by Bibek Debroy
159Parashurama.
160That is, Garuda.
161Among other things, Skanda holds a spear and a bell (ghanta). The Critical edition’s text says kantha (throat), which makes no sense and we have therefore corrected what seems to be a clear typo.
162Rathantara and jyeshtha are Sama hymns. Literally, shatarudriya means one hundred Rudras and is a mantra to Rudra, from the Yajur Veda.
163This means the eighth (ashtami) day of krishnapaksha. There is no obvious connection between this day and Shiva. However, Krishna was born on krishnashtami. This probably means that Shiva is worshipped in the form of Krishna.
164In the sense of the best.
165The word Vishnu is also used to mean the foremost sacrifice.
166Yama.
167Respectively, a gift and water to wash the feet, offered to a guest.
168By appearing before Upamanyu in the form of Indra.
169The mantra for silent meditation.
170This is Krishna speaking to Yudhishthira.
171The daityas.
172Pramathas, spirits and ghosts.
173This is probably the liquor known as kashya.
174Understanding.
175Intelligence.
176Wisdom.
177The sun.
178Mahat, consciousness and the five primal elements.
179Omniscience, completeness, contentment, independence, power and lack of finiteness.
180Bhutas.
181Ganas.
182Time.
183Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra.
184Adhipourusha is the supreme spirit, adhyatma is the atman inside the body, adhibhuta represents the gross or material elements, adhidaiva is the divine element operating in material objects, adhiloka is the principle in the various worlds, adhivijnana is the highest plane of consciousness or knowledge and adhiyajna exists in sacrifices.
185Kubera.
186By obtaining your sight.
187Shiva’s eight forms are as Bhava in water, Rudra in fire, Pashupati in officiating priests, Ishana in the sun, Mahadeva in the moon, Bhima in space, Sharva in the earth and Ugra in the wind.
188This probably means secret references in sacred texts.
189Devayana is the path of the gods and leads to the sun. Pitriyana is the path of the ancestors and leads to the moon.
190Respectively, the sun’s progress to the north of the equator and the sun’s progress to the south of the equator.
191These three different ways are interpreted as the shruti texts, the smriti texts and meditation.
192Bhurloka, kharloka, svarloka, maharloka, janarloka, taparloka and satyaloka (brahmaloka).
193Earth, air, space, fire, water, mind, intelligence and ego.
194A sutra is an aphorism and also a collection of such aphorisms.
195Tandi.
196Mahadeva’s names.
197Shiva.
198Brahma.
199The word used is tata.
200Upamanyu.
201Brahma.
202These rakshasas may also be metaphorical, as in vices.
203The list of names.
204Immobile. The numbering is not given in the text. We have introduced it, to make the count easier. Though we have introduced a numbering, there is a problem, since the names are often repeated. There is also another problem, since the names are capable of multiple meanings and interpretations. Consequently, the English renderings we have given are not the only ones that are possible.
205Fixed.
206Powerful.
207Lustrous.
208Foremost.
209Granter of boons.
210Supreme.
211Soul of everything.
212Famous among everything.
213Everything.
214Creator of everything.
215Existence, also interpreted as the origin and end of all existence.
216Matted one.
217One who wears hides.
218One with a crest.
219One with limbs everywhere.
220Creator of everything.
221Tawny.
222With eyes like a deer.
223Destroyer of all creatures.
224Since this is duplication, we are not numbering this.
225Someone who has controlled himself.
226Eternal.
227Without change.
228One who resides in cremation grounds.
229The illustrious one, alternatively, Bhagavat.
230One who roams around in the air, also, wind or sun.
231Perceptible one.
232Destroyer.
233One saluted respectfully.
234Performer of great deeds.
235Ascetic.
236Creator of beings.
237One who hides himself in the attire of a lunatic.
238Lord/protector of all the worlds.
239Gigantic in form.
240Gigantic in body.
241One with a form everywhere.
242Immensely illustrious.
243Great soul.
244Present in all creatures.
245Multi-formed. Though the word also means deformed, the meaning of multi-formed is better.
246Short.
247The thinking one.
248Protector of the world.
249Residing inside atmans.
250Serenity.
251Someone whose vehicle is yoked to horses and donkeys.
252Pure.
253Rituals.
254Refuge of rituals.
255Performer of all deeds.
256Creator of everything at the beginning.
257Store.
258Thousand-eyed one.
259One with deformed eyes.
260Energizer of nakshatras.
261Progress of the moon and the sun.
262The planet Ketu.
