Shloka 23

Kirātāvatāra, Durvāsā-upākhyāna, and the Logic of Divine Rescue

Kirātākhyam-avatāra; Pāṇḍava-prasaṅga

Devanagari script

पञ्चाक्षरं जपन्मंत्रं शिवप्रेमसमाकुलः । तेजसां च स्वयंराशिस्साक्षाद्धर्म इवापरः

Transliteration

pañcākṣaraṃ japanmaṃtraṃ śivapremasamākulaḥ | tejasāṃ ca svayaṃrāśissākṣāddharma ivāparaḥ

Translation

Absorbed in love for Śiva, he ceaselessly repeated the five-syllabled mantra (Namaḥ Śivāya); he became a self-manifest heap of radiance—like Dharma himself made visible in another form.

Word by Word

• पञ्चाक्षरम्: the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्चाक्षरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चाक्षर (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + अक्षर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative/Nominative, Singular)

• जपन्: chanting
• जपन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• शिवप्रेमसमाकुलः: overwhelmed with love for Śiva
• शिवप्रेमसमाकुलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिवप्रेमसमाकुल (प्रातिपदिक; शिव-प्रेम + समाकुल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• तेजसाम्: of splendors; of energies
• तेजसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Genitive, Plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्वयम्: by himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वार्थे अव्यय (adverb: ‘oneself/independently’)

• राशिः: a heap; mass
• राशिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• साक्षात्: directly; manifestly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘directly/manifestly’)

• धर्मः: Dharma (righteousness)
• धर्मः: Upamāna/Upameya (उपमान/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• अपरः: another; second (as it were)
• अपरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (Namaḥ Śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Dharma

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī, performed with intense Śiva-prema, purifies the soul (paśu) and makes divine qualities—radiance, righteousness, and inner clarity—manifest, indicating proximity to Śiva’s grace (anugraha).

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

Pañcākṣarī japa is a core Saguna-Śiva practice often performed alongside Liṅga worship; through sound (mantra) and devotion, the devotee’s mind becomes fit to perceive Śiva’s presence in the Liṅga and in all forms, moving toward deeper realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to daily Pañcākṣarī mantra-japa (“Namaḥ Śivāya”) with devotion; it may be paired with Liṅga-pūjā, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva disciplines for concentration and purity.