Shloka 94

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

शिवज्ञानरतः श्रीमाञ्शिखी श्रीपर्वतप्रियः । वज्रहस्तस्सिद्धखङ्गो नरसिंहनिपातनः

Transliteration

śivajñānarataḥ śrīmāñśikhī śrīparvatapriyaḥ | vajrahastassiddhakhaṅgo narasiṃhanipātanaḥ

Translation

He is absorbed in the knowledge of Śiva, radiant with auspicious splendour; crowned with a sacred topknot and dear to the holy mountain. With the vajra in his hand and a perfected sword, he is the slayer of Narasiṃha, the man-lion.

Word by Word

• शिवज्ञानरतः: devoted to knowledge of Śiva
• शिवज्ञानरतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिवज्ञान + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः: शिवज्ञानॆ रतः (devoted to Śiva-knowledge)

• श्रीमन्: glorious, illustrious
• श्रीमन्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• शिखी: crested one; tufted/peacock-like
• शिखी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (one having a crest/tuft; also peacock)

• श्रीपर्वतप्रियः: dear to Śrīparvata (the sacred mountain)
• श्रीपर्वतप्रियः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीपर्वत + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: श्रीपर्वतस्य प्रियः (dear to Śrīparvata)

• वज्रहस्तः: one with a thunderbolt in hand
• वज्रहस्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: वज्रः हस्ते यस्य (one whose hand holds a thunderbolt)

• सिद्धखङ्गः: one with a perfected sword
• सिद्धखङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध + खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: सिद्धः खङ्गः (a perfected/efficacious sword)

• नरसिंहनिपातनः: slayer/overthrower of Narasiṃha
• नरसिंहनिपातनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरसिंह + निपातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: नरसिंहस्य निपातनः (one who causes the fall/slaying of Narasiṃha)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Vīrabhadra

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mallikārjuna

Sthala Purana: Śrīparvata is the sacred mountain of Śrīśaila where Śiva abides with Devī; the epithet ‘Śrīparvata-priya’ evokes the kṣetra where Mallikārjuna is worshipped as a Jyotirliṅga, granting liberation and fulfillment of dharma and kāma under Śiva’s lordship.

Significance: Darśana of Mallikārjuna at Śrīśaila is held to bestow pāpa-kṣaya, siddhi in devotion, and progress toward mukti through Śiva’s anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Narasimha
• Śrīparvata

FAQs

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

The verse praises a form or attendant-power of Śiva through epithets that unite jñāna (Śiva-knowledge) with śakti (divine might), teaching that liberation arises when devotion is grounded in true knowledge of Pati (Śiva) and supported by righteous power that destroys egoic obstacles.

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

By listing divine attributes—radiance, sacred marks, weapons, and protective victory—the verse supports Saguna worship, where devotees contemplate Śiva’s manifest qualities while ultimately being led toward the inner realization of Śiva-jñāna, the heart of Linga devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nāma-smaraṇa (repetition of Śiva’s epithets) alongside Panchākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), performed with purity (bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa where appropriate) to stabilize the mind in Śiva-jñāna.