Shloka 25
पञ्चकृत्यलक्षणनिर्णयः
Definition of Śiva’s Five Cosmic Acts—Pañcakṛtya
नंदिकेश्वर उवाच । पुनस्तयोस्तत्र तिरः पटं गुरुः प्रकल्प्य मंत्रं च समादिशत्परम् । निधाय तच्छीर्ष्णि करांबुजं शनैरुदण्मुखं संस्थितयोः सहांबिकः
naṃdikeśvara uvāca | punastayostatra tiraḥ paṭaṃ guruḥ prakalpya maṃtraṃ ca samādiśatparam | nidhāya tacchīrṣṇi karāṃbujaṃ śanairudaṇmukhaṃ saṃsthitayoḥ sahāṃbikaḥ
Nandikeśvara sprach: Dann richtete der Guru erneut einen Vorhang zwischen den beiden her und lehrte ihnen das höchste Mantra. Sanft legte er seine lotosgleiche Hand auf ihr Haupt und ließ sie—zusammen mit Ambikā—nach Norden gewandt stehen.
Nandikeśvara (Nandin)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Kāśī is famed as the seat where Śiva grants upadeśa leading to liberation; the verse’s guru-upadeśa motif resonates with the Kāśī tradition of Śiva as Jagadguru imparting saving mantra.
Significance: Pilgrims seek guru-upadeśa and japa near Viśvanātha, viewing the kṣetra as especially conducive to mantra-siddhi and anugraha.
Shakti Form: Ambikā
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights mantra-dīkṣā: the Guru transmits the ‘supreme mantra’ with protective discipline (the curtain) and a sanctifying touch, showing that Shiva’s grace flows through proper initiation and inner purity.
The ‘supreme mantra’ in the Vidyeśvara context points to Shaiva mantra-worship (often centered on the Pañcākṣarī) that leads the devotee from saguna devotion (ritual, form, guidance) toward realization of Shiva as the supreme Pati.
A formal initiation-style practice is implied: receiving mantra from a qualified Guru, maintaining ritual purity and restraint, and meditating with disciplined orientation (north-facing posture) while repeating the mantra with devotion.