Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

पञ्चाक्षर-षडक्षरमन्त्र-माहात्म्यम् | The Greatness of the Pañcākṣara/Ṣaḍakṣara Mantra

Devanagari script

अभिधानाभिधेयत्वान्मंत्रस्सिद्धः परश्शिवः । एतावत्तु शिवज्ञानमेतावत्परमं पदम्

Transliteration

abhidhānābhidheyatvānmaṃtrassiddhaḥ paraśśivaḥ | etāvattu śivajñānametāvatparamaṃ padam

Translation

Because the mantra and its intended meaning are inseparably related as name and named, the mantra itself is the accomplished Supreme Shiva. This much alone is true knowledge of Shiva; this much alone is the supreme state.

Word by Word

• अभिधान-अभिधेयत्वात्: because of (its) being denotative-and-denoted
• अभिधान-अभिधेयत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिधान (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिधेय (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (Neuter, Ablative, Singular); द्वन्द्व-समासः ‘अभिधानं च अभिधेयं च’ + त्व; ‘because of being (both) denotation and denoted’

• मन्त्रः: the mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• सिद्धः: accomplished, perfected
• सिद्धः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘accomplished/established’

• पर-शिवः: Supreme Śiva
• पर-शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); कर्मधारयः ‘परः शिवः’

• एतावत्: this much
• एतावत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतावत् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); प्रमाणवाचक

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• शिव-ज्ञानम्: knowledge of Śiva
• शिव-ज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); ‘शिवस्य ज्ञानम्’ (genitive-tatpuruṣa)

• एतावत्: this much
• एतावत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतावत् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); विशेषण

• पदम्: state/abode/goal
• पदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva is directly realizable through mantra: when the practitioner grasps both the sound (name) and its true referent (Shiva), mantra-japa becomes Shiva-jnana and culminates in the supreme state (moksha).

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

Just as the Linga is a focused support for worship, the mantra is a sonic support: name and named are linked, so devotion to the mantra leads from saguna upasana (worship with support) toward realization of Paraśiva as the ultimate reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Steady mantra-japa with contemplation of its meaning—especially the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—so that repetition is joined to understanding and inner absorption, making the mantra ‘siddha’ in one’s practice.