Shloka 143

वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

आषाढश् च सुषाढश् च स्कन्धदो हरितो हरः वपुरावर्तमानो ऽन्यो वपुःश्रेष्ठो महावपुः

Transliteration

āṣāḍhaś ca suṣāḍhaś ca skandhado harito haraḥ vapurāvartamāno 'nyo vapuḥśreṣṭho mahāvapuḥ

Translation

അവൻ ആശാഢനും സുഷാഢനും—അചലനും പരമ അചലനും; സ്കന്ധദൻ, ബലവും ആശ്രയവും നൽകുന്നവൻ; ഹരിതവർണ്ണൻ, ഹരൻ—ബന്ധനഹരൻ. ദേഹങ്ങളെ തിരിച്ചു മാറ്റുന്നവൻ, പല രൂപം ധരിച്ചു ‘മറ്റൊരാൾ’പോലെ പ്രത്യക്ഷനാകുന്നവൻ; എങ്കിലും അവൻ തന്നെയാണ് ശ്രേഷ്ഠ രൂപം, മഹാവപു പരമേശ്വരൻ।

Word by Word

• आषाढः: steadfast/unyielding

• सुषाढः: perfectly steadfast, supremely firm

• स्कन्धदः: giver of support/strength (bestower of ‘skandha’, shoulder-bearing power)

• हरितः: green-hued, all-nourishing

• हरः: remover (of sins, pāśa/bondage), the Destroyer

• वपुरावर्तमानः: one who causes the turning/transforming of bodies, revolving through embodiments

• अन्यः: the other, the one who becomes different (assumes other forms)

• वपुःश्रेष्ठः: the best/supreme embodiment, most excellent form

• महावपुः: of great body, vast cosmic form

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

By naming Shiva as vapuḥśreṣṭha and mahāvapuḥ, the verse frames the Linga as the supreme, formless-yet-all-form Reality (Pati) that supports and pervades every embodiment, making Linga-puja a direct approach to the highest Shiva-tattva.

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

Shiva is both the transcendent supreme form (vapuḥśreṣṭha) and the immanent power that assumes many forms (anyo) and governs embodiment and transformation (vapurāvartamāna), while also being Hara—the remover of pāśa that binds the pashu (soul).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse supports Pashupata-oriented contemplation: meditate on Shiva as the inner governor of bodily change and the remover (Hara) of bondage, aligning worship and yoga toward liberation of the pashu through surrender to Pati.