Shloka 135

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

वरशीलो वरतुलो मानो मानधनो मयः ब्रह्मा विष्णुः प्रजापालो हंसो हंसगतिर्यमः

Transliteration

varaśīlo varatulo māno mānadhano mayaḥ brahmā viṣṇuḥ prajāpālo haṃso haṃsagatiryamaḥ

Translation

അവൻ ഉത്തമശീലനും സമ്യക് സമതുലിതനും; അവൻ തന്നെയാണ് മാനം, മാന്യരുടെ യഥാർത്ഥ ധനം. എല്ലാം അളന്ന് പ്രകടമാക്കുന്ന അത്ഭുതമായ മായാശക്തി അവൻ തന്നെ. അവൻ ബ്രഹ്മാവും വിഷ്ണുവും, പ്രജാപാലകൻ; അവൻ ഹംസം (പരമശുദ്ധ ആത്മാവ്), ഹംസഗതി, യമൻ—ധർമ്മനിയന്താവ്.

Word by Word

• वरशीलः: of noble character, virtuous in nature

• वरतुलः: perfectly balanced/proportioned, supremely well-formed

• मानः: honor, dignity, the principle of right measure

• मानधनः: whose wealth is honor / the treasure of the honorable

• मयः: consisting of māyā/power of manifestation, wondrously formative

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā (creative function)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu (preserving function)

• प्रजापालः: protector of creatures, guardian of subjects

• हंसः: Haṃsa—pure Self, supreme Paramātman

• हंसगतिः: the path/movement/state of the Haṃsa, the way of liberated consciousness

• यमः: Yama—restrainer, righteous governor, inner discipline.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (reciting the Shiva Sahasranama within the Linga Purana narrative)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Yama

FAQs

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

It frames the Linga as the one Pati who performs all cosmic roles—creation, preservation, and righteous governance—so worship is directed to the single Supreme Reality behind all divine functions.

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

Shiva is presented as the all-inclusive Lord: He is simultaneously Brahmā and Viṣṇu (cosmic functions) and Yama (moral order), while also being Haṃsa—the pure, transcendent Self that grants the liberated state (haṃsa-gati).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The phrase “haṃsa” and “haṃsa-gati” points to Pashupata-oriented inner discipline—steady restraint (yama) and meditative ascent toward the pure Self—supported by Linga-puja as devotion to the Pati who releases the pashu from pasha.