Shloka 53
तपसो महिमा
The Greatness and Typology of Tapas
ब्रह्महत्यासहस्राणि पुरा कृत्वा तु पुल्कसः । शिवेति नाम विमलं श्रुत्वा मोक्षं गतः पुरा
brahmahatyāsahasrāṇi purā kṛtvā tu pulkasaḥ | śiveti nāma vimalaṃ śrutvā mokṣaṃ gataḥ purā
In former times, a Pulkaśa—though he had committed thousands of sins of brahmahatyā—attained liberation simply by hearing the stainless Name “Śiva”.
Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya in the Uma Samhita context)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Significance: Illustrates that even mahāpātaka is overruled by Śiva’s grace accessed through nāma-śravaṇa; reinforces the universality of Śiva-bhakti beyond social status.
Mantra: śiveti nāma vimalaṃ
Type: stotra
FAQs
It proclaims Śiva’s supreme grace: even the heaviest karmic bonds can be cut when the soul comes into contact with the pure Śiva-nāma, because the Name carries Śiva’s liberating power and awakens devotion and surrender.
Śiva-nāma is a direct, accessible form of Saguna worship—like Linga-pūjā—where the devotee approaches Śiva through a tangible support (name, form, symbol). Hearing and repeating ‘Śiva’ functions as nāma-upāsanā that leads the mind toward the Lord beyond bondage.
Śravaṇa (devotional hearing) and nāma-japa: regularly hear Śiva-kathā and repeat the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with faith, as a simple but potent discipline oriented to purification and mokṣa.