Shloka 41

भस्म–रुद्राक्ष–शिवनाममाहात्म्य

The Greatness of Bhasma, Rudrākṣa, and the Name of Śiva

Devanagari script

किं बहूक्त्या मुनिश्रेष्ठाः श्लोकेनैकेन वच्म्यहम् । शिवनाम्नो महिमानं सर्वपापापहारिणम्

Transliteration

kiṃ bahūktyā muniśreṣṭhāḥ ślokenaikena vacmyaham | śivanāmno mahimānaṃ sarvapāpāpahāriṇam

Translation

Wozu viele Worte, o ihr besten der Weisen? In nur einem Vers will ich die Herrlichkeit des Namens Shivas verkünden, der alle Sünden hinweg nimmt.

Word by Word

• kim: what (need)
• kim: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Idiomatic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; idiomatic in question = 'what (need)?'

• bahu-uktyā: by many words; with much talk
• bahu-uktyā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + ukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'with many words'

• muni-śreṣṭhāḥ: O best sages
• muni-śreṣṭhāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana (Plural/बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'best among sages' (vocative sense intended)

• ślokena: by a verse
• ślokena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śloka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• ekena: one, single
• ekena: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; agrees with 'ślokena'

• vacmi: I speak, I will tell
• vacmi: Kriyā (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु: वच्)
• Form: Laṭ lakāra (Present), Uttama puruṣa (1st person/उत्तमपुरुष), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aham (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana (common gender usage)

• śiva-nāmnaḥ: of Śiva’s name
• śiva-nāmnaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (nāmān), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'of the name of Śiva'

• mahimānam: greatness, glory
• mahimānam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahimān (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative), Ekavacana

• sarva-pāpa-apahāriṇam: that removes all sins
• sarva-pāpa-apahāriṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Adjective of mahimānam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + apahārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: 'remover of all sins'; agrees with 'mahimānam' (glory which removes all sins)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha of Kāśī, Śiva’s Name and presence are held to grant pāpa-kṣaya and sadgati; the chapter’s setting (Viśveśvarasaṃhitā) naturally resonates with Kāśī-māhātmya themes of liberation through Śiva’s grace.

Significance: Nāma-smaraṇa and darśana in Kāśī are traditionally said to destroy sins and orient the soul toward mokṣa (sadgati).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It proclaims that Shiva’s Name itself is a direct purifier: sincere remembrance and repetition (nāma-japa) burns karmic impurities and turns the mind toward Shiva, the Pati who liberates the bound soul (paśu).

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

In Vidyeshvara teachings, devotion can be anchored in Saguna forms like the Shiva Linga, yet the power of worship is carried through mantra and Name; nāma-japa supports Linga-pūjā by making the heart steady in Shiva-consciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Shiva-nāma japa—especially the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—done with purity, devotion, and steady attention (dhyāna), is implied as a simple, potent daily practice.