra. Thus, Lord Shiva glorified Chandra.

People say that to glorify Chandra more, Lord Shiva wears Chandra, a crescent moon, on his head. It could be symbolic indicating that Lord Shiva is the controller of the time, and this cycle of birth, growth, and death is eternal. Because of all these events Lord Shiva is known as ‘Indumaule’, ‘Chandramauli’, and ‘Chandrasekhara’.

(ii) Chanda (Sanskrit Poetry Meters) in Shiva Mahimna Stotra:

It has been mentioned that Siva Mahimna Stotra has been composed in long Chandas. The following is the list of these Chandas used in this Stotra.

Shlokas 1 – 29: Shiva Mahimna Stotra’s shlokas 1 through 29 are composed in ‘Shikharini” chanda. It consists of 17 syllables. There is a pause after the 6^th syllable. The 2^nd – 6^th, 12^th, 13^th, and 17^th syllables are long and the others are short. One has to learn about the long and the short syllables.

Shloka 30:  This shloka has been composed in ‘Harini’ Chanda. It also contains 17 syllables but has a pause after the 8^th syllable. However, in this chanda, the 6^th – 10^th, 12^th, 15^th, and 17^th syllables are long and the others are short.

Shlokas 31^st – 34^th, 37^th and 38^th:  These shlokas are composed in ‘Malini’ chanda. It consists of 15 syllables and has a pause after the 8^th syllable. The 7^th – 9^th, 11^th, 12^th, 14^th, and 15^th syllables are long, while the others are short.

Shlokas 35^th, 36^th, and 39^th – 42^nd:  These shlokas are composed in ‘Anushtupa’ chanda. Most of the Bhagavad Gita’s shlokas are in this chanda. It contains 8 syllables in the half line. The full line has 16 syllables. In this Chanda, the 5th syllable is short, the 6th syllable is long, and the 7^th syllable is alternately long and short.

Shloka 43: The last shloka has been composed in ‘Vasantatilaka’ or ‘Vasantatilakam’ Chanda. It contains 14 syllables. The pause comes after the 8th syllable. The 1st, 2nd, 4th, 8th, 11th, 13th, and 14th syllables are long and others are short. However, in the 13th and 14th syllables, the poet takes the liberty to keep it long or short.

Thus, we can see that the great poet Pushpadanta has beautifully composed Shiva Mahimna Stotra in these long Chandas with the restrictions of long and short syllables and still it has deeper meanings, is filled with devotion, and has wonderful poetry. 

(iii) Lord Shiva is a God with form, and also a God without a form:  In most of the hymns of Hindu gods and goddesses, there are indications that these gods and goddesses have form, but they represent the formless God, called Brahman, which is only one. For most of the people, it is difficult to think of God without any form. In the universe we constantly perceive things with forms and qualities, therefore it is easy for most people to think of God with forms having virtues. This shloka reminds us that Shiva Mahimna Stotra praises Lord Shiva with form and without form.