Shloka 29

पञ्चकृत्यलक्षणनिर्णयः

Definition of Śiva’s Five Cosmic Acts—Pañcakṛtya

Devanagari script

नमः प्रणववाच्याय नमः प्रणवलिंगिने । नमः सृष्ट्यादिकर्त्रे च नमः पंचमुखायते

Transliteration

namaḥ praṇavavācyāya namaḥ praṇavaliṃgine | namaḥ sṛṣṭyādikartre ca namaḥ paṃcamukhāyate

Translation

سلامٌ وسجودٌ لمن يُشار إليه بالبرَنَفَة (أوم). سلامٌ وسجودٌ لمن كان شعارُه البرَنَفَة، اللِّنگا. سلامٌ وسجودٌ للربّ مُبتدِئ الخلق وكلّ البدايات. سلامٌ وسجودٌ لذي الوجوه الخمسة.

Word by Word

• namaḥ: salutation; homage
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समर्पण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; indeclinable salutation (नमः-प्रयोग) governing dative

• praṇava-vācyāya: to the one denoted by Oṃ
• praṇava-vācyāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇava + vācya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी); Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रणवेन वाच्यः = denoted by praṇava)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; salutation

• praṇava-liṅgine: to the one whose emblem/sign is Oṃ
• praṇava-liṅgine: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇava + liṅgin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी); Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रणवः लिङ्गं यस्य/प्रणव-लिङ्गी)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; salutation

• sṛṣṭi-ādi-kartre: to the creator of creation and the rest (etc.)
• sṛṣṭi-ādi-kartre: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭi + ādi + kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी); Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (सृष्ट्यादीनां कर्ता)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; salutation

• paṃca-mukhāya: to the five-faced one
• paṃca-mukhāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paṃca + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी); Singular; बहुव्रीहि-समास (पञ्च मुखानि यस्य सः)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी); Singular; enclitic form

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: The hymn’s focus on Praṇava-liṅga and the Lord as sṛṣṭy-ādi-kartṛ aligns with Kāśī Viśvanātha’s identity as the self-revealed Lord of the universe, where liberation is granted by Śiva’s own upadeśa (tāraka) at death; this chapter’s Viśveśvara framing naturally resonates with that sthala-tradition.

Significance: Darśana and worship are held to confer pāpa-kṣaya and mokṣa-prāpti through Śiva’s anugraha; Kāśī is classically praised as a kṣetra where liberation is especially accessible.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: namaḥ praṇavavācyāya namaḥ praṇavaliṃgine | namaḥ sṛṣṭyādikartre ca namaḥ paṃcamukhāyate

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It praises Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord indicated by Om—who manifests as the Linga and initiates creation, guiding devotees from outward worship to inner realization.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

By calling Shiva “Pranava-Linga,” the verse links Saguna worship (the Linga as an accessible form) with the transcendent sign (Om), showing the Linga as a sacred support for meditation on the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa and dhyāna on the Pranava (Om) with Linga-pūjā—mentally or ritually offering salutations to Shiva as the Five-faced Lord—aligns the devotee’s mind with his creative and liberating power.