Shloka 28

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

सुलभस्सुव्रतश्शूरो वाङ्मयैकनिधिर्निधिः । वर्णाश्रमगुरुर्वर्णी शत्रुजिच्छत्रुतापनः

Transliteration

sulabhassuvrataśśūro vāṅmayaikanidhirnidhiḥ | varṇāśramagururvarṇī śatrujicchatrutāpanaḥ

Translation

അവൻ സുലഭൻ, സുവ്രതധാരി, ശൂരൻ; വാങ്മയത്തിന്റെ ഏക നിധിയും സ്വയം നിധിസ്വരൂപനും. വർണാശ്രമധർമ്മത്തെ നിലനിറുത്തുന്ന ഗുരു-ആചാര്യൻ; ശത്രുജിതനും ശത്രുതാപനനും ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सुलभः: easily attainable
• सुलभः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुलभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुव्रतः: of good vows, well-disciplined
• सुव्रतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सु-व्रतः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शूरः: heroic
• शूरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वाङ्मयैकनिधिः: the sole treasure of sacred speech/learning
• वाङ्मयैकनिधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाङ्मय (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (संख्याप्रातिपदिक) + निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वाङ्मयस्य एकः निधिः / वाङ्मय-एक-निधिः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निधिः: treasure
• निधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-बल (appositional emphasis)

• वर्णाश्रमगुरुः: teacher of the varṇa-āśrama order
• वर्णाश्रमगुरुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वर्णाश्रमस्य गुरुḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वर्णी: one bearing sacred marks/one of a class (varṇin)
• वर्णी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्णिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त

• शत्रुजित्: conqueror of enemies
• शत्रुजित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + जित् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √जि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शत्रून् जयति इति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शत्रुतापनः: tormentor of enemies
• शत्रुतापनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + तापन्/तापन (प्रातिपदिक, √तप्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शत्रून् तापयति इति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It praises Shiva as sulabha—readily reached by sincere devotion—while also affirming him as the source of sacred knowledge and the inner strength that conquers hostile tendencies, aligning the devotee with dharma and liberation.

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

By describing Shiva’s approachable, vow-protecting nature and his role as the repository of Vedic speech, the verse supports Saguna worship—especially Linga worship—where the devotee meets Shiva through tangible devotion, mantra, and disciplined practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt suvrata (disciplined vows) and daily Shiva-upāsanā—reciting the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” offering water/bilva to the Linga, and maintaining ethical restraint as the practical way to ‘attain’ the sulabha Lord.