Shloka 97

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

विष्णुर्ग्रहपतिः कृष्णः समर्थो ऽनर्थनाशनः अधर्मशत्रुरक्षय्यः पुरुहूतः पुरुष्टुतः

Transliteration

viṣṇurgrahapatiḥ kṛṣṇaḥ samartho 'narthanāśanaḥ adharmaśatrurakṣayyaḥ puruhūtaḥ puruṣṭutaḥ

Translation

તે વિષ્ણુસ્વરૂપ, ગ્રહપતિ, કૃષ્ણવર્ણ, સર્વસમર્થ અને અનર્થનાશક છે. તેઓ અધર્મના શત્રુ, અક્ષય, અનેક દ્વારા આહ્વાનિત, અને સર્વ દ્વારા સ્તુત—એવા પરમ પતિ છે, જે પશુના પાશબંધનને શિથિલ કરે છે।

Word by Word

• विष्णुः: the all-pervading Lord (name indicating pervasion)

• ग्रहपतिः: lord/master of the grahas (planets)

• कृष्णः: the dark-hued one, the mysterious/attractive Lord

• समर्थः: fully capable, omnipotent

• अनर्थनाशनः: destroyer of calamity, remover of misfortune

• अधर्मशत्रुः: enemy of unrighteousness

• अक्षय्यः: imperishable, undecaying

• पुरुहूतः: much-invoked, called upon by many

• पुरुष्टुतः: praised by many/men, universally lauded

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva-Sahasranama section to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Grahas (planetary deities)

FAQs

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

It frames the worshipped Lord as the all-pervading Pati who governs even cosmic forces like the grahas and who removes anartha; thus Linga-puja is approached as surrender to the supreme regulator and liberator.

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

By attributing names such as “Viṣṇu,” “imperishable,” and “destroyer of misfortune,” it presents Shiva-tattva as the single supreme reality that pervades all functions—preservation, cosmic order, and the defeat of adharma—while remaining akṣayya (unchanging).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Stotra-japa (recitation of divine names) as a Pāśupata-oriented discipline: invoking the Lord (puruhūta) and praising Him (puruṣṭuta) to weaken pasha (bondage) and restore dharma in the paśu (individual soul).