Shloka 125

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

अनुत्तमो दुराधर्षो मधुरः प्रियदर्शनः । सुरेश स्मरणः सर्वः शब्दः प्रतपतां वरः

Transliteration

anuttamo durādharṣo madhuraḥ priyadarśanaḥ | sureśa smaraṇaḥ sarvaḥ śabdaḥ pratapatāṃ varaḥ

Translation

He is unsurpassed and unassailable; sweet in nature and lovely to behold. He is the remembrance of the Lord of the gods; he is all—indeed, the supreme Word for those who strive in tapas and spiritual discipline.

Word by Word

• अनुत्तमः: unsurpassed, supreme
• अनुत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दुराधर्षः: hard to overpower
• दुराधर्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुराधर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• मधुरः: sweet, pleasant
• मधुरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• प्रियदर्शनः: pleasing to behold
• प्रियदर्शनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः (प्रियं दर्शनं यस्य/प्रियं दर्शनम्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सुरेश: O Lord of gods / Sureśa
• सुरेश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बोधन-रूपेण अपि सम्भवति (vocative-like address)

• स्मरणः: remembrance, recollection
• स्मरणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नामरूपेण

• सर्वः: all, entire
• सर्वः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying शब्दः)

• शब्दः: word, sound
• शब्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रतपताम्: of those who are blazing/ardent
• प्रतपताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-तप् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle) ‘प्रतपत्’; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वरः: the best, excellent one
• वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as the unsurpassed Pati (Lord) who is approached through smaraṇa (remembrance) and śabda (sacred utterance), teaching that inner recollection and disciplined tapas mature into grace and liberation.

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

By describing Shiva as ‘pleasing to behold’ and accessible through remembrance, it supports Saguna devotion—seeing, honoring, and meditating on Shiva (including in the Linga) while grounding worship in focused recollection and mantra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice smaraṇa and japa of Shiva-mantra (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with tapas-like steadiness—regular repetition, contemplation of Shiva’s auspicious form, and devotion-oriented discipline.