Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 46

शिशुकस्य शिवशास्त्रप्राप्तिः (Śiśuka’s Attainment of Śaiva Teaching and Grace)

Devanagari script

तस्मान्मन्त्रान्तरांस्त्यक्त्वा पञ्चाक्षरपरो भव । तस्मिञ्जिह्वांतरगते न किंचिदिह दुर्लभम्

Transliteration

tasmānmantrāntarāṃstyaktvā pañcākṣaraparo bhava | tasmiñjihvāṃtaragate na kiṃcidiha durlabham

Translation

Therefore, abandoning other mantras, become wholly devoted to the five-syllabled mantra “Namaḥ Śivāya.” When it abides upon the tongue as unceasing japa, nothing in this world is difficult to attain.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: अपादान (हेतु/प्रस्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; ablative singular

• मन्त्र-अन्तरान्: other mantras
• मन्त्र-अन्तरान्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भेदवाचक/विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः: ‘अन्ये मन्त्राः’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्यक्त्वा (कृदन्त; √त्यज् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• पञ्च-अक्षर-परः: devoted to the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्च-अक्षर-परः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (सम्बोधन-लक्षित)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद/निर्देश: ‘पञ्चाक्षरे परः’ = devoted to the five-syllabled); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भव: be
• भव: क्रिया (आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (स्थान/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; locative singular

• जिह्वा-अन्तर-गते: (when it is) within the tongue / in the interior of the tongue
• जिह्वा-अन्तर-गते: अधिकरण-विशेषण (स्थान-निर्देशक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त; √गम् धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘जिह्वायाः अन्तरे गतः’); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative agreeing with तस्मिन्

• न: not
• न: निषेध (प्रत्याख्यान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• किंचित्: anything
• किंचित्: कर्ता/कर्म (प्रसङ्गानुसार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम/अव्यय-प्राय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; indefinite pronoun ‘anything’

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण-अर्थे (स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• दुर्लभम्: hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: विधेय-विशेषण (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; predicate adjective

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes the pañcākṣarī-japa as the direct upāya for Śiva-anugraha; promises siddhi and removal of obstacles through constant remembrance.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय

Type: panchakshara

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches ekāgratā (one-pointedness): by centering life on the Pañcākṣara—Śiva as Pati (the Lord)—the bonds (pāśa) loosen and both worldly well-being and liberation become attainable through steady devotion and japa.

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

The Pañcākṣara is a direct name-mantra of Saguna Śiva, commonly recited during Liṅga-pūjā; the verse prioritizes this mantra as the core practice that sanctifies speech and supports external worship with inner remembrance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Constant tongue-based japa of “Namaḥ Śivāya” (ideally with purity, bhasma/tripuṇḍra and rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva disciplines), making the mantra continuous in speech and mind.