Shloka 25
Śiva-stavarāja: Upamanyu’s Preface and Initiation of the Śarva-Nāma Enumeration
Anuśāsana-parva 17
ब्रहद्मणामपि यद् ब्रह्म पराणामपि यत् परम्
vāyudeva uvāca | brahmaṇām api yad brahma parāṇām api yat param | yo vedānām api veda uttamānām api cottamaḥ | tejasām api tejaḥ sa tapasām api tapaḥ | śāntānām api yaḥ śāntaḥ kāntīnām api kāntiḥ | jitendriyāṇām api yaḥ jitendriyaḥ buddhimatām api buddhir | devānām api devo ya ṛṣīṇām api ṛṣiḥ | yajñānām api yajñaḥ sa kalyāṇānām api kalyāṇam | rudrāṇām api rudro yaḥ prabhāvavatām īśvarāṇām api prabhā | yoginām api yogī ca kāraṇānām api kāraṇam | yasmāt sarve lokāḥ prabhavanti punar eva ca tasminn eva pralīyante | yaḥ sarvabhūtātma sa evāmita-tejā bhagavān śivaḥ | tasya me śṛṇu vīra sahasram aṣṭottaraṃ nāmnāṃ varṇanam | śravaṇamātreṇa ca sarvakāmān avāpsyasi ||
ヴァーユデーヴァは言った。「梵を知る者にとってさえ梵（ブラフマン）であり、至上なるものの中にあっても至上である者。ヴェーダにとってさえ『ヴェーダ』であり、最高の中の最高。輝きの輝き、苦行の苦行。静謐なる者の中で最も静謐、光明の光明。自制する者の中で最も自制し、賢者の智慧そのもの。神々の神、仙人たちの仙人。祭祀の祭祀、吉祥の吉祥。ルドラたちのルドラ、強大なる主たちの主権の威光。ヨーギンたちのヨーギン、そして因の因— 彼より万界は生じ、また彼に帰して溶け去る。彼は一切衆生のアートマン（真我）である。測り知れぬ光輝を具えた主、シヴァその人だ。人中の雄よ、彼の千八の御名の誦唱を、わたしから聞け。聞くのみで、汝はあらゆる願いを成就するであろう。」
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents Śiva as the supreme ground of all excellences—knowledge, austerity, peace, radiance, self-control, and sacrificial merit—and as the cosmic source into whom all worlds arise and dissolve. It also teaches the devotional efficacy of śravaṇa (reverent hearing): listening to the Lord’s names is portrayed as a powerful spiritual act that fulfills aims and purifies intention.
Vāyudeva begins a formal praise of Śiva, introducing him through a chain of superlative epithets and then announcing the forthcoming recitation of Śiva’s 1008 names. He addresses a heroic listener (implicitly a ‘best of men’) and promises that mere hearing of the name-litany will grant the listener’s desired goals.