Shloka 78

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

आयुः शब्दपतिर्वाग्मी प्लवनश्शिखिसारथिः । असंसृष्टोऽतिथिश्शत्रुः प्रमाथी पादपासनः

Transliteration

āyuḥ śabdapatirvāgmī plavanaśśikhisārathiḥ | asaṃsṛṣṭo'tithiśśatruḥ pramāthī pādapāsanaḥ

Translation

He is Life itself; the Lord of sound and sacred speech; the eloquent One; the Savior who ferries beings across; the Charioteer of the fire-born power. Unmixed and untouched, He is the honored Guest and the destroyer of hostility; the mighty Subduer, and the One at whose feet all beings find their seat and refuge.

Word by Word

• आयुः: life-span; vital force
• आयुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नामरूपेण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शब्दपतिः: lord of sound/speech
• शब्दपतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative)

• वाग्मी: eloquent
• वाग्मी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—विशेषणरूपेण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाग्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• प्लवनः: one who makes cross; a ferrying one
• प्लवनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शिखिसारथिः: charioteer of Agni (fire)
• शिखिसारथिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखि (प्रातिपदिक) + सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• असंसृष्टः: unmixed; unattached
• असंसृष्टः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + सृज् (धातु) → संसृष्ट (कृदन्त/PPP) + अ- (निषेध)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययार्थ (negated)

• अतिथिः: guest
• अतिथिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शत्रुः: enemy
• शत्रुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रमाथी: crusher; tormentor
• प्रमाथी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + मथ् (धातु) → प्रमाथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रातिपदिक (agent-noun)

• पादपासनः: seat of trees; one having trees as seat
• पादपासनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादप (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This verse offers Shiva’s sacred epithets to contemplate: as the inner Life (āyuḥ), the Lord of sound (śabdapati), and the ferrier (plavanaḥ) who carries the bound soul (paśu) beyond bondage (pāśa) to the Lord (pati).

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

The Linga is worshipped as Saguna Shiva—the accessible form through which devotees approach the transcendent, ‘unmixed’ (asaṃsṛṣṭa) Reality. Meditating on these names during Linga-pūjā aligns speech, mind, and life-force to Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while reflecting on Shiva as śabdapati (Lord of sound) and plavana (the ferrier) is suggested; conclude by offering water/bilva to the Linga and resting the mind at His feet (pādapāsana).