Viṣṇoḥ Sahasranāma-stotreṇa Śiva-prasādaḥ
Vishnu’s Thousand-Name Hymn and Shiva’s Grace
शिव उवाच । वरदोऽस्मि सुरश्रेष्ठ वरान्वृणु यथेप्सितान् । भक्त्या वशीकृतो नूनं स्तवेनानेन सुव्रतः
śiva uvāca | varado'smi suraśreṣṭha varānvṛṇu yathepsitān | bhaktyā vaśīkṛto nūnaṃ stavenānena suvrataḥ
ശിവൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—ഹേ ദേവശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! ഞാൻ വരദാതാവാണ്; നിനക്കിഷ്ടമുള്ള വരങ്ങൾ തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുക. ഹേ സുവ്രതാ! ഈ സ്തോത്രഭക്തിയാൽ ഞാൻ തീർച്ചയായും വശനായിരിക്കുന്നു।
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
It highlights that Shiva’s grace is primarily moved by bhakti (devotion): sincere praise and heartfelt surrender draw the Lord’s compassionate response, resulting in blessings that support both worldly welfare and spiritual uplift.
In Kotirudrasaṃhitā, devotion expressed through stotra and worship culminates in Shiva’s tangible (saguṇa) response—granting boons. Linga-worship similarly uses praise, offering, and remembrance to invite Shiva’s gracious presence and protection.
Regular stotra-pāṭha (recitation of hymns) with bhakti—ideally alongside pañcākṣarī-japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and traditional Shaiva aids like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa—emphasizing inner devotion over mere formality.