Shloka 108

वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

महास्कन्धो महाकर्णो महोष्ठश् च महाहनुः महानासो महाकण्ठो महाग्रीवः श्मशानवान्

Transliteration

mahāskandho mahākarṇo mahoṣṭhaś ca mahāhanuḥ mahānāso mahākaṇṭho mahāgrīvaḥ śmaśānavān

Translation

അവന്റെ സ്കന്ധങ്ങൾ മഹാവിശാലം, കർണ്ണങ്ങൾ മഹത്തരം, അധരങ്ങളും ഹനുവും മഹാബലം; നാസിക ഉന്നതം, കണ്ഠവും ഗ്രീവയും വിരാടം—അവൻ ശ്മശാനവാസിയായ പ്രഭു, ഭയാതീത പതി ശിവൻ, ബന്ധിത പാശുക്കൾക്ക് മോക്ഷം നൽകുന്നവൻ।

Word by Word

• mahā-skandhaḥ: one with great shoulders

• mahā-karṇaḥ: one with great ears

• mahā-oṣṭhaḥ: one with great lips

• ca: and

• mahā-hanuḥ: one with great jaws

• mahā-nāsaḥ: one with great nose

• mahā-kaṇṭhaḥ: one with great throat

• mahā-grīvaḥ: one with great neck

• śmaśāna-vān: one who dwells in/possesses the cremation-ground (as his domain)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva Sahasranama within the Linga Purana tradition)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as the all-encompassing Pati whose terrifying-yet-auspicious symbols (like dwelling in the cremation-ground) purify the devotee’s attachment and fear—key inner prerequisites for steadfast Linga-puja.

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

Through “great” bodily epithets it points to Shiva’s cosmic sovereignty, while “śmaśānavān” signals transcendence over birth and death—Shiva-tattva as the Lord beyond pāśa (bondage) who alone can release the paśu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse implies vairāgya and śava/śmaśāna-smṛti (contemplation on impermanence), a Pāśupata-aligned discipline that supports japa of Shiva’s names and inward Linga-dhyāna.