Shloka 2

पञ्चकृत्यलक्षणनिर्णयः

Definition of Śiva’s Five Cosmic Acts—Pañcakṛtya

Devanagari script

सृष्टिः स्थितिश्च संहारस्तिरोभावोऽप्यनुग्रहः । पंचैव मे जगत्कृत्यं नित्यसिद्धमजाच्युतौ

Transliteration

sṛṣṭiḥ sthitiśca saṃhārastirobhāvo'pyanugrahaḥ | paṃcaiva me jagatkṛtyaṃ nityasiddhamajācyutau

Translation

Creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, and grace—these five alone are My cosmic acts with regard to the universe; I, the Unborn and the Imperishable, accomplish them eternally.

Word by Word

• सृष्टिः: creation
• सृष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता) / Enumerated item
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• स्थितिः: maintenance
• स्थितिः: Karta (कर्ता) / Enumerated item
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• संहारः: withdrawal/dissolution
• संहारः: Karta (कर्ता) / Enumerated item
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तिरोभावः: concealment
• तिरोभावः: Karta (कर्ता) / Enumerated item
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिरोभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) ‘also’

• अनुग्रहः: grace
• अनुग्रहः: Karta (कर्ता) / Enumerated item
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indeclinable numeral used adjectivally; qualifying implied ‘कृत्यानि’/‘कृत्यं’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अवधारण) ‘indeed/only’

• मे: of me/my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; enclitic

• जगत्-कृत्यम्: the world-act (cosmic function)
• जगत्-कृत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate-noun
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘act concerning the world’

• नित्यसिद्धम्: eternally established
• नित्यसिद्धम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य + सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारय ‘eternally accomplished’ qualifying ‘जगत्कृत्यम्’

• अज: O Unborn (Brahmā)
• अज: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Dual; addressed to two

• अच्युतौ: O Acyuta (Viṣṇu)
• अच्युतौ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Dual

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Doctrinal definition of pañcakṛtya as Śiva’s nitya-siddha (eternally accomplished) cosmic governance; aligns with Siddhānta’s view that the Lord’s acts are beginningless and not contingent on external instruments.

Significance: Hearing/remembering pañcakṛtya strengthens īśvara-bhāvanā (God-centered contemplation) and frames life-events as within Śiva’s governance, culminating in anugraha (liberating grace).

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines Shiva’s pañcakṛtya (five divine acts). In Shaiva Siddhanta, bondage persists through tirobhāva (veiling), and liberation dawns through anugraha (grace); thus Shiva is both the Lord of worldly process and the giver of moksha.

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

The Linga signifies Shiva as the transcendent Pati who still performs the five cosmic functions. Worship of the Linga (saguna upāsanā) trains the devotee to recognize that all change—creation to dissolution—moves under Shiva’s governance, culminating in His anugraha.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as Aja (unborn) and Achyuta (imperishable) while japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—contemplating the five acts, and pray specifically for anugraha (removal of veiling and bestowal of liberating knowledge).