Shloka 106

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

ज्योतिर्मयो जगन्नाथो निराकारो जलेश्वरः । तुम्बवीणो महाकायो विशोकश्शोकनाशनः

Transliteration

jyotirmayo jagannātho nirākāro jaleśvaraḥ | tumbavīṇo mahākāyo viśokaśśokanāśanaḥ

Translation

He is pure Light, the Lord of the universe; formless in His true nature, the sovereign Lord who abides in the waters. Bearing the tumbā-vīṇā, vast in cosmic form, He is sorrowless and the destroyer of the sorrow of beings.

Word by Word

• ज्योतिर्मयः: full of light
• ज्योतिर्मयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्योतिस्-मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

• जगन्नाथः: Lord of the world
• जगन्नाथः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्-नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

• निराकारः: formless
• निराकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine; विशेषण

• जलेश्वरः: Lord of waters
• जलेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

• तुम्बवीणः: having a tumbā-vīṇā (lute)
• तुम्बवीणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुम्ब-वीण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine; विशेषण (तुम्बवीणाधारी)

• महाकायः: great-bodied
• महाकायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

• विशोकः: free from sorrow
• विशोकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine; विशेषण

• शोकनाशनः: destroyer of sorrow
• शोकनाशनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक-नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It presents Shiva as the supreme Jyoti (conscious Light) who is intrinsically beyond limitation (nirākāra) yet compassionately acts as the remover of existential sorrow, indicating liberation through turning the mind toward His luminous, sorrow-destroying reality.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Jyotirmaya and nirākāra point to Shiva’s transcendent nature, while titles like Jagannātha and imagery such as bearing the vīṇā express His immanent, worshipable presence—harmonizing Nirguna Shiva with Saguna worship as embodied in the Jyotirlinga and Linga devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as inner light (jyoti) while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), praying specifically as “śokanāśanaḥ” (destroyer of sorrow); this is especially aligned with Jyotirlinga darśana and Mahāśivarātri worship.