Shloka 21

Śiva-nāmānukīrtana-prastāvaḥ

Prologue to the praise of Śiva and the Upamanyu testimony

Devanagari script

पूर्वकालमें ब्रह्मपुत्र तण्डीमुनिके द्वारा ब्रह्मलोकमें ब्रह्माजीके समक्ष जिस शिव- सहस्रनामका निरूपण किया गया था, उसीका आप वर्णन करें और ये उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाले व्यास आदि तपोधन एवं जितेन्द्रिय महर्षि आपके मुखसे इसका श्रवण करें ।।

Transliteration

dhruvāya nandine hotre goptre viśvasṛje 'gnaye | mahābhāgyaṁ vibhor brūhi muṇḍine 'tha kapardine ||

Translation

“Hỡi bậc con của Phạm Thiên, xin ngài hãy thuật lại đúng như xưa: bản ‘Thiên Danh’ của Śiva mà thuở trước hiền giả Taṇḍī đã trình bày tại cõi Phạm Thiên trước mặt Brahmā. Và xin cho các đại ẩn sĩ giàu công hạnh như Vyāsa cùng những bậc giữ giới nguyện thanh tịnh, đã chế ngự các căn, được nghe từ chính miệng ngài. Hãy tuyên xưng những danh hiệu cát tường của Đấng Tối Linh: Đấng Bất Động, Đấng Hoan Hỷ, vị Tư Tế, Đấng Hộ Trì, Đấng Tạo Hóa của vũ trụ, Thần Hỏa, Đấng Đầu Trọc, và Đấng Tóc Bện.”

Word by Word

• ध्रुवाय: to Dhruva (the steadfast one)
• ध्रुवाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• नन्दिने: to Nandin
• नन्दिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• होत्रे: to the Hotṛ (sacrificial priest)
• होत्रे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: होतृ
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• गोप्त्रे: to the protector
• गोप्त्रे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• विश्वसृजे: to the creator of the universe
• विश्वसृजे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वसृज्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• अग्नये: to Agni (fire)
• अग्नये: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• महाभाग्यम्: great fortune / great blessedness
• महाभाग्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विभोः: of the Lord / of the all-pervading one
• विभोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ब्रूहि: tell; speak (it)
• ब्रूहि: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• मुण्डिने: to Muṇḍin (the shaven-headed one)
• मुण्डिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• अथ: and; then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• कपर्दिने: to Kapardin (the matted-haired one)
• कपर्दिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्दिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma (भीष्म)
• Shiva (शिव)
• Dhruva (ध्रुव) (as epithet)
• Nandin/Nandī (नन्दिन्) (as epithet)
• Hotṛ (होतृ) (as epithet)
• Goptṛ (गोप्तृ) (as epithet)
• Viśvasṛj (विश्वसृज्) (as epithet)
• Agni (अग्नि) (as epithet)
• Muṇḍin (मुण्डिन्) (as epithet)
• Kapardin (कपर्दिन्) (as epithet)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames recitation of Shiva’s names as a dharmic practice: remembering the divine through precise, reverent speech is itself a vow that cultivates purity, steadiness, and alignment with cosmic order—seeing Shiva as protector, creator, and the inner fire of transformation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within Bhishma’s instruction, the Shiva-sahasranāma is being formally invoked. This verse strings together epithets of Shiva and urges their proclamation, continuing the litany that is to be heard by disciplined sages as part of a meritorious observance.