Shloka 80

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

ललाटाक्षो विश्वदेहः सारः संसारचक्रभृत् अमोघदण्डी मध्यस्थो हिरण्यो ब्रह्मवर्चसी

Transliteration

lalāṭākṣo viśvadehaḥ sāraḥ saṃsāracakrabhṛt amoghadaṇḍī madhyastho hiraṇyo brahmavarcasī

Translation

He whose brow bears the Eye—the Three‑eyed Lord; whose body is the universe; the very Essence; bearer of the wheel of saṃsāra; wielder of the unfailing rod of discipline; abiding in the midst as the inner Witness; golden in splendor; radiant with brahmanic spiritual lustre.

Word by Word

• ललाटाक्षः: the One with an eye on the forehead (Trinetra)

• विश्वदेहः: whose body is the cosmos

• सारः: essence, quintessence

• संसारचक्रभृत्: bearer/supporter of the wheel of transmigration

• अमोघदण्डी: wielder of the unfailing staff/rod (infallible chastiser and ruler)

• मध्यस्थः: abiding in the middle, the inner mediator/witness

• हिरण्यः: golden, resplendent

• ब्रह्मवर्चसी: possessing brahma-tejas, radiant with sacred spiritual lustre

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a 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 presents Shiva as the cosmic Linga-principle: the universe-bodied Pati who sustains saṃsāra and also governs it with an unfailing discipline, guiding the pashu toward liberation through inner witnessing.

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

Shiva is shown as Pati with transcendent immanence—Trinetra beyond ignorance, Vishvadeha as the all-pervading ground, and Madhyastha as the antarātman who stands at the center of all experience, shining with brahma-tejas.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Pashupata-oriented takeaway is dhyāna on Shiva as Madhyastha (the inner Witness) while reciting the Sahasranama—cultivating detachment from the saṃsāra-cakra and aligning the pashu with Pati’s purifying rule (amogha-daṇḍa).