Shloka 36

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

मन्त्रः स्थितः सदा मुख्यो लोके पञ्चाक्षरो मतः किं तस्य बहुभिर् मन्त्रैः शास्त्रैर्वा बहुविस्तृतैः

Transliteration

mantraḥ sthitaḥ sadā mukhyo loke pañcākṣaro mataḥ kiṃ tasya bahubhir mantraiḥ śāstrairvā bahuvistṛtaiḥ

Translation

In dieser Welt gilt das fünfsilbige Mantra stets als das vornehmste. Wer dieses (Mantra) besitzt, wozu bräuchte der noch viele andere Mantras oder Schriften, die in großer Breite ausgebreitet sind?

Word by Word

• मन्त्रः: mantra

• स्थितः: established/abiding

• सदा: always

• मुख्यः: chief, foremost

• लोके: in the world

• पञ्चाक्षरः: the five-syllabled (mantra—Namaḥ Śivāya)

• मतः: considered, held to be

• किम्: what (need?)

• तस्य: for him/of that one

• बहुभिः: with many

• मन्त्रैः: mantras

• शास्त्रैः: treatises/scriptures

• वा: or

• बहुविस्तृतैः: extensively elaborated, very detailed

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s Shaiva teaching to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It establishes the Pañcākṣarī (“Namaḥ Śivāya”) as the primary upāsanā for Shiva; by centering japa and devotion to Pati, it implies that Linga-pūjā is perfected through this core mantra rather than through excessive ritual complexity.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By declaring one mantra sufficient above many texts, it points to Shiva as Pati—directly accessible through concentrated mantra and surrender—where realization depends more on inner alignment and grace than on sheer scriptural proliferation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-japa of the Pañcākṣarī is highlighted as the essential Shaiva sādhanā; it functions as a Pāśupata-oriented inner practice that loosens pāśa (bondage) for the paśu (soul) through sustained remembrance of Pati.