Shloka 3

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

चंद्रापीडश्चंद्रमौलिर्विश्वं विश्वंभरेश्वरः । वेदांतसारसंदोहः कपाली नीललोहितः

Transliteration

caṃdrāpīḍaścaṃdramaulirviśvaṃ viśvaṃbhareśvaraḥ | vedāṃtasārasaṃdohaḥ kapālī nīlalohitaḥ

Translation

He is the one crowned with the Moon, the Moon-crested Lord; He is the universe itself and the Sovereign who sustains the universe. He is the gathered essence of Vedānta, Kapālī the skull-bearing ascetic, and Nīlalohita, the blue-and-reddish, awe-inspiring form of Śiva.

Word by Word

• चन्द्रापीडः: moon-crested/with moon as diadem
• चन्द्रापीडः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—implied 'He is')
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र-आपीड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ('having the moon as crest/ornament')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चन्द्रमौलिः: moon-crowned
• चन्द्रमौलिः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र-मौलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ('whose head/hair bears the moon')

• विश्वम्: the universe / all
• विश्वम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (as epithet)

• विश्वम्भरईश्वरः: Lord of the world-supporter / Lord who sustains the universe
• विश्वम्भरईश्वरः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वम्भर-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: विश्वम्भर (world-supporter) + ईश्वर (lord)

• वेदान्तसारसन्दोहः: a compendium of the essence of Vedānta
• वेदान्तसारसन्दोहः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदान्त-सार-सन्दोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: वेदान्तस्य सारः (essence of Vedānta) तस्य सन्दोहः (collection/heap)

• कपाली: skull-bearer
• कपाली: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessor)

• नीललोहितः: blue-and-red (hued)
• नीललोहितः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील-लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (blue and red-hued) used as epithet

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The epithets caṃdramauli/kapālī/nīlalohita evoke pan-Indian Śiva iconography (moon-crested ascetic; skull-bearing; blue-throated/terrible Rudra), but no single jyotirliṅga is explicitly identified in this verse.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: चंद्रापीडश्चंद्रमौलिर्विश्वं विश्वंभरेश्वरः । वेदांतसारसंदोहः कपाली नीललोहितः

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Śiva as both immanent and transcendent: He is the universe (viśvam) and also its sustaining Lord (viśvambhareśvaraḥ), revealing Pati as the supreme reality whose nature is the very essence taught by Vedānta.

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

These epithets support Saguna worship: Chandramauli and Kapālī are meditational forms and qualities of the same Supreme Pati, who is approached in the Shiva Purana through the Liṅga as the accessible embodiment of the formless truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Chandramauli while repeating the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and offer bilva leaves and bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) in remembrance of Him as Kapālī, the great ascetic who grants liberation.