Śiva Sahasranāma Mahimā

Chapter 18 of the Anuśāsana Parva in the Mahābhārata closes the account of Meghavāhana that holds the Śiva Sahasranāma Stotra of Chapter 17. A stotra is a hymn of praise, and sahasranāma means a thousand names. Here Vyāsa urges Yudhishṭhira to recite the same stotra that Vyāsa once recited for a son. Then a chain of ṛshis and devas tells what Bhagavān Śaṅkara (Śiva) gave each of them through devotion to this stotra.

The chapter ends with Śrī Kṛshṇa and Bhagavān Vishṇu praising Bhagavān Śiva as the source of all things, and with the promised fruits of reciting the stotra for a month.

Vyāsa urges Yudhishṭhira

Vaiśampāyana tells that the great yogī Kṛshṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa spoke to Yudhishṭhira. “Putra (son), you too should recite this stotra. May Bhagavān Maheśvara be pleased with you as he was with me. Long ago I did tapas (austerity) at Mahāmeru for the sake of a son and recited this very stotra, and I obtained all that I wished. In the same way you will obtain all your wishes from Bhagavān Śaṅkara.”

The ṛshis and devas then speak one by one.

The chain of testimonies

Kapila

Kapila, the teacher of Sāṅkhya, whom the devas honour (deva-sammata), said that through many births he had served Bhagavān Śaṅkara. Bhagavān Śaṅkara was pleased and gave him the jñāna (knowledge) that ends saṃsāra, the cycle of birth and death.

Ālambāyana, also called Cāruśīrsha

Ālambāyana, a dear friend (priya-mitra) of the ṛshis, belonged to the Ālamba gotra and is also called Cāruśīrsha. He said that he once went to the sacred place Gokarṇa and did tapas for a hundred years. By the grace of Bhagavān Śaṅkara he obtained a hundred sons. They were ayonija (not born in the ordinary way), self-controlled, knowers of dharma (dharmajña), full of tejas (radiance), free from old age (jarā) and sorrow (duḥkha), and each had a life of a hundred thousand years.

Vālmīki

Bhagavān Vālmīki told Yudhishṭhira that a quarrel once arose between himself and the Agnihotri munis. They laid a śāpa (a curse) on him that he would become a brahma-ghna (killer of a brāhmaṇa). In an instant he was weighed down by the adharma of brahmahatyā. He took refuge in Bhagavān Śaṅkara, who is without pāpa (sin) and whose power never fails (amogha-śakti). He was freed from the pāpa and his sorrow was gone. Bhagavān Śiva, the destroyer of Tripura (Tripurāntaka), also gave him the vara (boon) of great fame (kīrti).

Paraśurāma

Paraśurāma is the best of those who uphold dharma (dharma-bhṛt-vara) and shines like the sun among ṛshis. He said that he had killed his elder brothers, who were like fathers to him. So he had taken on the combined pāpa of killing a father (pitṛ-vadha), killing brothers (bhrātṛ-vadha) and killing a brāhmaṇa (brahma-vadha), and he suffered greatly. He was purified, took refuge in Bhagavān Mahādeva and praised him with the sahasranāma. Bhagavān Śaṅkara was pleased. He gave Paraśurāma the paraśu (axe) and divine astras (weapons). He declared him free of that pāpa, unbeatable, not to be overcome by death, and free from old age.

Kapardī

Kapardī, who is called Śaṅkara, the embodiment of all that is auspicious (maṅgala-vigraha), then said that through the grace of Bhagavān Śiva, the very form of knowledge (jñāna-svarūpa), he too had obtained everything that this grace gives.

Viśvāmitra

Viśvāmitra said that he had once been a kshatriya and wished to become a brāhmaṇa. For this he prayed to Bhagavān Śaṅkara, and by the grace of Bhagavān Śiva he obtained brāhmaṇya, the very rare state of a brāhmaṇa.

Asita Devala

Asita Devala told Dharmarāja (Yudhishṭhira) that his dharma had been destroyed by a śāpa of Indra. He prayed to Bhagavān Śaṅkara, who is able to do all things, and Bhagavān Śaṅkara gave his dharma back to him, together with the best of fame (uttama-yaśas) and a long life.

