nAmA

[Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian]

GANESANS at cl.uh.edu wrote:

>While talking to Rajarathna Bhattar of Meenakshi Temple, Houston,
>he told that there is only one Siva namavali, but many for
>goddesses depending on the kshetram. Is this true that
>there is only one siva sahasranAmam?

No this information is incorrect. To my knowledge there are three
sahasranAma-s

1. in the shiva purANa - which has the legendary story of vishhNu
offering one of his eyes instead of a lotus that disappeared associated
with it.

2. in the padma purANa - which was told by kR^ishhNa to mArkaNDeya

3. in the anusAsana parva of the MBh, which kR^ishhNa used to propitiate
shiva. This is the one usually used in temples in Tamil Nadu.

Doubtless there are atleast a few more. I am fairly certain there is
another one in the skanda purANa.

As far as 108 names go there are many, many. The one usually used is
from the skanda purANa. There are others from bhavishhya, mAtsya etc
also.

Ramakrishnan.