Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

षडङ्गानि न्यसेत्पश्चाद् यथास्थानं च शोभनम् नमः स्वाहा वषड्ढुं च वौषट्फट्कारकैः सह

Transliteration

ṣaḍaṅgāni nyasetpaścād yathāsthānaṃ ca śobhanam namaḥ svāhā vaṣaḍḍhuṃ ca vauṣaṭphaṭkārakaiḥ saha

Translation

Thereafter, one should perform the placement (nyāsa) of the six mantra-limbs (ṣaḍaṅga) in their proper locations, in a fitting and auspicious manner—together with the ritual utterances: namaḥ, svāhā, vaṣaṭ, the hūṃ-bīja, vauṣaṭ, and phaṭ.

Word by Word

• षडङ्गानि: the six limbs (of mantra/nyāsa)

• न्यसेत्: one should place/assign (perform nyāsa)

• पश्चात्: thereafter

• यथास्थानम्: in their proper places

• च: and

• शोभनम्: auspicious, becoming, proper

• नमः: obeisance-formula 'namaḥ'

• स्वाहा: svāhā (offering-formula)

• वषट्: vaṣaṭ (Vedic offering-exclamation)

• हुम् (ढुं): hūṃ (protective bīja, here written as ḍhuṃ)

• वौषट्: vauṣaṭ (variant offering-exclamation)

• फट्कारकैः: with the utterance 'phaṭ' (mantric cutting/protective cry)

• सह: together with.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja procedures to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It prescribes ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa—placing the mantra’s six limbs on their proper loci—so the worshipper’s body and speech become ritually aligned for Linga-pūjā, establishing protection (rakṣā) and fitness (adhikāra) for approaching Pati (Shiva).

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

By emphasizing nyāsa and mantric limbs, it presents Shiva as Pati who is accessed through śabda (mantra) and śakti (ritual potency): the bound pashu approaches liberation by sanctifying the embodied field where pasha operates, turning it into a vessel of Shiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa with protective and offering utterances (namaḥ, svāhā, vaṣaṭ, hūṃ, vauṣaṭ, phaṭ), a core preparatory practice in Shaiva pūjā that also functions yogically as mantra-śuddhi and rakṣā before deeper Pashupata-oriented worship.