Gṛtsamada

The great ṛshi Gṛtsamada shone like Bṛhaspati, the dear friend of Indra, and belonged to the Ajamīḍha line. He told a long account.

Indra was holding a sattra (long sacrifice) that lasted a thousand years. Gṛtsamada was singing the rathantara sāmagāna (the Rathantara song of the Sāma Veda). A man named Variṭha, son of Cākshusha Manu, said that Gṛtsamada was singing carelessly. Gṛtsamada answered him, and Variṭha became angry. He laid a śāpa on Gṛtsamada. Gṛtsamada would become a cruel beast (krūra-mṛga), without understanding (prajñā-hīna), full of sorrow and always afraid. For eleven thousand eight hundred years he would wander in a wilderness with no water and no wind, where there were not even trees fit for yajña, and where lions and wild beasts lived. The śāpa took effect at once and Gṛtsamada became a beast.

In that state he took refuge in Bhagavān Śiva, the yogī, and called on him. Bhagavān Śiva said: “Muni, you will become ajara (free from old age) and amara (deathless), free from duḥkha, and equal to me (samatva). May good fortune be with you. May the yajña flourish in which you and Variṭha, who is Śatakratu-Indra, serve as yajamāna (the one who sponsors the rite) and purohita (the priest).”

Bhīshma then adds the words of Vāsudeva. Bhagavān Śaṅkara is all-pervading. At all times he shows grace to all beings, sustains them and feeds them. He gives both sukha (joy) and duḥkha as each is needed, and no other learned person (paṇḍita) equals him. Gṛtsamada says that he came to know this truth through this very pūjā.

Vāsudeva (Śrī Kṛshṇa)

Vāsudeva, the best among the wise, spoke next. In a former time he had pleased Bhagavān Mahādeva, the golden-eyed one (hiraṇyāksha), through tapas at Maṇimantha Mountain. This tapas went on for lakhs upon lakhs of years. Bhagavān Śaṅkara was pleased, appeared before him and asked him to choose any vara. Kṛshṇa asked only that his bhakti (devotion) to Bhagavān Śiva stay firm (sthira) for ever. Bhagavān Śiva agreed and then disappeared.

Bhīshma goes on with the further words of Bhagavān Śaṅkara to Kṛshṇa on that occasion. By his grace, Kṛshṇa would become dearer than artha (wealth) itself. Artha is the source of the fruit of dharma (dharma-phala) and the root of kāma (desire), and so it is the dearest thing to all beings; but Kṛshṇa would be dearer even than this. He would be unbeatable in battle and would blaze with a tejas like fire (agni-sama tejas).

The Anuśāsana Parva tells the longer account of Kṛshṇa’s tapas in the Meghavāhana account in Chapters 14 to 16. The account in Chapter 18 is told as a separate occasion.

Jaigīshavya

Jaigīshavya said that long ago at Kāśīpura (Kāśī), through very great effort in ārādhanā (worship), he obtained from Bhagavān Śiva the aṇimādi-aiśvaryas, the powers (siddhis) that begin with aṇimā.

Garga

Garga Maharshi said that he had done a mānasa-yajña (a sacrifice done in the mind) on the bank of the Sarasvatī to please Bhagavān Śaṅkara. Bhagavān Śiva was pleased and gave him the wonderful knowledge of the sixty-four kalās (arts) and a thousand sons as great as himself, who spoke the Veda (brahmavādin). Together with those sons he was given ten lakh years of life.

Parāśara

Parāśara told the mahārāja (Yudhishṭhira) that he had once pleased Bhagavān Mahādeva. Serving him in the mind (manasā), Parāśara asked, as the very aim of his tapas, for a son who would be a great ascetic (mahātapasvī), of great radiance (mahātejasvī), a great yogī (mahāyogī), of great fame (mahāyaśasvī), a store of compassion (dayānidhi), full of grace (śrīmat) and steady in Brahman (brahmanishṭha). The son was to be named Vedavyāsa.

