Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

तद्बीजं सर्वविद्यानां मंत्रमाद्यं षडक्षरम् । अतिसूक्ष्मं महार्थं च ज्ञेयं तद्वटबीजवत्

Transliteration

tadbījaṃ sarvavidyānāṃ maṃtramādyaṃ ṣaḍakṣaram | atisūkṣmaṃ mahārthaṃ ca jñeyaṃ tadvaṭabījavat

Translation

That is the seed of all knowledges—the primal mantra of six syllables. Though exceedingly subtle, it bears vast meaning; it should be understood like the seed of the banyan tree, small in form yet immense in potential.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; संकेतार्थ (demonstrative)

• बीजम्: seed
• बीजम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तत्’ का विशेष्य (apposition)

• सर्वविद्यानाम्: of all knowledges/branches of learning
• सर्वविद्यानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• मन्त्रम्: (the) mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तद्बीजम्’ का समानाधिकरण (in apposition)

• आद्यम्: prime/first
• आद्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् of ‘मन्त्रम्’

• षट्-अक्षरम्: six-syllabled
• षट्-अक्षरम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numeral compound) qualifying ‘मन्त्रम्’

• अति-सूक्ष्मम्: extremely subtle
• अति-सूक्ष्मम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (intensifier)

• महा-अर्थम्: of great meaning
• महा-अर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् of ‘मन्त्रम्’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ज्ञेयम्: to be known
• ज्ञेयम्: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + य (कृत्, यत्; कर्मणि)
• Form: कर्मणि-यत् (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्त-सूचक (referring back)

• वट-बीज-वत्: like a banyan seed
• वट-बीज-वत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वट (प्रातिपदिक) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; -वत् (possessive/comparative ‘like’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva’s mantra as the bīja (seed) behind all higher knowledge—subtle to grasp intellectually, yet capable of unfolding vast realization and liberation when assimilated through devotion and inner practice.

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

The mantra functions as the subtle (sūkṣma) form of Shiva that complements Saguna worship such as Linga-pūjā—external worship steadies devotion, while mantra-japa internalizes the presence of Pati (Shiva) within the devotee.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular japa and contemplation of the six-syllable mantra with one-pointedness—treating it like a banyan seed whose meaning expands through repetition, purity, and meditative absorption.