Shloka 71

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

उष्णो गृहपतिः कृष्णः समर्थोऽनर्थनाशनः । अधर्मशत्रुरज्ञेयः पुरुहूतः पुरुश्रुतः

Transliteration

uṣṇo gṛhapatiḥ kṛṣṇaḥ samartho'narthanāśanaḥ | adharmaśatrurajñeyaḥ puruhūtaḥ puruśrutaḥ

Translation

He is the ardent Heat itself; Gṛhapati, Lord of the household and the sacrificial hearth; the Dark-hued One; all-capable and the destroyer of misfortune. He is the enemy of adharma, unknowable to the unillumined mind, widely invoked by many, and widely renowned in countless sacred recitations.

Word by Word

• उष्णः: hot/ardent
• उष्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गृहपतिः: lord of the house
• गृहपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गृहस्य पतिः)

• कृष्णः: dark/black
• कृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• समर्थः: capable
• समर्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अनर्थ-नाशनः: destroyer of misfortune
• अनर्थ-नाशनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनर्थ + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अनर्थं नाशयति इति)

• अधर्म-शत्रुः: enemy of unrighteousness
• अधर्म-शत्रुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म + शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अधर्मस्य शत्रुः)

• अज्ञेयः: unknowable
• अज्ञेयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + ज्ञेय (ज्ञा धातु, तव्यत्/यत्; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वकः; ज्ञेय = यत्/तव्यत्-अर्थे कृदन्त (to be known)

• पुरु-हूतः: much-invoked
• पुरु-हूतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरु + हूत (ह्वे धातु, क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुरुभिः हूतः = much-invoked); हूत = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• पुरु-श्रुतः: widely famed
• पुरु-श्रुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरु + श्रुत (श्रु धातु, क्त; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुरु श्रुतः = widely renowned); श्रुत = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord—who burns impurities through tapas (uṣṇa), protects the devotee’s life and sacred “hearth” (gṛhapati), destroys misfortune (anartha-nāśana), and stands as the direct adversary of adharma. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, this points to Shiva’s grace (anugraha) removing bonds and restoring dharma-oriented living that culminates in liberation.

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

These epithets support Saguna upasana: devotees approach Shiva through name, form, and the Linga as the accessible focus for the “widely invoked” Lord (puru-hūta). Yet the same verse affirms his transcendence (ajñeya), reminding worshippers that the Linga points beyond form to the supreme reality who cannot be grasped by mere intellect.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nāma-japa: chant Shiva’s names—especially with the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—seeking anartha-nāśana (removal of distress) and adharma-nivṛtti (turning away from unrighteousness). In Jyotirlinga contexts, this is commonly paired with Linga abhisheka and steady dharma-observance as the lived expression of devotion.