Shloka 37

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

अनादिमध्यनिधनो गिरिशो गिरिबान्धवः कुबेरबन्धुः श्रीकण्ठो लोकवर्णोत्तमोत्तमः

Transliteration

anādimadhyanidhano giriśo giribāndhavaḥ kuberabandhuḥ śrīkaṇṭho lokavarṇottamottamaḥ

Translation

He is the One whose being is without beginning, middle, or end; the Lord of the mountains, the kinsman of the Mountain (Himālaya); the friend of Kubera; Śrīkaṇṭha, the auspicious‑throated Lord; the supreme excellence among all that the worlds praise and describe.

Word by Word

• अनादि (anādi): beginningless

• मध्य (madhya): middle

• निधन (nidhana): end, dissolution

• अनादिमध्यनिधन (anādimadhyanidhana): without beginning, middle, or end (eternal)

• गिरिश (giriśa): Lord of mountains (Shiva)

• गिरिबान्धव (giribāndhava): kinsman/ally of the Mountain (Himālaya, via Pārvatī)

• कुबेरबन्धु (kuberabandhu): friend/kinsman of Kubera (lord of wealth)

• श्रीकण्ठ (śrīkaṇṭha): the auspicious/thriving-throated one (Shiva who held the poison)

• लोक (loka): worlds

• वर्ण (varṇa): description, praise, renown

• उत्तम-उत्तम (uttamottama): best of the best, supremely excellent

• लोकवर्णोत्तमोत्तम (lokavarṇottamottama): the supremely praised and most excellent among all worldly descriptions.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva-Sahasranama to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kubera
• Himalaya (Giri)

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the sign of Pati—Shiva who is beyond beginning, middle, and end—so worship is directed to the eternal Lord, not merely a temporary form.

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

Shiva is presented as anādi-madhya-nidhana (timeless and unbounded), yet also immanent—connected with the cosmos through relationships (Giri/Himālaya, Kubera) while remaining the supreme excellence praised by all worlds.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

As a Sahasranama-style epithet, it supports nāma-japa and stotra-pāṭha as devotional disciplines that purify the pashu (soul) and orient it toward Pati, loosening pasha (bondage).