The Shiva Sahasranama () is a

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

hymn that contains a list of the 1,000 names of

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

, one of the principal deities of

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

and the supreme being in

Shaivism Shaivism (, , ) is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Para Brahman, supreme being. It is the Hinduism#Demographics, second-largest Hindu sect after Vaishnavism, constituting about 385 million H ...

. In Hindu tradition, a

sahasranama ' is a Sanskrit term which means "a thousand names".Sir Monier Monier-Williams, ''sahasranAman'', A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: Etymologically and Philologically Arranged with Special Reference to Cognate Indo-European Languages, Oxford Univer ...

is a type of devotional hymn (Sanskrit: ''

stotra ''Stotra'' (Sanskrit: स्तोत्र) is a Sanskrit word that means "ode, eulogy or a hymn of praise."Monier Williams, Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Article on 'Stotra'' It is a literary genre of In ...

m'') listing the thousand names of a deity. The names provide an exhaustive catalog of the attributes, functions, and major mythology associated with the figure being praised. The Shiva Sahasranama is found in the Shiva Mahapurana, and many other scriptures, such as

Linga Purana The ''Linga Purana'' (लिङ्गपुराण, IAST: ) is one of the eighteen '' Mahapuranas'', and a ''Shaivism'' text of Hinduism. The text's title '' Linga'' refers to the iconographical symbol for Shiva. The author(s) and date of the ...

Variations

There are at least eight different variations of the Shiva Sahasranama while the one appearing in the Book 13 (

Anushasana Parva The Anushasana Parva (, IAST: Anuśāsanaparva) ("Book of Instructions") is the thirteenth of the eighteen ''parvas'' (books) of the Indian epic ''Mahabharata''. It traditionally has 2 parts and 168 chapters.Ganguli, K.M. (1883-1896)Anusasana Parv ...

) of the ''

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...

'' is considered to be the main version. Mahabharata 13.17
translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (published between 1883 and 1896). This is the source for the version presented in Chidbhavananda, who refers to it being from the ''Mahabharata'' but does not explicitly clarify which of the two ''Mahabharata'' versions he is using. See Chidbhavananda, p.5. One version is contained in the

, while another version occurs in the ''

''.

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

states the thousand names of Shiva to

Yudhishthira Yudhishthira (Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर, ud̪ʱiʂʈʰiɾᵊ IAST: ''Yudhiṣṭhira''), also known as Dharmaputra, is the eldest among the five Pandavas, and is also one of the central characters of the ancient Indian epic ''Ma ...

in the 17th chapter of ''Anushāsanaparva'' in the epic ''

.'' * ''Linga Purana'' (version 1, LP 1.65.54-168) is close to the Mahabharata Anushasanaparvan version. * ''Linga Purana'' (version 2, LP 1.98.27-159) has some passages in common with LP version 1, but also with other sources * ''Shivapurana'' 4.35.1-131. * ''Mahabharata'' (

version). The critical edition of the Mahabharata has fewer than 1008 names similar to the Vishnu Sahasranama, it can be found in Chapter 1698(17) of the BORI Critical Edition. The Gita Press edition has all the verses which have been traditionally accepted and commented on. * ''Mahabharata'' (

Shanti Parva The Shanti Parva (; IAST: ''Śānti parva)'' ("Book of Peace") is the twelfth of the eighteen ''parvas'' (books) of the Indian epic ''Mahabharata''. It traditionally has three parts and 365 chapters.Ganguli, K.M. (1883–1896)Shanti Parva in ''The ...

), Chapter 284 ( Gita Press edition) also has a Shiva Sahasranama sung by

Daksha Daksha ( ,) is a Hindu god whose role underwent a significant transformation from Vedic mythology, ''Vedic'' to Itihasa-Purana, ''Itihasa-Puranic'' mythology. In the ''Rigveda'', Daksha is an ''Adityas, aditya'' and is associated with priestly ...

to please Lord

Rudra Rudra (/ ɾud̪ɾə/; ) is a Rigvedic deity associated with Shiva, the wind or storms, Vayu, medicine, and the hunt. One translation of the name is 'the roarer'. In the ''Rigveda'', Rudra is praised as the "mightiest of the mighty". Rudra ...

. This is not present in its complete from in the Critical Edition. This is also accepted by Traditional scholars. * ''Vayu Purana'' (1.30.179-284) is almost the same as the Mahabharata Śāntiparvan version. * ''Brahma Purana'' (38.1.1-100) is almost the same as the Vayu Purana version. *''Mahābhāgavata Upapurana'' (67.1-125).

References

External links

Shiva Sahasranama in the Shiva Purana
{{Shaivism Shaivism Sahasranama