Shloka 51

वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

नाम्नां सहस्रं जप्त्वा वै गाणपत्यमवाप्तवान् ऋषय ऊचुः नाम्नां सहस्रं रुद्रस्य ताण्डिना ब्रह्मयोनिना

Transliteration

nāmnāṃ sahasraṃ japtvā vai gāṇapatyamavāptavān ṛṣaya ūcuḥ nāmnāṃ sahasraṃ rudrasya tāṇḍinā brahmayoninā

Translation

Nachdem er wahrlich die Tausend Namen gejapa hatte, erlangte er den Stand eines Gaṇapati (Anführer unter Śivas Gefolge). Die ṛṣis sprachen: „Die Tausend Namen Rudras — offenbart von Tāṇḍin, dem aus Brahmā Geborenen — (sollen verkündet werden).“

Word by Word

• नाम्नाम् (nāmnām): of names

• सहस्रम् (sahasram): a thousand

• जप्त्वा (japtvā): having recited / having performed japa

• वै (vai): indeed

• गाणपत्यम् (gāṇapatyam): the state/office of Gaṇapati (leader of the Gaṇas)

• अवाप्तवान् (avāptavān): obtained, attained

• ऋषयः (ṛṣayaḥ): the sages

• ऊचुः (ūcuḥ): said

• रुद्रस्य (rudrasya): of Rudra (Śiva)

• ताण्डिना (tāṇḍinā): by Tāṇḍin (a name/epithet of a revealer/teacher)

• ब्रह्मयोनिना (brahmayoninā): born from Brahmā / having Brahmā as the source

Speaker

Rishis (addressing Suta / initiating the Rudra-sahasranama context)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva
• Tandin
• Brahma
• Ganas
• Ganapati

FAQs

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

It links Linga-centered Shaiva devotion to nāma-japa: reciting Rudra’s thousand names is presented as a potent upāsanā that elevates the devotee into Śiva’s intimate sphere (the Gaṇas), implying nearness to Pati through disciplined praise.

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

Śiva is approached here through his nāma-rūpa as Rudra, where the divine names function as gateways to Pati (the Lord). The fruit—entry into the Gaṇa order—signals that Shiva-tattva is both transcendent and accessible through sound (mantra) and devotion.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Sahasranāma-japa (repetition of the thousand names of Rudra), a Shaiva sādhanā aligned with Pāśupata discipline: purifying the paśu (soul) from pāśa (bondage) by sustained mantra-recitation and devotion to Pati.