263Supreme lord of the planets, alternatively, the supreme moon, or even, the supreme Mars.
264Probably, one whose primary abode is in the mountains.
265Doer.
266One who shoots an arrow at the deer.
267Unblemished one.
268Great ascetic.
269Terrible ascetic.
270One who is not distressed.
271Energizer of the distressed.
272Creator of years.
273Proof.
274Supreme.
275Austerities.
276One who is yoked, such as to yoga.
277Great seed.
278Great semen.
279We have not numbered this, since it has already been listed.
280Golden semen.
281One who knows everything.
282Good seed.
283One with a bull as a mount.
284Ten-armed.
285One who doesn’t blink.
286Blue-throated.
287Uma’s consort.
288With the universe as a form.
289One who creates one’s own superiority.
290Strong in valour.
291Strength.
292Ganas are companions of Shiva. However, since Shiva is himself being addressed as gana, this is best understood as deity.
293Creator of ganas.
294Lord of the ganas.
295With the directions as attire.
296Desired.
297Since this has already been mentioned, we are not numbering this.
298Since this has already been mentioned, we are not numbering this.
299Since this has already been mentioned, we are not numbering this.
300Creator of everything.
301One who takes away.
302One who holds a water pot.
303One who holds a bow.
304One with an arrow in one’s hand.
305One who holds a skull.
306One with the vajra.
307One who has the weapon shataghni.
308One who has a spear.
309One who wields great weapons.
310Wit
h the sacrificial ladle in one’s hand.
311Beautiful in form.
312Energy.
313Creator of energy.
314Since this has already been mentioned, we are not numbering this.
315One with a headdress.
316One with a beautiful face.
317The intense one.
318Modest one.
319Tall one.
320Tawny-haired.
321Excellent place of pilgrimage.
322Dark one.
323With the form of a jackal. Shiva had assumed the form of a jackal to console a brahmana.
324One who represents all objectives.
325With a shaved head.
326Pitcher.
327Water pot.
328Without birth.
329With the form of animals.
330The bearer of fragrances.
331With braided hair.
332One who holds up the seed, that is, practices brahmacharya.
333One whose linga faces upwards.
334One who lies on one’s back.
335With an abode in the firmament.
336With three matted locks.
337Attired in rags.
338Commander, general.
339Powerful one.
340One who moves during the day.
341Night, one who moves during the night.
342Fierce in wrath.
343Extremely radiant.
344Destroyer of an elephant. An asura had attacked Varanasi in the form on an elephant and Shiva destroyed it.
345Destroyer of daityas.
346The world.
347Ordainer of the worlds.
348Creator of the qualities.
349With the form of a lion and a tiger.
350Clad in a garment that is made out of wet hide. Shiva killed the elephant and attired himself in its hide.
351Yogi who conquers time.
352With the giant roar.
353One who resides in all the crossroads.
354One who roams around during the night.
355One who roams around with spirits.
356One who roams around with demons.
357Great lord.
358One who is manifested in many ways.
359With a lot of riches.
360Refuge of everything.
361Unlimited in speed.
362One who loves dancing.
363One who is always dancing.
364Dancer.
365One who makes everyone dance.
366Terrible one.
367We have not numbered this because it has already been listed.
368One with a noose.
369One who is always there.
370One who roams around on a mountain.
371The sky.
372Thousand-armed.
373Victory.
374Exertion.
375Irreproachable.
376Intolerant.
377Tolerant in soul.
378Destroyer of a sacrifice, that is, Daksha’s sacrifice.
379Destroyer of Kama. Shiva burnt down Kama, the god of love.
380Destroyer of Daksha’s sacrifice.
381One who easily withstands.
382One who is moderate.
383Remover of energy.
384Destroyer of Bala, an asura.
385One who is delighted.
386Wealth.
387Someone who can be conquered, presumably through devotion. Alternatively, this is a typo and should read someone who cannot be conquered.
388Supreme.
389One whose roar is deep.
390Deep.
391One whose mount is deep and strong.
392With the form of a banyan tree.
393Banyan tree.
394Lord who is there in trees and plants.
395Fierce in heat.
396With tawny horses.
397Aide.
398One who knows about karma and time.
399Favoured by Vishnu.
400Sacrifice.
401Ocean.
402Subterranean mare-head fire.
403Aide to the fire.
404Tranquil in soul.
405Fire.
406Fierce in energy.
407Great in energy.
408Victory.
409One who knows about the time of victory.
410Progress of stellar bodies.
411Success.
412War and peace.
