Shloka 26

उमास्वयंवरः / भवोद्वाहः, गणसमागमः, अविमुक्तक्षेत्रमाहात्म्यम्, तथा विनायक-उत्पत्तिसूचना

Devanagari script

करणश्चैव विंशत्या नवत्या केवलः शुभः पञ्चाक्षः शतमन्युश् च मेघमन्युस् तथैव च

Transliteration

karaṇaścaiva viṃśatyā navatyā kevalaḥ śubhaḥ pañcākṣaḥ śatamanyuś ca meghamanyus tathaiva ca

Translation

ఆయనే కరణుడు, ‘ఇరవై’ ‘తొంభై’ అని కూడా ప్రసిద్ధుడు; ఆయనే ఏకైకుడు, శుభస్వరూపుడు. ఆయనే పంచాక్షరీ మంత్రాధిపతి; ఆయనే శతమన్యు, మేఘమన్యు కూడా.

Word by Word

• karaṇaḥ: the Cause/Instrumental Cause (the One who brings about all effects)

• ca eva: and indeed

• viṃśatyā: as ‘Twenty’ (a sacred numerical epithet indicating ordered manifestation)

• navatyā: as ‘Ninety’ (a numerical epithet indicating completeness of categories)

• kevalaḥ: the Absolute, the One without a second

• śubhaḥ: auspicious, beneficent

• pañcākṣaḥ: the Five-syllabled One (associated with ‘namaḥ śivāya’)

• śatamanyuḥ: ‘hundred-wrath/hundred-ardor’—the One of manifold fierce energies (protector-destroyer of pāśa)

• ca: and

• meghamanyuḥ: ‘cloud-wrath/cloud-ardor’—the One whose power roars like a storm-cloud (subduing impurities)

• tathā eva ca: and likewise also

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Sahasranama to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It functions as a Sahasranama-style praise used in Linga-puja: by naming Shiva as the auspicious sole Cause (Karaṇa, Kevala, Śubha) and as the pañcākṣarī Lord, the worshipper aligns the pashu (soul) to Pati (Shiva) for removal of pāśa (bondage).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Shiva is presented as Kevala (non-dual, independent Reality) and Karaṇa (the ultimate causal ground), whose fierce forms (Śatamanyu, Meghamanyu) are not mere anger but purifying śakti that destroys mala and bondage while remaining intrinsically Śubha (auspicious).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse directly points to japa and upāsanā of the pañcākṣarī (“namaḥ śivāya”)—a core Shaiva practice used alongside Linga-archana and Pāśupata-oriented inner discipline to cut bonds and stabilize devotion to Pati.