Shloka 153

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

सुरेशः शरणं सर्वः शब्दब्रह्म सतां गतिः कालभक्षः कलङ्कारिः कङ्कणीकृतवासुकिः

Transliteration

sureśaḥ śaraṇaṃ sarvaḥ śabdabrahma satāṃ gatiḥ kālabhakṣaḥ kalaṅkāriḥ kaṅkaṇīkṛtavāsukiḥ

Translation

അവൻ സുരേശൻ, എല്ലാവർക്കും ശരണം, സർവവ്യാപി; ശബ്ദബ്രഹ്മം, സത്സംഗികളുടെ പരമഗതി. അവൻ കാലഭക്ഷൻ, കലങ്കധാരി (പവിത്രചിഹ്നധാരി), വാസുകിയെ കങ്കണമായി ധരിച്ചവൻ।

Word by Word

• सुरेशः: Lord of the gods

• शरणम्: refuge, shelter

• सर्वः: all, the all-pervading one

• शब्दब्रह्म: Brahman in the form of sacred sound (Veda/Pranava)

• सताम्: of the virtuous, of the realized

• गतिः: goal, refuge, final course

• कालभक्षः: devourer of Time (transcending kāla)

• कलङ्कारिः: bearer/maker of the auspicious mark (the famed ‘stain’ such as ash/mark that becomes holy)

• कङ्कणीकृतवासुकिः: he who made Vāsuki a bracelet/ornament

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva-Sahasranama portion to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vasuki
• Devas

FAQs

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

By naming Shiva as refuge of all and as Śabda-Brahman, the verse frames Linga-worship as approaching Pati through mantra and surrender—seeing the Linga as the accessible sign of the all-pervading Lord.

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

It presents Shiva as Pati who is beyond kāla (Time-devourer), yet immanent as sacred sound (Śabda-Brahman) and as the final gati of the sat (the purified pashu seeking liberation from pāśa).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-centered upāsanā is implied by “Śabda-Brahman”: japa of Pranava/Vedic Shiva-mantras during Linga-pūjā, aligning the pashu’s awareness to the Lord who transcends time.