Bhagavān Śaṅkara saw the feeling (bhāva) in Parāśara’s heart. He said that, in keeping with the esteem (saṃbhāvanā) that Parāśara held for him, a son named Kṛshṇa (Kṛshṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa) would be born to him. This son would be one of the saptarshis in the creation of the coming Sāvarṇi Manvantara. He would arrange the Vedas anew (vedān vyāsaṃ karishyati). He would be the founder of the Kuru line (kuruvaṃśakara) and the author of the itihāsas (itihāsakartā). He would work for the good of the world, would be dear to Bhagavān Maheśvara and would be ajarāmara (free from old age and death). Having said this, Bhagavān Śaṅkara, the great yogī, the powerful, the undying and unchanging (avināśī, nirvikāra), disappeared on the spot.

Māṇḍavya

Māṇḍavya said that, though he was innocent, he had been impaled on a śūla (stake) on suspicion of theft. Staying there, he praised Bhagavān Śiva, who said to him: “Munivara (best of munis), you will be freed from the śūla (moksha). You will live for ten crore years. The pain of the śūla will not trouble you. You will be freed from all ādi-vyādhis, the first afflictions.”

Bhagavān Śiva told him further that his body (ātman) had arisen from satya (truth). Dharma has four pādas (feet): tapas, śauca (purity), dayā (compassion) and satya. Because of this, Māṇḍavya would become a speaker of truth (satya-vādin) beyond compare. Bhagavān Śiva told him to go and make his birth fruitful, and said that he could bathe without hindrance at every tīrtha (pilgrimage place). He also gave him the akshaya svarga-loka (the undying world of svarga) that he had earned by his own good deeds (sat-karmas).

Having spoken, Bhagavān Maheśvara disappeared with his gaṇas. He is the best of all devas, rides the bull (vṛshabha-vāhana), wears an elephant’s skin (gaja-carmāmbara-dhārī) and is full of great radiance (mahā-tejovant).

Gālava

Gālava, a disciple of Viśvāmitra, told of going home at his guru’s command to see his father. His mother seemed like a widow and was grieving. She told him that when his father saw Gālava coming, adorned with the learning of the Vedas (vedavidyā-vibhūshita) at Kauśika’s bidding, his father had been unable even to look at him. Gālava lost heart. He turned to Bhagavān Mahādeva in disciplined ārādhanā and obtained his darśana.

Bhagavān Mahādeva said to him: “Vatsa (child), you, your father and your mother will all three be free from death (mṛtyu-varjita). Go home quickly, and you will see your father.”

Gālava did as he was told. He returned home and found his father, who had just finished a yajña. His father was coming out of the yajñaśālā (the hall of the yajña) after ācamana (the sipping of water for purity). He was gathering samidhas (sticks for the fire), darbha grass and fruits that had fallen by themselves from their trees. Seeing his son, he dropped what he held. Gālava made praṇāma, and his father embraced him with tears in his eyes. His eyes were clouded with tears of joy (sāśrutvāt). He said that he was fortunate to see his son, who had come home with his studies complete.

Vāsudeva’s and Vishṇu’s closing praise

Dharmarāja (Yudhishṭhira) heard these testimonies from the munis and was filled with wonder. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa then spoke to him again, as Mahāvishṇu had once spoken to Indra, first in the words of Vāsudeva and then in the words of Bhagavān Vishṇu himself.

Vāsudeva said that Upamanyu, who shone like the sun, had once told him this. People whose minds are stained by their own bad deeds (aśubha-karmas), and who are ruled by tamas and rajas, do not take refuge in Bhagavān Śaṅkara. Only those with a pure inner mind (antaḥkaraṇa) take that refuge. Such devotees of Bhagavān Parameśvara, even while they live ordinary lives, are equal to munis who live in the forest.

