Shloka 26
तेजसामपि यत् तेजस्तपसामपि यत् तपः । शान्तानामपि य: शान्तो द्युतीनामपि या झ्युति:,जो वेदोंके भी वेद, उत्तम वस्तुओंमें भी परम उत्तम, तेजके भी तेज, तपके भी तप, शान्त पुरुषोंमें भी परम शान्त, कान्तिकी भी कान्ति, जितेन्द्रियोंमें भी परम जितेन्द्रिय, बुद्धिमानोंकी भी बुद्धि, देवताओंके भी देवता, ऋषियोंके भी ऋषि, यज्ञोंके भी यज्ञ, कल्याणोंके भी कल्याण, रुद्रोंके भी रुद्र, प्रभावशाली ईश्वरोंकी भी प्रभा (ऐश्वर्य), योगियोंके भी योगी तथा कारणोंके भी कारण हैं। जिनसे सम्पूर्ण लोक उत्पन्न होते और फिर उन्हींमें विलीन हो जाते हैं, जो सम्पूर्ण भूतोंके आत्मा हैं, उन्हीं अमित तेजस्वी भगवान् शिवके एक हजार आठ नामोंका वर्णन मुझसे सुनिये। पुरुषसिंह! इसका श्रवणमात्र करके आप अपनी सम्पूर्ण कामनाओंको प्राप्त कर लेंगे
tejasām api yat tejas tapasām api yat tapaḥ | śāntānām api yaḥ śānto dyutīnām api yā dyutiḥ ||
Vāyu said: “He who is the very brilliance even among the brilliant, the very austerity even among ascetics; he who is the most tranquil even among the tranquil, and the radiance even among all that shines—he is the supreme excellence within every excellence. From him the worlds arise and into him they dissolve; he is the Self of all beings. Now listen from me, O best of men: I shall proclaim the thousand-and-eight names of that immeasurably radiant Lord Śiva. By hearing them alone, you will attain the fulfillment of all your desires.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents Śiva as the supreme essence within every excellence—brilliance among the brilliant, austerity among ascetics, peace among the peaceful—framing him as the inner Self of all beings and the cosmic source into whom all returns. It also teaches the devotional efficacy of hearing his sacred names.
Vāyu begins a hymn-like introduction to the recitation of Śiva’s thousand-and-eight names, praising Śiva’s unsurpassed qualities and promising that mere hearing of the names grants fulfillment of desires to the listener addressed as “best of men.”