Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 48

पञ्चाक्षरीविद्यायाḥ कलियुगे मोक्षोपायः | The Pañcākṣarī Vidyā as a Means of Liberation in Kali Yuga

Devanagari script

इन्द्रो रुद्रो हरिर्ब्रह्मा स्कंदस्तेषां च देवताः । मम पञ्चमुखान्याहुः स्थाने तेषां वरानने

Transliteration

indro rudro harirbrahmā skaṃdasteṣāṃ ca devatāḥ | mama pañcamukhānyāhuḥ sthāne teṣāṃ varānane

Translation

Indra, Rudra, Hari (Viṣṇu), Brahmā und Skanda — samt ihren waltenden Gottheiten —, o Schönangesichtige, sollen in den Stätten Meiner fünf Antlitze weilen.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देवताः: deities
• देवताः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• पञ्चमुखानि: five faces
• पञ्चमुखानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (numerical compound)

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्थाने: in the place/position
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वरानने: O fair-faced one
• वरानने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास ("excellent" + "face" = "O fair-faced one")

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Indra
• Rudra
• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Skanda

FAQs

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

It presents Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord in whom the major cosmic powers (Indra, Rudra, Vishnu, Brahma, Skanda) find their proper ‘stations’, showing that all devatas function through Shiva’s overarching divine presence.

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

Pañcamukha (five-faced) Shiva is a Saguna revelation of the one Supreme; Linga-worship contemplates the same Lord as the inner reality beyond forms, while the five faces provide a meditative map of His governance of the cosmos.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as Pañcamukha—placing the devatas and their powers within Shiva—while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating surrender to Shiva as the inner ruler of all functions.