Shloka 57

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

नमस्कारं ततो ध्यानं जपः प्रोक्तो गुरोर्मनोः । अन्यथा पंचवर्णेन तोषयेत्तेन शंकरम्

Transliteration

namaskāraṃ tato dhyānaṃ japaḥ prokto gurormanoḥ | anyathā paṃcavarṇena toṣayettena śaṃkaram

Translation

First offer reverent salutation; then meditate; and then perform japa of the mantra taught by one’s guru. Otherwise, one should please Śaṅkara with that five-syllabled (Pañcākṣarī) mantra.

Word by Word

• नमस्कारम्: salutation
• नमस्कारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (masculine)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (sequential adverb: ‘then/thereafter’)

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (neuter)

• जपः: japa/recitation
• जपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (masculine)

• प्रोक्तः: is declared/said
• प्रोक्तः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; past passive participle used predicatively: ‘is said’

• गुरोः: of the guru
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular (masculine)

• मनोः: of the mantra
• मनोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; ‘मन्’ इति वैदिक-रूपेण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular; here ‘mantra’ (manas/manu-form)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/modality)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘otherwise’)

• पञ्चवर्णेन: with the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्चवर्णेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च वर्णाः यस्य/पञ्चवर्णः), instrumental singular

• तोषयेत्: should please
• तोषयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (Causative), विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should please/satisfy’

• तेन: by that/with that
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular pronoun

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (masculine)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes guru-upadeśa and mantra-japa as the primary sādhanā leading to Śiva’s anugraha; where guru-mantra is unavailable, Pañcākṣarī serves as universally accessible upāya.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (Namaḥ Śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It sets a Shaiva sādhanā order—humble surrender (namaskāra), inner steadiness (dhyāna), and mantra-japa—showing that devotion and disciplined practice together lead the soul toward Shiva’s grace and liberation.

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

The verse supports Saguna Shiva worship by prescribing outward reverence and inward meditation culminating in mantra-japa, which is commonly performed before the Shiva Linga to invoke Śaṅkara’s presence and favor.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform namaskāra, settle into dhyāna, and do japa—ideally of the guru-given mantra; if one lacks such initiation, the Pañcākṣarī (commonly ‘Namaḥ Śivāya’) is recommended to please Shiva.