413One with a crest.
414One with a staff.
415Blazing one.
416One with a form.
417One seated in the head of every creature.
418Strong one.
419One with a flute.
420One with a tambourine.
421One with the musical instrument known as tali.
422Time, destiny.
423One who stretches out the mat of time.
424One who cannot be reached by knowing about the waxing and waning and the qualities of the nakshatras.
425The directions, arms and divisions of Prajapati.
426Facing every direction.
427Liberation.
428Large number of gods.
429One born from golden armour.
430One generated from the penis.
431Powerful in movement.
432Great in movement.
433Praised.
434One present in the blare of all trumpets.
435One who accepts all musical instruments.
436One with the form of a snake.
437One who dwells in a cave.
438One with a golden garland.
439One who knows about the waves.
440One who holds up the gods and the past, the present and the future.
441One who frees from all the bonds of action.
442One who binds down the Indras among the asuras.
443One who destroys enemies in battle.
444The gift of sankhya.
445Served by all those who are virtuous.
446The daring one.
447Divisions.
448Unmatched.
449One who knows about the shares in sacrifices.
450One who resides everywhere.
451One who is in all conduct.
452Since this has been listed earlier, we have not numbered it.
453Immortal.
454Gold.
455Maker of gold.
456Since this has been listed earlier, we have not numbered it.
457One who holds up everything.
458Supreme among those who hold up.
459Red-eyed.
460Great-eyed.
461One with victorious eyes.
462Skilled.
463Collection.
464Suppression.
465Since this has been listed earlier, we have not numbered it.
466One whose garments are made out of rags and snake skin.
467Best.
468Worst. The sense is that Shiva is everything, the best and the worst.
469Body.
470Intelligence in the body.
471Granter of all desire.
472Favours of all kinds of destiny.
473Extremely strong.
474One who holds up the form of strength.
475One whose form is like the storehouse of the sky.
476Guardian.
477Serpent.
478Bird.
479Terrible in form.
480God who is not brave. Unless there is a typo, in which case it would mean god who is brave, this probably means that Shiva covers all gods, from those who are brave to those who are not brave.
481Rich in rays.
482Extremely radiant. We have numbered this, though Suvarchasa has earlier been mentioned. Suvarchasa is masculine, while Suvarchasi is feminine.
483With the speed of the Vasus.
484With great speed.
485With the speed of thought.
486Since this has already been listed, we have not numbered
it.
487Residing everywhere. This is in the feminine. Earlier, the masculine, Sarvavasa, has been listed.
488Residing in prosperity.
489One who imparts instruction.
490Since this has already been listed, we have not numbered it.
491In the atmans of sages.
492Lord of the worlds.
493One who is worshipped well.
494Giver of thousands.
495Bird.
496With the form of a bird.
497Extremely resplendent.
498Lord of the universe.
499Crazy.
500With the form of Madana (the god of love).
501One who acts so as to accomplish the objective.
502Hairy one.
503Left.
504East.
505South.
506Dwarf.
507One who takes away the success obtained through yoga.
508One who brings success in all pursuits.
509Mendicant.
510In the form of a mendicant.
511One with a tuft on the head.
512Gentle.
513Imperishable.
514Great commander, also Kartikeya’s name.
515Without branches, also Kartikeya’s name.
516One who knows about the sixty divisions. This is a reference to the sixty principles enunciated in elaborations of sankhya.
517Lord of cattle. Alternatively, lord of speech.
518With the vajra in the hand.
519One who obstructs.
520Stupefier of armies.
521Sacrifice.
522Performer of sacrifices.
523Time, destiny.
524Honey.
525Creator of honey.
526Immobile.
527Dwelling in trees.
528One invoked in hymns of the Yajur Veda.
529Always worshipped in all the ashramas.
530One who follows brahmacharya.
531One who roams around in the worlds.
532One who roams around everywhere.
533One who knows about good conduct.
534The lustrous lord.
535Supreme lord.
536Since this has already been listed, we have not numbered it.
537Since this has already been listed, we have not numbered it.
538One who holds Pinaka.
539Nandi’s lord. Nandi means happiness and Nandi is also of one of Shiva’s companions.
540One who gladdens.
541One who increases joy.
542One who destroyed Bhaga’s mouth and eyes.
543Since this has already been listed, we have not numbered it.
544Supreme among those who know about the brahman.
545One with four faces.
546The great linga.
547The beautiful linga.
548One who presides over signs.
549One who presides over gods.
550One who presides over the worlds.
551One who brings about the yugas.