Shloka 124

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

दंभो ऽदम्भो महादंभः सर्वभूतमहेश्वरः श्मशाननिलयस्तिष्यः सेतुरप्रतिमाकृतिः

Transliteration

daṃbho 'dambho mahādaṃbhaḥ sarvabhūtamaheśvaraḥ śmaśānanilayastiṣyaḥ seturapratimākṛtiḥ

Translation

هو دَمْبها (Dambha) وهو أيضاً أَدَمْبها (Adambha)؛ وهو دَمْبها العظيم. هو ماهايشڤارا (Maheśvara)، الربّ الأعلى لجميع الكائنات. يقيم في أرض الحرق (المشمشان)؛ وهو تِشْيَه (Tiṣya)؛ وهو سِتو (Setu)—الجسر ذو الهيئة التي لا مثيل لها.

Word by Word

• दंभः (dambhaḥ): Dambha—overpowering majesty/veiling power

• अदंभः (adambhaḥ): free from hypocrisy, without pretence

• महादंभः (mahādambhaḥ): the Great Dambha, the supreme overpowering power

• सर्वभूत-महेश्वरः (sarvabhūta-maheśvaraḥ): the Great Lord of all beings

• श्मशान-निलयः (śmaśāna-nilayaḥ): dweller in the cremation-ground

• तिष्यः (tiṣyaḥ): Tiṣya (auspicious star/deity-name)

• सेतुः (setuḥ): bridge, causeway, saving passage

• अप्रतिमा-आकृतिः (apratimā-kṛtiḥ/ākṛtiḥ): of incomparable form/embodiment

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Sarvabhūta-Maheśvara (Pati of all pashus) and as Setu—the saving bridge across bondage—supporting the Linga as the liberating axis where the soul turns from pasha to Pati.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as beyond dualities: He is both “Dambha” and “Adambha,” indicating sovereign power that can veil and reveal, while remaining utterly free from hypocrisy—supreme lordship without limitation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The cremation-ground epithet points to vairagya and fearlessness central to Pashupata discipline—contemplating impermanence to cut pasha—while worshiping Shiva as Setu, the inner passage to moksha.