Shloka 39

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

धर्मकर्माक्षमः क्षेत्रं भगवान् भगनेत्रभित् उग्रः पशुपतिस् तार्क्ष्यः प्रियभक्तः प्रियंवदः

Transliteration

dharmakarmākṣamaḥ kṣetraṃ bhagavān bhaganetrabhit ugraḥ paśupatis tārkṣyaḥ priyabhaktaḥ priyaṃvadaḥ

Translation

Il est le Seigneur qui rend efficaces le Dharma et l’acte sacré; il est lui‑même le Kṣetra, le Champ. Il est Bhagavān, celui qui brisa l’œil de Bhaga; le Terrible (Ugra); Paśupati, Seigneur des âmes liées; rapide comme Garuḍa; aimé de ses dévots; et celui dont la parole est douce et bienveillante.

Word by Word

• धर्मकर्माक्षमः: the one who empowers dharma and ritual action to bear fruit

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred field/body-field and the locus of experience

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord, full of sovereignty and splendor

• भगनेत्रभित्: the breaker of Bhaga’s eye (destroyer of pride in sacrifice)

• उग्रः: the fierce, awe-inspiring form

• पशुपतिः: Lord of the paśus (souls) and remover of pāśa (bondage)

• तार्क्ष्यः: Garuḍa-like, swift and mighty

• प्रियभक्तः: beloved of devotees / to whom devotees are dear

• प्रियंवदः: sweet-spoken, one who speaks pleasing truth

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Sahasranama to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bhaga
• Garuḍa

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It praises Shiva as both the giver of efficacy to dharma-karma and as kṣetra (the sacred field), implying that Linga-puja is fruitful when offered to the all-pervading Pati who sanctifies action and transforms the devotee’s inner field.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva-tattva is shown as sovereign (Bhagavān), transcendent yet immanent as the very kṣetra, and as Paśupati who frees the paśu from pāśa; His fierceness destroys egoistic sacrificial pride (Bhaganetrabhit) while His grace appears as प्रियभक्त and प्रियंवद.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse points to Pāśupata orientation: recognizing oneself as paśu and Shiva as Pati, offering worship with humility (free of ritual pride), and cultivating inner purification so that dharma and karma become effective through Shiva’s grace.