Shloka 17
Viṣṇoḥ Sahasranāma-stotreṇa Śiva-prasādaḥ
Vishnu’s Thousand-Name Hymn and Shiva’s Grace
विष्णुरुवाच । शृणु देव मया ध्येयं पठनीयं च किं प्रभो । दुःखानां नाशनार्थं हि वद त्वं लोकशंकर
viṣṇuruvāca | śṛṇu deva mayā dhyeyaṃ paṭhanīyaṃ ca kiṃ prabho | duḥkhānāṃ nāśanārthaṃ hi vada tvaṃ lokaśaṃkara
বিষ্ণুৱে ক’লে—হে দেৱ, মোৰ কথা শুনা। হে প্ৰভো, মই কাক ধ্যান কৰিম আৰু কি পাঠ কৰিম? দুখনাশৰ বাবে, হে লোকশংকৰ, তুমি কোৱা।
Vishnu
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Frames Śiva as Lokasaṅkara (world-benefactor) whose upadeśa removes duḥkha; supports the pilgrim’s intent of seeking śiva-anugraha through dhyāna and pāṭha.
FAQs
It frames Shiva as Pati (the liberating Lord) and presents dhyāna (inner contemplation) and pāṭha/japa (sacred recitation) as primary Shaiva means for duḥkha-nāśana—removing sorrow by turning the mind toward Śiva’s grace and knowledge.
By asking what should be meditated on and recited, Viṣṇu points to Saguna-upāsanā: focusing the mind on Śiva (often as the Liṅga or a compassionate form like Śaṅkara) and supporting it with mantra-recitation, which stabilizes devotion and purifies the devotee.
The verse explicitly recommends dhyāna and pāṭha/japa as sorrow-destroying disciplines—practically expressed in Shaiva practice as meditating on Śiva/Śiva-liṅga and reciting a Śiva-mantra (commonly the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).