Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 162

पञ्चावरणमार्गस्थं योगेश्वरस्तोत्रम्

Pañcāvaraṇa-mārga Stotra to Yogeśvara Śiva

Devanagari script

वर्णाः पदानि मंत्राश्च तत्त्वान्यपि सहाधिपैः । ब्रह्मांडधारका रुद्रा रुद्राश्चान्ये सशक्तिकाः

Transliteration

varṇāḥ padāni maṃtrāśca tattvānyapi sahādhipaiḥ | brahmāṃḍadhārakā rudrā rudrāścānye saśaktikāḥ

Translation

Letters, words, and mantras—and even the principles (tattvas) together with their presiding lords—are upheld by the Rudras who sustain the cosmic egg; and other Rudras too, endowed with their respective powers (śaktis), uphold them.

Word by Word

• वर्णाः: syllables/letters
• वर्णाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; Masculine, Nom plural

• पदानि: words/steps
• पदानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; Neuter, Nom plural

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; Masculine, Nom plural

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

• तत्त्वानि: principles/tattvas
• तत्त्वानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; Neuter, Nom plural

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; particle (also)

• सह: with
• सह: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक अव्यय (with)

• अधिपैः: with lords/overseers
• अधिपैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; Masculine, Instr plural

• ब्रह्माण्डधारकाः: bearers of the cosmic egg
• ब्रह्माण्डधारकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड + धारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; Tatpuruṣa: ब्रह्माण्डस्य धारकाः

• रुद्राः: Rudras
• रुद्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; Masculine, Nom plural

• रुद्राः: Rudras
• रुद्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; Masculine, Nom plural

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

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; Masculine, Nom plural (others)

• सशक्तिकाः: endowed with power/śakti
• सशक्तिकाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + शक्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; Bahuvrīhi: शक्तिका यस्य सः (having power/with śakti)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Vāyavīya philosophical discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: tattva-and-adhikāri cosmology (principles with presiding lords)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudras
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It teaches that all sacred sound (letters, words, mantras) and the very building-blocks of reality (tattvas) function because Shiva’s Rudra-power sustains and governs them—pointing to Pati (Shiva) as the ultimate ground of both knowledge and cosmos.

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

The Rudras described here are Saguna expressions of Shiva’s governance over speech, mantra, and tattvas; Linga-worship honors that same Lord as the inner support (ādhāra) of the universe, approached through form while realizing His transcendent basis.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa—especially Shaiva mantra practice such as the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”)—is implied, since mantra and its power are presented as upheld by Rudra; steady japa with bhāva aligns the practitioner with Shiva’s sustaining śakti.