Shloka 22

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

समावर्तोऽनिवृत्तात्मा धर्मपुंजः सदाशिवः । अकल्मषश्च पुण्यात्मा चतुर्बाहुर्दुरासदः

Transliteration

samāvarto'nivṛttātmā dharmapuṃjaḥ sadāśivaḥ | akalmaṣaśca puṇyātmā caturbāhurdurāsadaḥ

Translation

He is perfectly complete and ever-returning to protect and uplift, unwavering in His inner being; He is the very heap of Dharma—Sadāśiva Himself. Stainless and sinless, of supremely pure nature, four-armed, and impossible for hostile forces to overcome.

Word by Word

• समावर्तः: fully turned/returned; complete in conduct
• समावर्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समावर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सदाशिवः)

• अनिवृत्तात्मा: whose self is un-withdrawn/steadfast
• अनिवृत्तात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + निवृत्त (कृदन्त) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—यस्य आत्मा अनिवृत्तः (not withdrawn/unchanging self)

• धर्मपुंजः: a heap/collection of dharma
• धर्मपुंजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + पुंज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—धर्माणां पुंजः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); विशेषणम् (सदाशिवः)

• सदाशिवः: Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदाशिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—सदा + शिव (कर्मधारय)

• अकल्मषः: stainless, sinless
• अकल्मषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नकारार्थक उपसर्ग; विशेषणम् (सदाशिवः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुण्यात्मा: whose soul is pure/meritorious
• पुण्यात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—यस्य आत्मा पुण्यः

• चतुर्बाहुः: four-armed
• चतुर्बाहुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—चत्वारः बाहवः यस्य (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे)

• दुरासदः: hard to approach/assail
• दुरासदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + आसद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—दुर् (दुष्) + आसद (hard to approach) उपपद-तत्पुरुष; विशेषणम् (सदाशिवः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: These epithets function as a generalized Jyotirliṅga-stuti within the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā rather than pointing to a single shrine; Sadāśiva is praised as the ever-auspicious Lord who returns (samāvarta) to protect devotees and re-establish dharma.

Significance: Recitation as stuti is framed as dharma-enhancing and protective; it cultivates śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in Pati, the remover of mala and grantor of grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Sadāśiva as the very substance of Dharma—utterly pure, untainted by mala (impurity), and therefore the supreme refuge for the bound soul (paśu) seeking liberation through His grace.

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

By listing divine attributes (purity, invincibility, four-armed form), the text supports saguna-upāsanā—meditating on Shiva’s auspicious qualities while recognizing Him as Sadāśiva, the inner reality signified by the Liṅga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is guṇa-dhyāna with japa: repeat the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while contemplating Shiva as akalmaṣa (stainless) and dharmapuñja (embodiment of Dharma), optionally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and rudrākṣa as supports.