Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

नीलो नवत्या देवेशः पूर्णभद्रस्तथैव च कोटीनां चैव सप्तत्या चतुर्वक्त्रो महाबलः

Transliteration

nīlo navatyā deveśaḥ pūrṇabhadrastathaiva ca koṭīnāṃ caiva saptatyā caturvaktro mahābalaḥ

Translation

祂是尼罗（Nīla），湛蓝之尊；是提婆伊沙（Deveśa），诸天之主。祂亦是普尔那跋陀罗（Pūrṇabhadra），圆满吉祥、护佑周全。祂以无数亿亿、亦以七十之数而被称量，示现无量。祂四面四相，威力无边。

Word by Word

• नीलः: the Blue-hued One (Nīlakaṇṭha/Śiva)

• नवत्या: by ninety / in a group of ninety (a counting-marker in the litany)

• देवेशः: Lord of the gods

• पूर्णभद्रः: perfectly auspicious, wholly protective

• तथा एव च: and likewise indeed

• कोटीनाम्: of crores (ten-millions), innumerable

• च एव: and also

• सप्तत्या: by seventy / in a group of seventy (a counting-marker)

• चतुर्वक्त्रः: four-faced

• महाबलः: of great strength, supremely powerful

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva-nama litany within the Linga Purana discourse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

This verse functions as a Shiva-nama (sacred epithet) segment: reciting and contemplating these names supports linga-archana and nama-japa, aligning the worshipper (pashu) toward the Pati, Shiva, who is praised as Devesha and Mahabala.

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

It presents Shiva as the sovereign Pati—Lord of the devas, immeasurable in manifestations (koṭīnām), and supremely potent (mahābala). The epithet “Nīla” recalls his compassionate assumption of poison, expressing transcendence combined with protective grace.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Nama-smaraṇa (repetition and contemplation of Shiva’s epithets) is implied—used in Pashupata-oriented devotion to dissolve pasha (bondage) through steady remembrance of the all-powerful Pati during linga-puja.