Shiva Sahasranama


The Shiva sahasranama is a "list of a thousand names" of Shiva, one of the most important deities in Hinduism. In Hindu tradition a sahasranama is a type of devotional hymn listing many 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 Shiv Mahapuran and many other scriptures such as Linga Purana. As per Shiv Mahapuran when Vishnu was unable to defeat the demons after many attempts he prayed to Shiv who granted him the Sudarshan Chakra for fighting the demons.

Variations

There are at least eight different variations of the Shiva Sahasranama while the one appearing in the Book 13 of the Mahabharata is considered as the main version. One version is contained in the Linga Purana while another version occurs in the Mahabharata.
The overlapping of names with the Vishnu sahasranama has led Adi Shankara to conclude that Shiva and Vishnu are identical and both equal to monotheistic God, a conclusion that is now a central tenet of Advaitan or Smarta Hinduism.
Also other names of Shiva were told by Krishna himself to Yudhisthira in the Mahabharata. Additionally, Krishna himself also recited another version of the Shiva Sahasranama, the 1008 names of Shiva, to him in the 17th chapter of Anushāsanaparva in the epic Mahabharata,