aṣṭamūrtyaṣṭakam

Eight verses to Shiva in his eight bodies — the five elements, the sun, the moon and the sacrificer, the classical set that gives the hymn its name — spoken by Bhargava, whose framing verses open and close it. He praised the eight-bodied one, delighted, the mountains of his eyes in full flower, placing his folded hands on his head and saying victory, victory. The second verse is addressed to the sun among those eight: by these rays of yours you overcome all darkness and carry off what the walkers of the night intend; you blaze in the sky, jewel of the day, for the good of the three worlds. Each verse that follows takes another of the eight and praises it as him, and the last returns to Bhargava, who bows again and again with his crown touching the earth.