Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 27

पञ्चाक्षर-षडक्षरमन्त्र-माहात्म्यम् | The Greatness of the Pañcākṣara/Ṣaḍakṣara Mantra

Devanagari script

रागद्वेषानृतक्रोधकामतृष्णानुसारि यत् । वाक्यं निरयहेतुत्वात्तद्दुर्भाषितमुच्यते

Transliteration

rāgadveṣānṛtakrodhakāmatṛṣṇānusāri yat | vākyaṃ nirayahetutvāttaddurbhāṣitamucyate

Translation

Jede Rede, die Anhaftung und Abneigung, Unwahrheit, Zorn, Begierde und Gier folgt—da sie Ursache höllischen Sturzes wird—heißt daher „böse Rede“.

Word by Word

• राग-द्वेष-अनृत-क्रोध-काम-तृष्णा-अनुसारि: following passion, hatred, falsehood, anger, desire, and craving
• राग-द्वेष-अनृत-क्रोध-काम-तृष्णा-अनुसारि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वेष (प्रातिपदिक) + अनृत (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + तृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुसारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agrees with यत्/वाक्यम्); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘(एतेषाम्) अनुसारि’ = following these

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• निरय-हेतुत्वात्: because it causes hell
• निरय-हेतुत्वात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरय (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; कारणार्थक-अपादान (ablative of cause): ‘because of being a cause of hell’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (refers to vākya)

• दुर्-भाषितम्: bad speech
• दुर्-भाषितम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (अव्यय) + भाषित (कृदन्त; √भाष् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘दुष्टं भाषितम्’

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): ‘is said/called’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Warns that speech driven by rāga-dveṣa and allied kleshas becomes niraya-hetu; for practitioners, ethical speech (vāg-yama) is a protective discipline preventing karmic descent.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines ‘durbhāṣita’ (harmful speech) as speech rooted in rāga-dveṣa and the inner bonds (pāśas) of anger, desire, and craving—showing that liberation-oriented life begins with purifying vāk (speech) and mind.

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

Linga-worship is not merely external; it demands inner śauca (purity). Speech driven by hatred, lies, and craving contradicts devotion to Saguna Shiva, who is approached through truthfulness, restraint, and compassion—qualities that make worship fruitful.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt disciplined speech alongside japa: repeat the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with mindfulness, and practice mauna (measured silence) or satya-vākya (truthful, gentle speech) as a daily vrata to weaken anger and craving.