The Names and Forms of Mahadeva

Verse 1 (13.266.1)

युधिष्ठिर महाबाहो महाभाग्यं महात्मनः । रुद्राय बहुरूपाय बहुनाम्ने निबोध मे ॥

yudhiṣṭhira mahābāho mahābhāgyaṃ mahātmanaḥ | rudrāya bahurūpāya bahunāmne nibodha me

O Yudhishthira, mighty-armed, listen to me on the greatness of the great-souled Rudra, of many forms and many names.

Verse 2 (13.266.2)

वदन्त्युग्रं महादेवं तथा स्थाणुं महेश्वरम् । एकाक्षं त्र्यम्बकं चैव विश्वरूपं शिवं तथा ॥

vadantyugraṃ mahādevaṃ tathā sthāṇuṃ maheśvaram | ekākṣaṃ tryambakaṃ caiva viśvarūpaṃ śivaṃ tathā

They call the great god Ugra, and also Sthanu and Maheshvara; Ekaksha (the one-eyed), Tryambaka, Vishvarupa (of universal form), and Shiva.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads 'वदन्त्युग्रं' where CE 13.146.2 has 'vadanty agniṃ'; a recension variant kept as printed.

Verse 3 (13.266.3)

द्वे तनू तस्य देवस्य वेदज्ञा ब्राह्मणा विदुः । घोरामन्यां शिवामन्यां ते तनू बहुधा पुनः ॥

dve tanū tasya devasya vedajñā brāhmaṇā viduḥ | ghorāmanyāṃ śivāmanyāṃ te tanū bahudhā punaḥ

Brahmins who know the Veda know that the god has two bodies: one terrible, the other auspicious; and these two bodies are again manifold.

Verse 4 (13.266.4)

उग्रा घोरा तनुर्याऽस्य सोऽग्निर्विद्युत्स भास्करः । शिवा सौम्या च या त्वस्य धर्मस्त्वापोथ चन्द्रमाः ॥

ugrā ghorā tanuryā'sya so'gnirvidyutsa bhāskaraḥ | śivā saumyā ca yā tvasya dharmastvāpotha candramāḥ

His fierce, terrible body is the fire, the lightning and the sun; his auspicious, gentle body is dharma, the waters and the moon.

Verse 5 (13.266.5)

आत्मनोऽर्धं तु तस्याग्निः सोमोऽर्धं पुनरुच्यते । ब्रह्मचर्यं चरत्येका शिवा चास्य तनुस्तथा ॥

ātmano'rdhaṃ tu tasyāgniḥ somo'rdhaṃ punarucyate | brahmacaryaṃ caratyekā śivā cāsya tanustathā

Half of his own self is fire, and the other half is said to be Soma. One of his bodies, the auspicious one, practises celibacy.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 13.146.5 ('ātmano ’rdhaṃ tu tasyāgnir ucyate bharatarṣabha …'), a recension variant kept as printed.

Verse 6 (13.266.6)

याऽस्य घोरतमा मूर्तिर्जगत्संहरते तथा । ईश्वरत्वान्महत्त्वाच्च महेश्वर इति स्मृतः ॥

yā'sya ghoratamā mūrtirjagatsaṃharate tathā | īśvaratvānmahattvācca maheśvara iti smṛtaḥ

By his most terrible form he withdraws the world; and because of his lordship and his greatness he is remembered as Maheshvara.

Verse 7 (13.266.7)

यन्निर्दहति यत्तीक्ष्णो यदुग्रो यत्प्रतापवान् । मांसशोणितमज्जादो यत्ततो रुद्र उच्यते ॥

yannirdahati yattīkṣṇo yadugro yatpratāpavān | māṃsaśoṇitamajjādo yattato rudra ucyate

Because he burns, because he is sharp, fierce and full of might, and because he devours flesh, blood and marrow, he is called Rudra.

Verse 8 (13.266.8)

देवानां सुमहान्यच्च यच्चास्य विषयो महान् । यच्च विश्वं जगत्पाति महादेवस्ततः स्मृतः ॥

devānāṃ sumahānyacca yaccāsya viṣayo mahān | yacca viśvaṃ jagatpāti mahādevastataḥ smṛtaḥ

Because he is the greatest among the gods, because his domain is vast, and because he protects the great universe, he is remembered as Mahadeva.

