Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 36
तारकवधोत्तरं देवस्तुतिः पर्वतवरप्रदानं च / Devas’ Hymn after Tāraka’s Slaying and the Bestowal of Boons upon the Mountains
दण्डहस्ताय कालाय पाशहस्ताय ते नमः । वेदमंत्रप्रधानाय शतजिह्वाय ते नमः
daṇḍahastāya kālāya pāśahastāya te namaḥ | vedamaṃtrapradhānāya śatajihvāya te namaḥ
ದಂಡಹಸ್ತನಾದ ಕಾಲಸ್ವರೂಪನೇ, ನಿನಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ; ಪಾಶಹಸ್ತನೇ, ನಿನಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ. ವೇದಮಂತ್ರಗಳ ಪ್ರಧಾನ ತತ್ತ್ವನೇ, ನಿನಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ; ಶತಜಿಹ್ವಾ ಪ್ರಭು, ನಿನಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ.
Suta Goswami (narrating the hymn/praise as part of the Kumārakhaṇḍa discourse)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahākāla
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time who grants liberation from fear of death; the Ujjayinī liṅga is famed as a svayaṃbhū manifestation where Śiva is worshipped as Mahākāla, subduing Kāla and protecting devotees.
Significance: Protection from untimely death and fear, strength in dharma, and a strong association with mokṣa through Kāla-tattva mastery.
Mantra: दण्डहस्ताय कालाय पाशहस्ताय ते नमः । वेदमंत्रप्रधानाय शतजिह्वाय ते नमः
Type: stotra
Shakti Form: Kālī
Role: destructive
Offering: dhupa
Cosmic Event: Kāla principle (time/death) foregrounded as a cosmic force mastered/embodied by Śiva.
FAQs
The verse worships Shiva as Kāla (the cosmic power of time that dissolves all bondage) and as the Lord who holds the pāśa (noose) symbolizing control over karmic fetters; it affirms that liberation comes by taking refuge in Pati (Shiva), the source and sovereign of sacred mantra.
It praises Saguna Shiva through iconic attributes—staff and noose—so the devotee can meditate on the Lord’s governing and liberating functions while worshiping the Shiva-Linga as the accessible form of the transcendent Reality.
Japa with Shiva-mantras (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) combined with contemplation of Shiva as the remover of pāśa (bondage) is implied; the verse naturally supports stotra-recitation during daily Linga-puja and Mahashivratri worship.