TheShiva Sahasranama (Sanskrit:शिवसहस्रनाम,romanized: śivasahasranāma) is aSanskrit hymn that contains a list of the 1,000 names ofShiva, one of the principal deities ofHinduism and the supreme being inShaivism. In Hindu tradition, asahasranama is a type of devotional hymn (Sanskrit:stotram) 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 theShiva Mahapurana, and many other scriptures, such asLinga Purana.
There are at least eight different variations of the Shiva Sahasranama[1] while the one appearing in the Book 13 (Anushasana Parva) of theMahabharata is considered as the main version.[2] One version is contained in theLinga Purana, while another version occurs in theMahabharata.
Krishna states the thousand names of Shiva toYudhishthira in the 17th chapter ofAnushāsanaparva in the epicMahabharata.