Shloka 41

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

अमृतश्शाश्वतश्शांतो बाणहस्तः प्रतापवान् । कमंडलुधरो धन्वी ह्यवाङ्मनसगोचरः

Transliteration

amṛtaśśāśvataśśāṃto bāṇahastaḥ pratāpavān | kamaṃḍaludharo dhanvī hyavāṅmanasagocaraḥ

Translation

He, Śiva, is deathless, eternal, and perfectly tranquil. With arrows in His hand and radiant in might, He bears the kamaṇḍalu and the bow; indeed, He is beyond the reach of speech and mind.

Word by Word

• अमृतः: immortal, deathless
• अमृतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• शाश्वतः: eternal
• शाश्वतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शान्तः: peaceful, tranquil
• शान्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शम् धातु से निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• बाणहस्तः: having an arrow in hand
• बाणहस्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): बाणः यस्य हस्ते/हस्तः बाणेन युक्तः

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, glorious
• प्रतापवान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• कमण्डलुधरः: bearing a water-pot (kamaṇḍalu)
• कमण्डलुधरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक; √धृ धातु से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: कमण्डलुं धरति/धारयति इति

• धन्वी: bowman, armed with a bow
• धन्वी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle; अवधानार्थ/हेतौ (indeed/for)

• अवाङ्मनसगोचरः: beyond speech and mind
• अवाङ्मनसगोचरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवाक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समाहार/निर्देश-तत्पुरुष: वाङ्मनसोः अगोचरः (speech-and-mind beyond range)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse unites Shiva’s Saguna form (bow, arrows, kamaṇḍalu—protector and ascetic) with His Nirguna truth: He is ultimately beyond speech and mind. In Shaiva Siddhanta, this points to Shiva as Pati—ever-free, deathless, and the शांत (peace) that grants liberation.

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

Lingārcana and murti-worship begin with accessible attributes—Shiva as the powerful guardian and serene yogin—yet the devotee is led to the inner recognition that the Linga signifies the transcendent Shiva who cannot be fully contained by words or concepts.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva with the pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating His शांत (stillness) while offering water (echoing the kamaṇḍalu) and focusing the mind beyond discursive thought; this aligns japa and dhyāna toward the avāṅmanasagocara reality.