Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17
मन्त्रसिद्ध्यर्थं गुरुपूजा–आज्ञा–पौरश्चर्यविधिः / Guru-Authorization, Offerings, and Puraścaraṇa for Mantra-Siddhi
यावज्जीवं जपेन्नित्यमष्टोत्तरसहस्रकम् । अनन्यस्तत्परो भूत्वा स याति परमां गतिम् । जपेदक्षरलक्षं वै चतुर्गुणितमादरात् । नक्ताशी संयमी यस्स पौरश्चरणिकः स्मृतः
yāvajjīvaṃ japennityamaṣṭottarasahasrakam | ananyastatparo bhūtvā sa yāti paramāṃ gatim | japedakṣaralakṣaṃ vai caturguṇitamādarāt | naktāśī saṃyamī yassa pauraścaraṇikaḥ smṛtaḥ
Solange das Leben währt, soll man täglich das (Śiva-)Mantra tausendundachtmal japa rezitieren. Wird man einpünktig und ganz Ihm hingegeben, erreicht man den höchsten Zustand. Ferner soll man ehrfürchtig ein Lakh an Mantra-Silben vollenden, vierfach vervielfacht. Wer diszipliniert ist und nur nachts speist, gilt als einer, der die Puraścaraṇa—die vollständige vorbereitende Observanz der Mantra-Praxis—ordnungsgemäß vollzogen hat.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Frames mantra-japa (especially 1008 daily and puraścaraṇa-scale counts) as a direct means to attain paramā gati (mokṣa), emphasizing lifelong discipline and exclusive devotion (ananya-bhakti).
Type: panchakshara
FAQs
It teaches that steady daily mantra-japa with exclusive devotion to Lord Śiva purifies the bound soul (paśu), loosens bondage (pāśa), and leads to the supreme state—union with Pati (Śiva) as liberation.
The verse emphasizes disciplined mantra practice directed to Śiva as the accessible Lord (Saguna upāsya), commonly worshipped through the Śiva-liṅga, where japa and devotion support inner purification and grace.
Daily japa of 1008 repetitions, and a formal puraścaraṇa defined here as completing four lakhs of mantra-syllables with restraint and a naktāśī discipline (eating once at night), undertaken with reverence.