Shloka 1
Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana
The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva
सूत उवाच । श्रूयतामृषयः श्रेष्ठाः कथयामि यथा श्रुतम् । विष्णुना प्रार्थितो येन संतुष्टः परमेश्वरः । तदाहं कथयाम्यद्य पुण्यं नाम सहस्रकम्
sūta uvāca | śrūyatāmṛṣayaḥ śreṣṭhāḥ kathayāmi yathā śrutam | viṣṇunā prārthito yena saṃtuṣṭaḥ parameśvaraḥ | tadāhaṃ kathayāmyadya puṇyaṃ nāma sahasrakam
Sūta sprach: „Hört, o beste der Weisen. Ich werde berichten, wie ich es vernommen habe: Durch diese heilige Rezitation wurde Parameśvara Śiva, der höchste Herr, als Viṣṇu ihn anflehte, vollkommen zufrieden. Darum will ich heute dieses verdienstvolle Tausend an Namen verkünden.“
Suta Goswami (Sūta)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: General phala-śruti framing: Viṣṇu’s successful prayer to Parameśvara through the nāmasahasra; not tied to a specific jyotirliṅga locale.
Significance: Hearing the nāmasahasra is presented as puṇya-producing; by Śaiva Siddhānta logic, it disposes the paśu toward Śiva’s anugraha (prasāda) and loosening of pāśa (bondage).
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It establishes śravaṇa (devotional listening) and paramparā (received tradition) as authoritative, and introduces a sacred Sahasranāma whose recitation is said to delight Parameśvara Śiva—indicating that sincere bhakti expressed through divine names leads to Śiva’s grace.
A Sahasranāma is a Saguna mode of worship—approaching Śiva through His auspicious names, qualities, and lordship—commonly paired with Liṅga-pūjā as name-recitation (nāma-japa/arcana) that supports concentration and devotion.
Regular recitation/listening of the Shiva Sahasranāma with bhakti—ideally alongside Liṅga worship, offering bilva leaves, and japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a simple sādhana for purity and Śiva-anugraha (grace).