Verse 9 (13.266.9)

धूम्ररूपा जटा यस्माद्धूर्जटीत्यत उच्यते ॥

dhūmrarūpā jaṭā yasmāddhūrjaṭītyata ucyate

Because his matted locks are smoke-coloured, he is called Dhurjati.

Note on the text: One-line verse as printed (13-266-9a); corresponds to CE 13.146.12a (worded differently: 'dhūmraṃ rūpaṃ ca yat tasya dhūrjaṭīty ata ucyate'); a recension variant kept as printed.

Verse 10 (13.266.10)

स मेधयति यन्नित्यं सर्वान्वै सर्वकर्मभिः । शिवमिच्छन्मनुष्याणां तस्मादेष शिवः स्मृतः ॥

sa medhayati yannityaṃ sarvānvai sarvakarmabhiḥ | śivamicchanmanuṣyāṇāṃ tasmādeṣa śivaḥ smṛtaḥ

Because he ever makes all prosper through all rites, desiring the welfare of men, he is remembered as Shiva.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads 'स मेधयति … सर्वान्वै' for CE 13.146.9 'samedhayati … sarvārthān'; a recension variant kept as printed.

Verse 11 (13.266.11)

दहत्यूर्ध्वं स्थितो यच्च प्राणान्नॄणां स्थिरश्च यत् । स्थिरलिङ्गश्च यन्नित्यं तस्मात्स्थाणुरिति स्मृतः ॥

dahatyūrdhvaṃ sthito yacca prāṇānnṝṇāṃ sthiraśca yat | sthiraliṅgaśca yannityaṃ tasmātsthāṇuriti smṛtaḥ

Because, standing upright, he burns the life-breaths of men, because he is steadfast, and because his linga is ever firm, he is remembered as Sthanu.

Note on the text: Corrected दहत्यूध्वं → दहत्यूर्ध्वं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped र, CE reads 'dahaty ūrdhvaṃ'). The first line otherwise differs from CE 13.146.10a ('… prāṇotpattiḥ sthitiś ca yat'), a recension variant kept as printed.

Verse 12 (13.266.12)

यदस्य बहुधा रूपं भूतं भव्यं भवत्तथा । स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव बहुरूपस्ततः स्मृतः ॥

yadasya bahudhā rūpaṃ bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ bhavattathā | sthāvaraṃ jaṅgamaṃ caiva bahurūpastataḥ smṛtaḥ

Because his form is manifold, past, future and present, the unmoving and the moving, he is remembered as Bahurupa.

Verse 13 (13.266.13)

विश्वेदेवाश्च यत्तस्मिन्विश्वरूपस्ततः स्मृतः । सहस्राक्षोऽयुताक्षो वा सर्वतोक्षिमयोपि वा । चक्षुषः प्रभवं तेजः सर्वतश्चक्षुरेव तत् ॥

viśvedevāśca yattasminviśvarūpastataḥ smṛtaḥ | sahasrākṣo'yutākṣo vā sarvatokṣimayopi vā | cakṣuṣaḥ prabhavaṃ tejaḥ sarvataścakṣureva tat

Because all the Vishvedevas are in him, he is remembered as Vishvarupa. Thousand-eyed, ten-thousand-eyed, or made of eyes on every side: the light is the source of sight, and that light is itself the eye everywhere.

Note on the text: Three-line verse as printed (13-266-13a,b,c). First line = CE 13.146.12c; the second line = CE 13.146.13a; the third line is the vulgate's counterpart of CE 13.146.13c ('cakṣuṣaḥ prabhavas tejo nāsty anto ’thāsya cakṣuṣām'), worded differently and kept as printed.

Verse 14 (13.266.14)

सर्वथा यत्पशून्पाति तैश्च यद्रमते सह । तेषामधिपतिर्यच्च तस्मात्पशुपतिः स्मृतः ॥

sarvathā yatpaśūnpāti taiśca yadramate saha | teṣāmadhipatiryacca tasmātpaśupatiḥ smṛtaḥ

Because he protects the beasts in every way, delights in them, and is their overlord, he is remembered as Pashupati.

