Shloka 43

Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana

The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva

Devanagari script

महाबुद्धिर्महावीर्यो भूतचारी पुरं दरः । निशाचरः प्रेतचारी महाशक्तिर्महाद्युतिः

Transliteration

mahābuddhirmahāvīryo bhūtacārī puraṃ daraḥ | niśācaraḥ pretacārī mahāśaktirmahādyutiḥ

Translation

Baginda berakal budi luas dan berani perkasa; bergerak di tengah segala makhluk dan pemecah benteng kota yang kukuh. Baginda meronda pada malam hari dan berjalan di tengah rombongan preta; Dialah Yang Mahā-Śakti, bersinar dengan kemilau agung.

Word by Word

• महाबुद्धिः: of great intellect
• महाबुद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महती बुद्धिः यस्य

• महावीर्यः: of great valor/potency
• महावीर्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महत् वीर्यम् यस्य

• भूतचारी: moving among beings/spirits
• भूतचारी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √चर् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: भूतेषु/भूतैः सह चरति

• पुरम्: city, fortress
• पुरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दरः: splitter, destroyer
• दरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दर (प्रातिपदिक; √दॄ/√दर् धातु-सम्बद्ध ‘भेदक’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (agent-noun sense: splitter)

• निशाचरः: night-roamer
• निशाचरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक; √चर् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: निशायां चरति

• प्रेतचारी: moving among ghosts
• प्रेतचारी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक) + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √चर् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: प्रेतैः सह/प्रेतेषु चरति

• महाशक्तिः: of great power
• महाशक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महती शक्तिः

• महाद्युतिः: of great radiance
• महाद्युतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + द्युति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महती द्युतिः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse strings together Shiva’s epithets to reveal Him as Pati—the supreme Lord whose wisdom, power, and radiance govern all realms, including fearful liminal domains (night, spirits). In Shaiva Siddhanta, this affirms His sovereignty over both purity and impurity, making Him the sure refuge for liberation.

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

Such name-glorification is a direct form of Saguna worship: contemplating Shiva’s attributes stabilizes devotion and dissolves fear. In Jyotirlinga contexts, devotees praise the manifest Linga as the radiant presence (mahādyutiḥ) that protects and subdues inner and outer obstacles.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use these epithets as a nāma-japa garland alongside the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—especially during evening/night worship; apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and meditate on Shiva as the radiant protector who transcends and commands all bhūtas and pretas.