Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana
The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva
सर्वयोनिर्निरातंको नरनारायणप्रियः । निर्लेपो यतिसंगात्मा निर्व्यंगो व्यंगनाशनः
sarvayonirnirātaṃko naranārāyaṇapriyaḥ | nirlepo yatisaṃgātmā nirvyaṃgo vyaṃganāśanaḥ
He is the source of all births and the support of every origin; stainless and untainted. Beloved of Nara and Nārāyaṇa, He remains untouched by impurity—ever aligned with the company and inner state of renunciants. Free from defect Himself, He destroys the defects of those who take refuge in Him.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
The verse praises Shiva as Pati—the stainless Lord beyond karmic taint (nirlepa) and the ultimate source and support of all beings. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, He is untouched by pasha (bondage) yet has the power to remove devotees’ defects and lead them toward liberation.
These epithets are commonly contemplated in Linga worship: the Linga signifies the Lord who is both manifest for devotion (saguna for upasana) and intrinsically unstained and transcendent (nirguna in essence). Meditating on “nirlepa” while offering water, bilva, and mantra aligns the devotee with Shiva’s purity.
Japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a renunciant attitude (yati-bhava), combined with Tripundra (bhasma) and Rudraksha, is implied: approach the Lord as the blemish-destroyer (vyaṅga-nāśanaḥ) and cultivate inner detachment.