Shloka 136

देवैर्विष्णोः शरणागमनम्—शिवलिङ्गस्थापनं, शिवसहस्रनामस्तवः, सुदर्शनचक्रप्रदानं च

Devanagari script

वेधा धाता विधाता च अत्ता हर्ता चतुर्मुखः कैलासशिखरावासी सर्वावासी सतां गतिः

Transliteration

vedhā dhātā vidhātā ca attā hartā caturmukhaḥ kailāsaśikharāvāsī sarvāvāsī satāṃ gatiḥ

Translation

祂是制定者、维持者与安置者；亦是吞纳者与收摄者；四面之主。祂住于凯拉萨之巅，却又遍住一切众生；祂是善人之归依处与最终归途。

Word by Word

• वेधा (vedhā): ordainer, arranger of destiny

• धाता (dhātā): sustainer, supporter

• विधाता (vidhātā): disposer, apportioner

• च (ca): and

• अत्ता (attā): eater, enjoyer/consumer (of offerings and of time)

• हर्ता (hartā): remover, withdrawer (of worlds/bondage)

• चतुर्मुखः (caturmukhaḥ): four-faced one (all-seeing, fourfold cognition)

• कैलासशिखरावासी (kailāsa-śikhara-āvāsī): dweller on the peak of Kailāsa

• सर्वावासी (sarvāvāsī): indweller in all, omnipresent

• सतां (satām): of the virtuous/true ones

• गतिः (gatiḥ): goal, refuge, final attainment

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?

The verse frames Shiva as the all-pervading Pati—both transcendent (Kailāsa-dweller) and immanent (sarvāvāsī). In Linga worship, this supports the Siddhānta view that the Linga is the accessible form through which the pashu approaches the omnipresent Lord for grace and release from pāśa.

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

It presents Shiva-tattva as sovereign over cosmic functions—ordering, sustaining, and withdrawing—while also being the inner Self of all beings. Thus Shiva is simultaneously the cosmic governor and the indwelling consciousness, the final gati (attainment) of the sat (the purified pashu).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The verse implies inward worship (antar-yāga): meditating on Shiva as sarvāvāsī (indweller) while offering external pūjā to the Linga. This aligns with Pāśupata-oriented discipline—purifying the pashu through remembrance of the Pati as the sole refuge and remover (hartā) of bondage.