Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

भक्त्या पञ्चाक्षरेणैव पुत्रैः पुष्पैर्वनोद्भवैः । समभ्यर्च्य चिरं कालं चचार परमं तपः

Transliteration

bhaktyā pañcākṣareṇaiva putraiḥ puṣpairvanodbhavaiḥ | samabhyarcya ciraṃ kālaṃ cacāra paramaṃ tapaḥ

Translation

Con devoción, usando sólo el mantra de cinco sílabas «Namaḥ Śivāya», lo adoró a Śiva con flores silvestres del bosque traídas por sus hijos; y, tras venerarlo durante largo tiempo, emprendió la austeridad suprema.

Word by Word

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पञ्चाक्षरेण: with the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्चाक्षरेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पञ्चानाम् अक्षराणाम्)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• पुत्रैः: with sons
• पुत्रैः: सहकारक/सह (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• वनोद्भवैः: born in the forest
• वनोद्भवैः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुष्पैः); समासः पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुषः (वनात् उद्भवाः)

• समभ्यर्च्य: having duly worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adjunct/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• कालम्: time (duration)
• कालम्: काल (Time-measure/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणार्थे

• चचार: practised/performed
• चचार: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तपः)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (namaḥ śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that steadfast bhakti expressed through the Pañcākṣarī (Namaḥ Śivāya) and sustained tapas purify the paśu (individual soul) and draw the saving grace of Pati (Śiva), loosening the bonds of pāśa.

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

The verse highlights saguna-upāsanā: worship offered with mantra and flowers as tangible offerings, a classic Shiva Purana method of approaching the Liṅga/Śiva with devotion that matures into deeper realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of the Pañcākṣara mantra along with simple pūjā using flowers (patra-puṣpa-arcana), followed by disciplined tapas—such as regular vows, self-restraint, and sustained meditation on Śiva.