Shloka 1

अध्याय 66: इक्ष्वाकुवंश-ऐलवंशप्रवाहः (त्रिशङ्कु-राम-ययात्यादि-प्रकरणम्)

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे रुद्रसहस्रनामकथनं नाम पञ्चषष्टितमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच त्रिधन्वा देवदेवस्य प्रसादात्तण्डिनस् तथा अश्वमेधसहस्रस्य फलं प्राप्य प्रयत्नतः

Transliteration

iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge rudrasahasranāmakathanaṃ nāma pañcaṣaṣṭitamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca tridhanvā devadevasya prasādāttaṇḍinas tathā aśvamedhasahasrasya phalaṃ prāpya prayatnataḥ

Translation

Thus, in the Śrī Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa, in the Pūrva-bhāga, ends the sixty-fifth chapter entitled “The Narration of Rudra’s Thousand Names.” Sūta said: By the grace (prasāda) of the God of gods, Tridhanvā—and likewise Taṇḍin—attained, through earnest striving, the merit equal to a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices.

Word by Word

• iti: thus

• śrī-liṅga-mahāpurāṇe: in the auspicious Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa

• pūrva-bhāge: in the first section (Pūrva-bhāga)

• rudra-sahasra-nāma-kathanam: the narration/recital of Rudra’s thousand names

• nāma: named/titled

• pañca-ṣaṣṭitamaḥ adhyāyaḥ: the sixty-fifth chapter

• sūta uvāca: Sūta said

• tridhanvā: (person named) Tridhanvā

• deva-devasya: of the God of gods (Śiva)

• prasādāt: by grace/favor

• taṇḍinaḥ: (person named) Taṇḍin

• tathā: likewise

• aśvamedha-sahasrasya: of a thousand horse-sacrifices

• phalam: fruit/merit

• prāpya: having obtained/attaining

• prayatnataḥ: through effort/earnest endeavor.

Speaker

Suta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Devadeva)
• Rudra
• Tridhanva
• Tandin
• Ashvamedha

FAQs

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

It frames Rudra-Sahasranāma as a supreme Shaiva practice whose fruit can equal grand Vedic sacrifices, implying that devotion to Pati (Śiva) through nāma-japa can surpass external ritualism.

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

Śiva is presented as Devadeva whose prasāda bestows transformative merit—showing Shiva-tattva as the sovereign Pati who uplifts the pashu beyond ordinary karmic measures.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse highlights Rudra’s thousand-name recitation (nāma-japa/stotra) as a potent Shaiva sādhana, with results likened to a thousand Aśvamedhas—suggesting inward worship aligned with Pāśupata-oriented devotion.