Shloka 35
Śiva–Arjuna Yuddha and the Subjugation of Pride (Śiva-parīkṣā)
कपर्दिने नमस्तुभ्यन्त्रिनेत्राय नमोऽस्तु ते । मनः प्रसन्नरूपाय सहस्रवदनाय च
kapardine namastubhyantrinetrāya namo'stu te | manaḥ prasannarūpāya sahasravadanāya ca
Salutations to You, O Kapardin—wearer of matted locks; salutations to You, the Three-eyed Lord. Homage to You whose very form gladdens the mind, and to You who are the Thousand-faced One.
Suta Goswami (narrating the hymn of praise within the Shatarudrasaṃhitā context)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Rudra
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: ‘Sahasravadanāya’ (thousand-faced) and universal epithets naturally resonate with Viśvanātha—Lord of the universe—especially in later devotional mapping of cosmic Śiva to Kāśī.
Significance: Contemplation of Śiva as all-faced/all-seeing supports viśvarūpa-bhāva and fearlessness; Kāśī-viśvanātha pilgrimage is traditionally linked with liberation-bestowing grace.
Mantra: कपर्दिने नमस्तुभ्यन्त्रिनेत्राय नमोऽस्तु ते । मनः प्रसन्नरूपाय सहस्रवदनाय च
Type: stotra
FAQs
It teaches bhakti through nāma-stuti (praise by divine names): meditating on Shiva as Kapardin (ascetic Lord) and Trinetra (all-knowing consciousness) steadies the mind and turns it toward Pati, the liberator of the bound soul (paśu).
The verse is Saguna-oriented—adoring Shiva through attributes and forms (matted locks, three eyes, thousand faces). Such contemplation supports Linga-worship by giving the devotee a focused, auspicious understanding of the One Lord expressed through many forms.
Repeat these epithets as japa before the Shiva Linga, ideally alongside the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), visualizing the tranquil, mind-pleasing form of Shiva; it aligns well with Mahāśivarātri vrata, bhasma (tripuṇḍra), and rudrākṣa-supported meditation.