Shloka 54

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

मघवान्कौशिको गोमान्विरामः सर्वसाधनः । ललाटाक्षो विश्वदेहः सारः संसारचक्रभृत्

Transliteration

maghavānkauśiko gomānvirāmaḥ sarvasādhanaḥ | lalāṭākṣo viśvadehaḥ sāraḥ saṃsāracakrabhṛt

Translation

Er ist Maghavān, der mächtige Herr; Kauśika; der Besitzer reichen Viehs und Wohlstands; die Ruhe selbst, die alles Aufgewühlte zum Stillstand bringt; das universale Mittel zur Vollendung. Er ist der mit dem Auge auf der Stirn; dessen Leib das ganze All ist; die wesentliche Wirklichkeit, der Träger und Lenker des Rades des Saṃsāra, des weltlichen Werdens.

Word by Word

• मघवान्: Maghavān (Indra-like, bountiful one)
• मघवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मघवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषनाम/उपाधि

• कौशिकः: Kauśika
• कौशिकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषनाम

• गोमान्: possessing cows; wealthy
• गोमान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (मतुप्-अन्त)

• विरामः: rest; cessation
• विरामः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वसाधनः: the means of all; all-accomplishing
• सर्वसाधनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वस्य साधनः)

• ललाटाक्षः: one with an eye on the forehead
• ललाटाक्षः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ललाटस्य अक्षः)

• विश्वदेहः: whose body is the universe
• विश्वदेहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (विश्वः देहः यस्य/विश्वदेहः)

• सारः: essence
• सारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• संसारचक्रभृत्: bearer/supporter of the wheel of saṃsāra
• संसारचक्रभृत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत् (कृदन्त; √भृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (संसारचक्रं भर्तेति); भृत्-प्रत्ययान्त (present participial agent-noun)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Naṭarāja

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Implicit: governance of saṃsāra-cakra and its cessation (virāma) hints at pralaya/dissolution as a cosmic function.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse praises Shiva as both immanent and transcendent: He pervades the cosmos as viśva-deha (the universe-bodied Lord) and yet stands as sāra, the essential Reality who grants virāma—cessation of bondage and agitation—leading the soul toward liberation from saṃsāra.

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

By naming Shiva as lalāṭākṣa and viśva-deha, the verse supports Saguna contemplation—worshipping the Linga as the tangible focus of the cosmic Lord—while implying the Nirguna truth as sāra (the essence) behind all forms. Linga worship thus becomes a direct means (sarva-sādhana) to realize the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as Trinetra (lalāṭākṣa) at the ājñā-cakra while chanting the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a reminder of virāma—detachment and the ending of worldly agitation—seeking freedom from the saṃsāra-cakra.