Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana
The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva
कल्याणप्रकृतिः कल्पः सर्वलोकप्रजापतिः । तरस्वी तारको धीमान्प्रधानः प्रभुरव्ययः
kalyāṇaprakṛtiḥ kalpaḥ sarvalokaprajāpatiḥ | tarasvī tārako dhīmānpradhānaḥ prabhuravyayaḥ
അവൻ കല്യാണസ്വഭാവൻ; അവൻ തന്നെയാണ് കല്പധർമ്മം. സർവ്വലോകങ്ങളുടെ പ്രജാപതി. അവൻ പരാക്രമശാലി, താരകൻ (ഭവസാഗരം കടത്തുന്നവൻ), സർവ്വജ്ഞൻ, പ്രധാനം തത്ത്വം, പ്രഭു, അവ്യയൻ।
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific narrative; the verse presents Śiva as kalpa (cosmic ordinance) and sarvaloka-prajāpati, i.e., the transcendent-immanent source of cosmic cycles and progeny.
Significance: Contemplation supports crossing saṃsāra (tāraka-bhāva) and recognizing Śiva as the sovereign over pradhāna/māyā—loosening pāśa (bondage).
Type: stotra
Role: creative
Cosmic Event: kalpa-cakra (cosmic aeons) implied
The verse presents Shiva as Pati (the sovereign Lord) who is inherently auspicious and imperishable, the all-wise source and governor of cosmic order, and the tāraka—one who grants liberation by carrying the bound soul (paśu) beyond bondage (pāśa).
These epithets support Saguna upāsanā: devotees worship the Shiva-Linga as the visible seat of the imperishable Prabhu, contemplating His auspiciousness (kalyāṇa), lordship over creation (sarvalokaprajāpati), and saving grace (tāraka) while offering water, bilva, and mantra.
Japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while meditating on Shiva as tāraka (the Deliverer) and avyaya (imperishable), ideally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supports for steadiness and devotion.