Shloka 145

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

अधृतः स्वधृतः साध्यः पूर्वमूर्तिर्यशोधरः वराहशृङ्गधृग् वायुर् बलवान् एकनायकः

Transliteration

adhṛtaḥ svadhṛtaḥ sādhyaḥ pūrvamūrtiryaśodharaḥ varāhaśṛṅgadhṛg vāyur balavān ekanāyakaḥ

Translation

هو غيرُ مُستندٍ إلى شيء، ومع ذلك قائمٌ بذاته؛ هو الغايةُ المُنالَة والصورةُ الأولى. حاملُ المجد؛ حامِلُ قرنِ الخنزيرِ البريّ؛ وهو الريحُ نفسُها، نَفَسُ الحياة—قويٌّ، وهو السيّدُ الواحدُ الذي يقودُ الجميع.

Word by Word

• अधृतः: unsupported, not upheld by anything

• स्वधृतः: self-supported, self-sustained

• साध्यः: to be attained, the realizable goal

• पूर्वमूर्तिः: primordial form, first manifestation

• यशोधरः: bearer of fame/glory, giver of renown

• वराहशृङ्गधृक्: bearer of the boar’s horn (symbol of power/manifest form)

• वायुः: wind, vital breath (prāṇa), life-force

• बलवान्: powerful, mighty

• एकनायकः: single leader, sole guide/lord

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?

By declaring Shiva as “unsupported yet self-sustained” and the “primordial form,” the verse frames the Linga as the sign of the self-existent Pati—beyond worldly supports—worthy of worship as the ultimate refuge and goal.

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

It presents Shiva-tattva as independent (adhṛta), self-established (svadhṛta), and the supreme attainable reality (sādhya), who nevertheless becomes immanent as the first form (pūrvamūrti) and as prāṇa-like vāyu, guiding all as the one Lord (ekanāyaka).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The epithet “vāyu” points to prāṇa-sādhana: regulating and interiorizing the life-breath in Pashupata-oriented discipline so the pashu (soul) turns from pasha (bondage) toward the sādhya—Shiva as Pati.