Shloka 100

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

बृहज्ज्योतिः सुधामा च महाज्योतिरनुत्तमः मातामहो मातरिश्वा नभस्वान् नागहारधृक्

Transliteration

bṛhajjyotiḥ sudhāmā ca mahājyotiranuttamaḥ mātāmaho mātariśvā nabhasvān nāgahāradhṛk

Translation

祂是广大之光，亦是甘露辉耀之所依；至上无比的大光明。祂是太古祖父，亦是摩多利施梵——运行于一切众生中的生命之息，亦是那婆斯梵——宇宙之风，并为佩蛇鬘者。此即湿婆，主宰（Pati），能解缚生灵（paśu）之缚索（pāśa）。

Word by Word

• बृहज्ज्योतिः (bṛhaj-jyotiḥ): the Vast/Expansive Light

• सुधामा (sudhāmā): abode of nectar/ambrosial radiance

• च (ca): and

• महाज्योतिः (mahā-jyotiḥ): the Great Light

• अनुत्तमः (anuttamaḥ): unsurpassed, supreme

• मातामहः (mātāmahaḥ): grandsire/primeval progenitor

• मातरिश्वा (mātariśvā): the all-moving vital breath, Vedic fire/wind principle

• नभस्वान् (nabhasvān): the wind of the sky, cosmic air

• नागहारधृक् (nāga-hāra-dhṛk): bearer of the serpent-garland/serpent-ornament

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 frames the Linga as Mahājyoti—Shiva as the infinite, unsurpassed Light—so Linga-puja becomes contemplation and worship of the formless Pati appearing as a luminous sign (liṅga) for the liberation of the bound soul (paśu).

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

Shiva is presented as anuttama Mahājyoti (supreme Light) and as the inner cosmic vitality (Mātariśvā/Nabhasvān), indicating both transcendence (beyond all) and immanence (as prāṇa and cosmic movement), consistent with Pati as the ground of all powers.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A jyoti-dhyāna orientation is implied: meditate on Shiva as the Vast Light and as the inner prāṇa (Mātariśvā), integrating Linga-puja with Pashupata-style inward worship where bondage (pāśa) is weakened through focused remembrance and breath-awareness.