Shloka 100

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

बृहज्ज्योतिः सुधामा च महाज्योतिरनुत्तमः मातामहो मातरिश्वा नभस्वान् नागहारधृक्

Transliteration

bṛhajjyotiḥ sudhāmā ca mahājyotiranuttamaḥ mātāmaho mātariśvā nabhasvān nāgahāradhṛk

Translation

He is the Vast Light and the abode of ambrosial splendour—the supreme, unsurpassed Great Light. He is the primeval Grandsire; Mātariśvan, the life-breath moving within all; Nabhasvān, the cosmic wind; and the bearer of the serpent-garland. He is Śiva, the Pati, who loosens the pāśa that bind the paśu.

Word by Word

• बृहज्ज्योतिः (bṛhaj-jyotiḥ): the Vast/Expansive Light

• सुधामा (sudhāmā): abode of nectar/ambrosial radiance

• च (ca): and

• महाज्योतिः (mahā-jyotiḥ): the Great Light

• अनुत्तमः (anuttamaḥ): unsurpassed, supreme

• मातामहः (mātāmahaḥ): grandsire/primeval progenitor

• मातरिश्वा (mātariśvā): the all-moving vital breath, Vedic fire/wind principle

• नभस्वान् (nabhasvān): the wind of the sky, cosmic air

• नागहारधृक् (nāga-hāra-dhṛk): bearer of the serpent-garland/serpent-ornament

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?

It frames the Linga as Mahājyoti—Shiva as the infinite, unsurpassed Light—so Linga-puja becomes contemplation and worship of the formless Pati appearing as a luminous sign (liṅga) for the liberation of the bound soul (paśu).

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

Shiva is presented as anuttama Mahājyoti (supreme Light) and as the inner cosmic vitality (Mātariśvā/Nabhasvān), indicating both transcendence (beyond all) and immanence (as prāṇa and cosmic movement), consistent with Pati as the ground of all powers.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A jyoti-dhyāna orientation is implied: meditate on Shiva as the Vast Light and as the inner prāṇa (Mātariśvā), integrating Linga-puja with Pashupata-style inward worship where bondage (pāśa) is weakened through focused remembrance and breath-awareness.