Shloka 93

अध्याय ८२ — व्यपोहनस्तवः (पापव्यपोहन-स्तोत्रम्)

Devanagari script

ज्येष्ठः सर्वेश्वरः सौम्यो महाविष्णुतनुः स्वयम् आर्यः सेनापतिः साक्षाद् गहनो मखमर्दनः

Transliteration

jyeṣṭhaḥ sarveśvaraḥ saumyo mahāviṣṇutanuḥ svayam āryaḥ senāpatiḥ sākṣād gahano makhamardanaḥ

Translation

هو الأقدم—ربّ الجميع؛ اللطيف المبارك. وهو بعينه جسد فيشنو العظيم؛ الشريف الموقَّر، القائد الحقّ للجماعات. جوهره غامض لا يُدرك، وهو قاهر كبرياء الذبيحة—باتي الذي يكسر pāśa قيدَ الطقوس الجوفاء ويقود paśu (الروح) إلى التحرّر.

Word by Word

• ज्येष्ठः: the eldest, primordial

• सर्वेश्वरः: Lord of all, supreme ruler

• सौम्यः: gentle, auspicious, benevolent

• महाविष्णुतनुः: having the body/form of Mahāviṣṇu (unity of Shiva and Vishnu)

• स्वयम्: Himself, directly

• आर्यः: noble, venerable, righteous

• सेनापतिः: commander of armies/hosts (leader of gaṇas and divine forces)

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly, in person

• गहनः: deep, unfathomable, mysterious

• मखमर्दनः: destroyer/crusher of sacrifice (i.e., the arrogance or limitation of ritual, and the breaker of obstructive rites)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva-Sahasranama to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames Linga-worship as devotion to Pati (Shiva), who is beyond mere external sacrifice; the Linga signifies the unfathomable Lord (gahana) who grants grace and loosens pāśa (bondage) for the paśu (soul).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva is presented as primordial and all-sovereign (jyeṣṭha, sarveśvara), gentle yet supreme (saumya), and non-dual with Mahāviṣṇu in essence (mahāviṣṇutanuḥ), indicating one supreme reality manifesting diverse divine functions.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse cautions against ritualism driven by ego (makha-mardana) and points toward Pāśupata orientation—inner surrender and discipline under the supreme Commander (senāpati), where worship becomes a means to transcend bondage rather than merely perform rites.