Shloka 73

वासिष्ठकथनम् (आदित्य–सोमवंशवर्णनम् तथा रुद्रसहस्रनाम-प्रशंसा)

Devanagari script

निशाचरः प्रेतचारी सर्वदर्शी महेश्वरः बहुभूतो बहुधनः सर्वसारो ऽमृतेश्वरः

Transliteration

niśācaraḥ pretacārī sarvadarśī maheśvaraḥ bahubhūto bahudhanaḥ sarvasāro 'mṛteśvaraḥ

Translation

祂是夜行者，与诸灵众（preta）相伴；是遍观一切的摩诃伊湿伐罗（Mahēśvara）大自在天。祂化为多相，具无量威力；祂是一切之精髓，亦是甘露（amṛta）不死之主。

Word by Word

• निशाचरः: the night-roamer (one who moves in the night, beyond ordinary fear)

• प्रेतचारी: one who moves among/with the pretas (spirits), lord of the bhūta-gaṇas

• सर्वदर्शी: all-seeing, omniscient witness

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara, the Supreme Lord (Pati)

• बहुभूतः: become many, manifesting as the many forms of creation

• बहुधनः: possessing abundant riches/powers (śakti, aiśvarya)

• सर्वसारः: the essence of all (the inner reality of all tattvas)

• अमृतेश्वरः: Lord of immortality/nectar (giver and ruler of amṛta, liberation).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating a Shiva Sahasranama section to the sages, with the names functioning as litany)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

As a Sahasranama-style praise, it is used as nāma-japa to invoke Shiva as Pati—the all-seeing essence within the Linga—granting protection from fear, mastery over death, and the grace that loosens pāśa (bondage) for the paśu (soul).

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

It presents Shiva as sarvadarśī (omniscient witness) and sarvasāra (the core reality of all tattvas), who nevertheless pervades even the liminal realms (pretas, night-wandering), showing His transcendence and immanence as the Supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The implied practice is Shiva-nāma-japa (Sahasranama recitation) as a Pāśupata-oriented sādhana: meditating on Shiva as the all-seeing Lord and amṛteśvara to overcome fear, death-consciousness, and bonds (pāśa).