Shloka 103

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

लोकलावण्यकर्ता च लोकोत्तरसुखालयः । चंद्रसंजीवनश्शास्ता लोकग्राहो महाधिपः

Transliteration

lokalāvaṇyakartā ca lokottarasukhālayaḥ | caṃdrasaṃjīvanaśśāstā lokagrāho mahādhipaḥ

Translation

Er ist der Schöpfer von Schönheit und Anmut der Welt; die Wohnstatt der Freude, die alle Welten übersteigt. Er ist der Wiederbeleber des Mondes, der göttliche Lenker und Führer, der Träger der Welten und der Große Herr über alles.

Word by Word

• लोक-लावण्य-कर्ता: maker of the world’s beauty
• लोक-लावण्य-कर्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + लावण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य लावण्यस्य कर्ता)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• लोक-उत्तरसुख-आलयः: abode of transcendent (beyond-worldly) bliss
• लोक-उत्तरसुख-आलयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (लोकेभ्यः उत्तरं यत् सुखं तस्य आलयः)

• चन्द्र-संजीवनः: reviver of the moon
• चन्द्र-संजीवनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संजीवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (चन्द्रस्य संजीवनः)

• शास्ता: ruler; chastiser; governor
• शास्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास् (धातु) + तृ (प्रातिपदिक/कर्तृवाचक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-प्रातिपदिक (agent noun)

• लोक-ग्राहः: supporter/holder of the world
• लोक-ग्राहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (लोकं गृह्णाति/धारयति इति)

• महा-अधिपः: great lord
• महा-अधिपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् अधिपः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the glory of Shiva to the sages at Naimisharanya in the Kotirudra context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The epithet ‘caṃdrasaṃjīvana’ recalls Śiva restoring Soma (Moon), a motif resonant with Somnātha traditions, but the verse itself functions as general guṇa-stuti rather than a localized māhātmya.

Significance: General: worship of Śiva as loka-grāha (world-support) is sought for stability, well-being, and inner access to lokottara-sukha (transcendent bliss).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Soma-revival motif (lunar restoration) implicitly evokes cosmic rejuvenation cycles.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Chandra (Moon)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

This verse praises Shiva as both the immanent source of the world’s harmony (beauty, order, sustenance) and the transcendent refuge of supreme bliss (lokottara-sukha). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, it points to Pati (Shiva) as the Lord who governs and liberates the bound soul (paśu) from limitation toward moksha.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The epithets describe Saguna Shiva—knowable through devotion, names, and form—who still grants access to the transcendent reality. Linga worship concentrates the mind on Shiva as Mahādhipa (Supreme Lord) and Lokagrāha (Sustainer), while also remembering Him as the abode of lokottara bliss beyond all worldly states.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use stuti and japa: recite Shiva’s names (e.g., Mahādhipa, Lokagrāha) along with Panchakshara japa—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and offer water to the Shiva-linga, contemplating Shiva as the inner ruler (Śāstā) who restores life and steadiness, like the reviver of the Moon.