Shloka 149

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

अनिर्विण्णो गुणग्राही कलङ्काङ्कः कलङ्कहा स्वभावरुद्रो मध्यस्थः शत्रुघ्नो मध्यनाशकः

Transliteration

anirviṇṇo guṇagrāhī kalaṅkāṅkaḥ kalaṅkahā svabhāvarudro madhyasthaḥ śatrughno madhyanāśakaḥ

Translation

He is never dejected; he apprehends the truth of the guṇas. He bears the sanctifying mark, yet he destroys all taint. Rudra by his very nature, abiding in the middle as the impartial witness, he slays hostile forces and dissolves the “middle”—the intervening veil that sustains bondage.

Word by Word

• अनिर्विण्णः: never despondent, never weary

• गुणग्राही: perceiver/receiver of the guṇas (their true nature), one who comprehends qualities

• कलङ्काङ्कः: one bearing a mark/emblem, the marked One (whose sign becomes auspicious)

• कलङ्कहा: remover/destroyer of stain, sin, reproach

• स्वभावरुद्रः: Rudra by intrinsic nature, the innate fierce-transformative Lord

• मध्यस्थः: standing in the middle, impartial, the inner witness and mediator

• शत्रुघ्नः: slayer of enemies (inner and outer), destroyer of hostile powers

• मध्यनाशकः: destroyer of the middle/interval, remover of the intervening obstruction (veil) that maintains saṃsāric continuity

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s names within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as the remover of kalanka (taint) and the impartial inner witness; in Linga-puja this supports worship for purification (mala-kṣaya) and for the grace of Pati that loosens pāśa (bondage) upon the pashu (soul).

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

Shiva is shown as intrinsically Rudra (svabhāvarudra), untouched by dejection, yet actively dissolving impurity and hostile forces; as madhyastha He remains the steady witness while granting transformative destruction that leads the soul toward liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse aligns with Pashupata-oriented inner discipline: maintaining witness-consciousness (madhyastha-bhāva) while invoking Rudra to destroy inner ‘enemies’ (kāma, krodha, etc.) and the intervening veil (madhya) that sustains bondage.