Verse 15 (13.266.15)

नित्येन ब्रह्मचर्येण लिङ्गमस्य यदा स्थितम् । भक्तानुग्रहणार्थाय गूढलिङ्गस्ततः स्मृतः । महयत्यस्य लोकश्च प्रियं ह्येतन्महात्मनः ॥

nityena brahmacaryeṇa liṅgamasya yadā sthitam | bhaktānugrahaṇārthāya gūḍhaliṅgastataḥ smṛtaḥ | mahayatyasya lokaśca priyaṃ hyetanmahātmanaḥ

Because his linga stands firm through constant celibacy, and for the sake of showing favour to his devotees is kept hidden, he is therefore remembered as Gudhalinga. And the world honours him; this is dear to the great-souled one.

Note on the text: Three-line verse as printed (13-266-15a,b,c). The second line, which Wikisource printed in backticks and quote marks (removed), corresponds to CE star line 13,146.015d*0678_01; the first line = CE 13.146.15a; the third line is a vulgate counterpart of CE 13.146.15c ('mahayanty asya lokāś ca maheśvara iti smṛtaḥ'). CE star passage 13,146.015d*0677_01 (not in Wikisource) is not added.

Verse 16 (13.266.16)

विग्रहं पूजयेद्यो वै लिङ्गं वाऽपि महात्मनः । लिङ्गं पूजयिता नित्यं महतीं श्रियमश्नुते ॥

vigrahaṃ pūjayedyo vai liṅgaṃ vā'pi mahātmanaḥ | liṅgaṃ pūjayitā nityaṃ mahatīṃ śriyamaśnute

Whoever worships the form or the linga of the great-souled one, and worships the linga constantly, attains great prosperity.

Verse 17 (13.266.17)

ऋषयश्चापि देवाश्च गन्धर्वाप्सरसस्तथा । लिङ्गमेवार्चयन्ति स्म यत्तदूर्ध्वं समास्थितम् ॥

ṛṣayaścāpi devāśca gandharvāpsarasastathā | liṅgamevārcayanti sma yattadūrdhvaṃ samāsthitam

Sages, gods, gandharvas and apsarases too worshipped only that linga which stands upright.

Verse 18 (13.266.18)

पूज्यमाने ततस्तस्मिन्मोदते स महेश्वरः । सुखं ददाति प्रीतात्मा भक्तानां भक्तवत्सलः ॥

pūjyamāne tatastasminmodate sa maheśvaraḥ | sukhaṃ dadāti prītātmā bhaktānāṃ bhaktavatsalaḥ

When he is worshipped, that Maheshvara rejoices; glad at heart and fond of his devotees, he grants them happiness.

Verse 19 (13.266.19)

एष एव श्मशानेषु देवो वसति निर्दहन् । यजन्ते ये जनास्तत्र वीरस्थाननिषेविणः ॥

eṣa eva śmaśāneṣu devo vasati nirdahan | yajante ye janāstatra vīrasthānaniṣeviṇaḥ

This god dwells in the cremation grounds, burning; the people who worship him there are frequenters of the places of heroes.

Verse 20 (13.266.20)

विषमस्थः शरीरेषु स मृत्युः प्राणिनामिह । स च वायुः शरीरेषु प्राणपालः शरीरिणाम् ॥

viṣamasthaḥ śarīreṣu sa mṛtyuḥ prāṇināmiha | sa ca vāyuḥ śarīreṣu prāṇapālaḥ śarīriṇām

Abiding in bodies in their disordered state, he is death for living beings here; and he is the wind in bodies, the guardian of the life-breath of the embodied.

Verse 21 (13.266.21)

तस्य घोराणि रूपाणि दीप्तानि च बहूनि च । लोके यान्यस्य पूज्यन्ते विप्रास्तानि विदुर्बुधाः ॥

tasya ghorāṇi rūpāṇi dīptāni ca bahūni ca | loke yānyasya pūjyante viprāstāni vidurbudhāḥ

He has many terrible and blazing forms; the wise brahmins know those forms of his that are worshipped in the world.

Note on the text: Corrected बहुनि → बहूनि (misprint in Wikisource; short vowel for long, CE reads "bahūni").

Verse 22 (13.266.22)

नामधेयानि देवेषु बहून्यस्य यथार्थवत् । निरुच्यन्ते महत्त्वाच्च विभुत्वात्कर्मभिस्तथा ॥

nāmadheyāni deveṣu bahūnyasya yathārthavat | nirucyante mahattvācca vibhutvātkarmabhistathā

Many names of his are explained among the gods, each fitting its meaning, from his greatness, his pervasiveness and his deeds.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads 'देवेषु' where CE 13.146.22 has 'vedeṣu'; a recension variant kept as printed.

