Shloka 16

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

अजातशत्रुरालोकः संभाव्यो हव्यवाहनः । लोककरो वेदकरः सूत्रकारः सनातनः

Transliteration

ajātaśatrurālokaḥ saṃbhāvyo havyavāhanaḥ | lokakaro vedakaraḥ sūtrakāraḥ sanātanaḥ

Translation

അവൻ അജാതശത്രു, ജ്ഞാനത്തിന്റെ ആലോകസ്വരൂപം, സദാ ധ്യാനാർഹൻ, ഹവ്യവാഹനൻ. അവൻ ലോകകർതൃ-ധർത്താവ്, വേദപ്രകാശകൻ, പവിത്ര സൂത്രങ്ങളുടെ കർത്താവ്, സനാതനൻ.

Word by Word

• अजातशत्रुः: one without enemies
• अजातशत्रुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजात + शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (अजातः शत्रुः यस्य = ‘one whose enemy is not born’/‘enemyless’)

• आलोकः: light; illumination
• आलोकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• संभाव्यः: worthy of honor; conceivable
• संभाव्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + भू (धातु) + ण्यत्/यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive) ‘to be honored/considered possible’; विशेषणम्

• हव्यवाहनः: carrier of oblations
• हव्यवाहनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्य + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हव्यस्य वाहनः)

• लोककरः: maker of the worlds
• लोककरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य करः/कर्ता)

• वेदकरः: maker/author of the Veda
• वेदकरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य करः/कर्ता)

• सूत्रकारः: composer of aphorisms (sutras)
• सूत्रकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत्र + कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सूत्रस्य कारः)

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As ‘Veda-kara’ and ‘Sūtra-kāra’, Śiva is praised as revealer of sacred knowledge; this aligns with Kāśī Viśvanātha’s identity as the Lord of the universe and bestower of liberating knowledge in Kāśī.

Significance: Pilgrimage is sought for jñāna, purification, and liberation; Kāśī is famed as the place where Śiva grants the saving instruction at life’s end.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It praises Shiva as the eternal, hostility-free Lord who illumines consciousness and governs both worldly order and sacred revelation—pointing to Him as Pati (the Supreme) who grants grace and liberation.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By calling Shiva the 'Light' and 'Eternal,' the verse supports Linga worship as a Saguna focus that leads the devotee toward the Nirguna truth—Shiva as pure illumination beyond limitation, yet approachable through sacred forms and pilgrimage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offerings (havya) with devotion—along with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya) and meditation on Shiva as āloka (inner light)—aligns worship, knowledge, and contemplation in a Shaiva way.