Shloka 34

प्रसाद-ज्ञान-योग-मोक्षक्रमः तथा व्यास-रुद्रावतार-मन्वन्तर-परम्परा

Devanagari script

वेदशीर्षश् च गोकर्णो गुहावासी शिखण्डभृत् जटामाल्यट्टहासश् च दारुको लाङ्गली तथा

Transliteration

vedaśīrṣaś ca gokarṇo guhāvāsī śikhaṇḍabhṛt jaṭāmālyaṭṭahāsaś ca dāruko lāṅgalī tathā

Translation

He is the One whose crown is the Veda itself; the Lord called Gokarṇa; the Cave-dweller; the Bearer of the peacock-plume; the One adorned with a garland of matted locks; the Lord of resounding, liberating laughter; also named Dāruka; and the Wielder of the plough—thus is Pati, Śiva, praised by these names.

Word by Word

• वेदशीर्षः: whose head/crown is the Veda, the Veda as his summit

• च: and

• गोकर्णः: Gokarṇa (Shiva as worshipped at Gokarṇa

• गुहावासी: dweller in caves (inner yogic cave of the heart / mountain caves)

• शिखण्डभृत्: bearer of a śikhā/śikhaṇḍa (peacock-plume/crest)

• जटामाल्य: adorned with a garland of jaṭā (matted hair)

• अट्टहासः: loud, unbounded laughter (destroyer of fear, pasha-bonds)

• च: and

• दारुकः: Dāruka (a name/epithet of Shiva

• लाङ्गली: bearer of the plough (symbol of uprooting impurities and karmic pasha)

• तथा: likewise/also

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Sahasranama to the Sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This verse functions as a segment of the Shiva Sahasranama used in Linga-puja: reciting these epithets invokes Shiva as Pati—the Lord who sanctifies the Veda, purifies the devotee, and removes pasha (bondage) from the pashu (soul).

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

Shiva is presented as transcendent and immanent: ‘Vedaśīrṣa’ shows him as the summit of Vedic revelation, while ‘Guhāvāsī’ and ‘Jaṭāmālya’ show his yogic presence—dwelling in the inner cave of consciousness and embodying ascetic power that liberates the bound soul.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Primarily nāma-japa (recitation of Shiva’s names) as an upāya in Pashupata-oriented devotion; the imagery of cave-dwelling and matted locks also points to dhyāna and inner withdrawal where the pashu turns toward Pati for release from pasha.