Verse 23 (13.266.23)

वेदे चास्य विदुर्विप्राः शतरुद्रीयमुत्तमम् । व्यासेनोक्तं च यच्चापि उपस्थानं महात्मनः ॥

vede cāsya vidurviprāḥ śatarudrīyamuttamam | vyāsenoktaṃ ca yaccāpi upasthānaṃ mahātmanaḥ

In the Veda the brahmins know his excellent Shatarudriya, and also the hymn of praise to the great-souled one that was spoken by Vyasa.

Note on the text: Second line differs from CE 13.146.23c ('vyāsād anantaraṃ yac cāpy upasthānaṃ mahātmanaḥ'), a recension variant kept as printed.

Verse 24 (13.266.24)

प्रदाता सर्वलोकानां विश्वसाक्षी निरामयः । ज्येष्ठभूतं वदन्त्येनं ब्राह्मणा ऋषयोऽपरे ॥

pradātā sarvalokānāṃ viśvasākṣī nirāmayaḥ | jyeṣṭhabhūtaṃ vadantyenaṃ brāhmaṇā ṛṣayo'pare

Giver to all the worlds, witness of the universe, free from all affliction, he is called the eldest being by brahmins and by other sages.

Note on the text: First line differs from CE 13.146.24a ('… viśvaṃ cāpy ucyate mahat'), a recension variant kept as printed.

Verse 25 (13.266.25)

प्रथमो ह्येष देवानां मुखादग्निमजीजनत् । ग्रहैर्बहुविधैः प्राणान्संरुद्धानुत्सृजत्यपि ॥

prathamo hyeṣa devānāṃ mukhādagnimajījanat | grahairbahuvidhaiḥ prāṇānsaṃruddhānutsṛjatyapi

He is the first of the gods; from his mouth he brought forth fire. When the life-breaths are held in check by the many kinds of seizing powers, he sets them free.

Verse 26 (13.266.26)

विमोक्षयति तुष्टात्मा शरण्यः शरणागतान् । आयुरारोग्यमैश्वर्यं हितं कामांश्च पुष्कलान् ॥

vimokṣayati tuṣṭātmā śaraṇyaḥ śaraṇāgatān | āyurārogyamaiśvaryaṃ hitaṃ kāmāṃśca puṣkalān

Well pleased, he frees those who come to him for refuge, for he is the refuge; he gives long life, health, lordship, welfare and abundant desires.

Verse 27 (13.266.27)

स ददाति मनुष्येभ्यः स एवाक्षिपते पुनः । शक्रादिषु च देवेषु तस्य चैश्वर्यमुच्यते ॥

sa dadāti manuṣyebhyaḥ sa evākṣipate punaḥ | śakrādiṣu ca deveṣu tasya caiśvaryamucyate

He gives to men, and he himself takes away again; even among the gods, Shakra and the rest, lordship is said to be his.

Verse 28 (13.266.28)

स एव स्थापको नित्यं त्रैलोक्यस्य शुभाशुभे । ऐश्वर्याच्चैव कामानामीश्वरः पुनरुच्यते ॥

sa eva sthāpako nityaṃ trailokyasya śubhāśubhe | aiśvaryāccaiva kāmānāmīśvaraḥ punarucyate

He is ever the establisher of the three worlds in the auspicious and the inauspicious; and because of his lordship over desires he is again called Ishvara.

Verse 29 (13.266.29)

महेश्वरश्च लोकानां महतामीश्वरश्च सः । बहुभिर्विविधै रूपैर्विश्वं व्याप्तमिदं जगत् । तस्य देवस्य यद्वक्त्रं समुद्रे वडवामुखम् ॥

maheśvaraśca lokānāṃ mahatāmīśvaraśca saḥ | bahubhirvividhai rūpairviśvaṃ vyāptamidaṃ jagat | tasya devasya yadvaktraṃ samudre vaḍavāmukham

He is Maheshvara of the worlds and the lord of the great. This whole world is pervaded by his many and varied forms. The mouth of that god that lies in the ocean is the Vadavamukha, the mare-mouthed fire.

Note on the text: Corrected महातामीश्वरश्च → महतामीश्वरश्च and वडंवामुखण् → वडवामुखम् (misprints in Wikisource; CE reads 'mahatām īśvaraś ca saḥ' and 'vaḍavāmukham'). Three-line verse as printed (13-266-29a,b,c) = CE 13.146.29a,c,e.