Shloka 66

वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

मन्त्रवित्परमो मन्त्रः सर्वभावकरो हरः कमण्डलुधरो धन्वी बाणहस्तः कपालवान्

Transliteration

mantravitparamo mantraḥ sarvabhāvakaro haraḥ kamaṇḍaludharo dhanvī bāṇahastaḥ kapālavān

Translation

അവൻ മന്ത്രവിദ്—മന്ത്രങ്ങളെ അറിയുന്നവൻ; പരമമന്ത്രം തന്നെയും. അവൻ ഹരൻ—സകല ഭാവങ്ങളെയും ഉത്ഭവിപ്പിക്കുന്നവൻ. അവൻ കമണ്ഡലുധാരി തപസ്വി; അതുപോലെ ധന്വി, ബാണഹസ്തൻ, കപാലവാൻ ശിവൻ—പശുവിന്റെ ബന്ധനം ക്ഷയിപ്പിക്കുന്നവൻ.

Word by Word

• मन्त्रवित् (mantravit): knower of mantras

• परमो (paramo): supreme

• मन्त्रः (mantraḥ): the Mantra / sacred formula (itself)

• सर्वभावकरः (sarvabhāvakaraḥ): maker/producer of all bhāvas (states, conditions, beings)

• हरः (haraḥ): Hara, the remover (of pāśa/bondage and sorrow)

• कमण्डलुधरः (kamaṇḍaludharaḥ): bearer of the kamaṇḍalu (ascetic water-pot)

• धन्वी (dhanvī): wielder of the bow / archer

• बाणहस्तः (bāṇahastaḥ): having the arrow in hand

• कपालवान् (kapālavān): skull-bearer (Kapālī), emblem of transcendence over death and impurity

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya, within a stuti/nama-style passage)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames Shiva as both the mantra-knowledge (mantravit) and the very Mantra (paramo mantraḥ), implying that Linga-puja is effective when the worshipper unites sound (mantra) with form (Linga) to approach Pati, the Lord.

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

Shiva-tattva is shown as transcendent and immanent: he manifests all bhāvas (sarvabhāvakara) while also dissolving limitation as Hara; his kamaṇḍalu and kapāla signify renunciation beyond impurity and death, while bow and arrow signify sovereign power over the cosmos.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-sādhana integrated with Shaiva discipline: the verse points to mantra-upāsanā in Linga-puja, supported by ascetic restraint (kamaṇḍalu symbolism) and Pashupata intent—seeking release of the pashu from pāśa through devotion to Pati.