karpūragauraṃ karuṇāvatāraṃ saṃsārasāram bhujagendrahāram

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.