Meaning of Kara Charana Krutam Vaak

शयन समय श्लोकं:

कर चरण कृतं वाक् कायजं कर्मजं वा

श्रवण नयनजं वा मानसं वापराधम्

विहित मविहितं वा सर्वमे तत् क्षमस्वा

जय जय करुणाब्धे श्री महादेव शंभो

Shayana Samaya Shlokam

(Hymn to be recited Before 

Going to Bed at Night)

Kara CharaNa Kritam vāk KāyajaM Karma-jaM vā

ShravaNa Nayana-jaM vā MānasaM Vāparādham

Vihitam-avihitaM vā sarvamē tat-kshamasvā

Jaya Jaya KaruNābdhē Shri Mahādēva Shambhō

Audio: Sury Vulimiri

Meanings:  kara = hands; charaNa = feet/legs; kritam = done; vaak = voice/saying (refers to the organ of speech); kaaya = of the physical body; jam = borne or borne out of; kaaya-jam = originating from the body; karma = actions; karma-jam = born of the actions; vaa = or; shravaNa = hearing/listening (ears); nayanam = eye; shavaNa-nayana-jam = born of ears and eyes; maanasam = mind; aparaadham = mistake/crime; vihitam = known/knowingly; avihitam = unknowingly; sarvam = all; tat = these; kshamasva = to forgive; jaya = glory/victory; karuNa = mercy/compassion (daya); abde = ocean (saagar); karunaabde = ocean of compassion (dayasaagar); mahaadEva = greatest of the Gods; ShambhO = Lord Shiva.  

Essence (taatparya): Oh Lord Shiva, glory to you the greatest of all Gods and who is the ocean of kindness. Please kindly forgive all the mistakes or sins done by my hands or feet, or voice (speaking), those born of my eyes, ears, and mind and those performed by my actions/duties, knowingly or unknowingly. 

Explanation: Before going to sleep, this prayer is recited. By this prayer one asks the Lord for forgiveness for any inappropriate actions that one may have done knowingly (duties prescribed by tradition) or unknowingly (duties that are not prescribed or rather proscribed), done during the day.  In fact, Shambhu is just an example. It could be any God that you worship or believe in or it is just your consciousness and you ask for the God's forgiveness for all the actions you did with your physical or mental senses with or without your knowledge.  It is a kind of self-confession at the end of the day.  This shloka is also recited as part of Sri Shiridi Sai Aarati.