When Bhagavān Śaṅkara is pleased, he gives the state of Brahmā (brahmatva), the state of Vishṇu (vishṇutva), the state of Indra (indratva), the state of any other deva (devatva), and even lordship over the three worlds (trailokya-ādhipatya). Even serving Bhagavān Śiva in the mind burns away all pāpa and gives joy with the devas in svarga. A man who breaks the banks of a tank, or even burns the whole world with fire, takes on no pāpa if he prays to Bhagavān Mahādeva. A man with no good qualities at all, loaded with every pāpa, burns away all his pāpa if he only holds Bhagavān Śiva in his mind. Even insects, birds and beasts that take refuge in Bhagavān Mahādeva have no fear. Vāsudeva said that Bhagavān Śiva’s devotees on this earth never fall into saṃsāra again.

Vishṇu then spoke straight to Yudhishṭhira. He named Sūrya, Candra, Vāyu, Agni, Svarga, Bhūmi, Jala, the Vasus, the Viśvadevas, Dhātā, Aryamā, Śukra, Bṛhaspati, the Rudra gaṇa, the Sādhya gaṇa, kings, Varuṇa, Brahmā, Indra, Vāyudeva, Oṁkāra, Satya, gati (the way), yajña, dakshiṇā (the gift to the priest), the Vedic rules (veda-vidhi), brāhmaṇas, soma-rasa, yajamānas, the offerings of the fire (havanīya-havishya), protection (rakshā), dīkshā (initiation), all the kālas (times), svāhā, vaushaṭ, the company of brāhmaṇas, the cow, the best dharma (śreshṭha-dharma), the wheel of the family (kula-cakra), strength (bala), fame (yaśas), self-control (dama), the states of buddhi and manas, good and bad deeds (śubhāśubha-karmas), the saptarshis, the best understanding (śreshṭha-buddhi), manas, sight (darśana), the best touch (śreshṭha-sparśa) and success in action (karma-siddhi).

He named also the Ūshmapas, Somapas, Lekhas, Yāmas, Tushitas and Brahmakāyikas, the shining Gandhapas, the Dhūmapa ṛshis, the kinds of vāk (speech) and of conflict between speech and mind, and their absence, the pure feelings (śuddha-bhāvas), the devas who work at making things (nirmāṇa), those who take food only by touch, or by sight, or by drinking ghee, those who at once make real whatever they resolve, the chief companies of devas, other devas, Suparṇas, Gandharvas, Piśācas, Dānavas, Yakshas, Cāraṇas, serpents, the gross (sthūla) and the subtle (sūkshma), the soft and the coarse, sorrow and joy, the sorrow of the other world, Sāṅkhya, Yoga, and moksha, the highest aim of life (purushārtha).

Vishṇu said that all of these, which he had named, have arisen from Bhagavān Mahādeva. All the great protector devas who come down to this earth to guard Bhagavān Mahādeva’s own first creation, to protect the whole world and to bring forth beings of many kinds, have themselves been made by Bhagavān Śiva, without exception.

Bhagavān Vishṇu then made his own praṇāma to Sadāśiva, who stays for ever, who cannot be put into words, whose nature is the subtlest truth (paramasūkshma-tattva-svarūpa) and whom ṛshis and munis seek through tapas. He prayed that the undying Bhagavān Śiva, whom he always serves, would grant him the varas he wished for.

The fruit of reciting the stotra

The chapter ends with the fruits promised for reciting the stotra.

• One who recites it with control of the senses, in purity, without breaking his yoga, for a full month and with proper niyama (discipline), obtains the fruit of an aśvamedha.
• A brāhmaṇa who recites it obtains all the Vedas.
• A king who recites it obtains the whole earth.
• A vaiśya obtains skill (dakshatā) and profit (lābha).
• A śūdra obtains the best state (uttama-gati) and joy.

Those of great fame who perform this stotra, which destroys every fault (sarvadosha-nāśaka) and gives puṇya (merit), fix their minds on Rudra. Such a person lives in svarga for as many thousands of years as there are hair-pores (romakūpas) on his body.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 18 (the Śiva Sahasranāma Mahimā, which ends the Meghavāhana account of Chapter 17)
• Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapters 14 to 16 (the longer account of Śrī Kṛshṇa’s tapas, named in Chapter 18)