Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 88
Śiva-nāma-sahasraka-kathana
The Recital/Teaching of the Thousand Names of Śiva
मुंडी विरूपो विकृतो दंडी नादी गुणोत्तमः । पिंगलाक्षो हि बह्वयो नीलग्रीवो निरामयः
muṃḍī virūpo vikṛto daṃḍī nādī guṇottamaḥ | piṃgalākṣo hi bahvayo nīlagrīvo nirāmayaḥ
Siya’y ahit ang ulo, kahanga-hanga at nakapanghihilakbot ang anyo, at nag-aanyong sari-sari. Taglay ang tungkod at nananahan bilang banal na tunog sa loob (nāda), Siya ang sukdulang kagalingan ng lahat ng katangian. Kayumangging-ginto ang Kaniyang mga mata; Siya’y maraming anyo; bughaw ang lalamunan at walang karamdaman—ganyan pinupuri si Panginoong Śiva sa Kaniyang mga pagpapakitang may anyo (saguṇa), habang nananatiling Pati na nagpapalaya, lampas sa lahat ng gapos.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Bhikṣāṭana
Mantra: मुंडी विरूपो विकृतो दंडी नादी गुणोत्तमः । पिंगलाक्षो हि बह्वयो नीलग्रीवो निरामयः
Type: stotra
Role: teaching
FAQs
The verse lists Shiva’s sacred epithets to focus the mind on His protective, purifying, and liberating presence—showing that the Lord can appear in many awe-inspiring forms while remaining the supreme Pati who removes suffering and grants freedom from bondage.
These names describe Saguna Shiva—His recognizable marks like Nīlagrīva (blue-throated) and ascetic emblems—supporting devotional contemplation (bhakti) that naturally leads the devotee from form-based worship (including the Linga) toward realization of Shiva’s transcendent nature.
A practical takeaway is nāma-japa: reciting these Shiva-names (or the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady attention, contemplating Shiva as nirāmaya (free of affliction) to cultivate inner purity and fearlessness.