Shloka 153

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

सुरेशः शरणं सर्वः शब्दब्रह्म सतां गतिः कालभक्षः कलङ्कारिः कङ्कणीकृतवासुकिः

Transliteration

sureśaḥ śaraṇaṃ sarvaḥ śabdabrahma satāṃ gatiḥ kālabhakṣaḥ kalaṅkāriḥ kaṅkaṇīkṛtavāsukiḥ

Translation

هو ربُّ الدِّيفا، ملجأُ الجميع، الشاملُ لكلّ شيء؛ وهو «براهما» بوصفه الصوتَ المقدّس (شَبْدَ براهما)، وغايةُ الصالحين. يلتهم الزمانَ (كالا) نفسه؛ ويحمل العلامةَ المُطهِّرة؛ وهو الذي جعل «فاسُكي» زينةً على جسده.

Word by Word

• सुरेशः: Lord of the gods

• शरणम्: refuge, shelter

• सर्वः: all, the all-pervading one

• शब्दब्रह्म: Brahman in the form of sacred sound (Veda/Pranava)

• सताम्: of the virtuous, of the realized

• गतिः: goal, refuge, final course

• कालभक्षः: devourer of Time (transcending kāla)

• कलङ्कारिः: bearer/maker of the auspicious mark (the famed ‘stain’ such as ash/mark that becomes holy)

• कङ्कणीकृतवासुकिः: he who made Vāsuki a bracelet/ornament

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vasuki
• Devas

FAQs

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

By naming Shiva as refuge of all and as Śabda-Brahman, the verse frames Linga-worship as approaching Pati through mantra and surrender—seeing the Linga as the accessible sign of the all-pervading Lord.

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

It presents Shiva as Pati who is beyond kāla (Time-devourer), yet immanent as sacred sound (Śabda-Brahman) and as the final gati of the sat (the purified pashu seeking liberation from pāśa).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-centered upāsanā is implied by “Śabda-Brahman”: japa of Pranava/Vedic Shiva-mantras during Linga-pūjā, aligning the pashu’s awareness to the Lord who transcends time.