Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

यदोंनमश्शिवायेति शिववाक्यं षडक्षरम् । विधिवाक्यमिदं शैवं नार्थवादं शिवात्मकम्

Transliteration

yadoṃnamaśśivāyeti śivavākyaṃ ṣaḍakṣaram | vidhivākyamidaṃ śaivaṃ nārthavādaṃ śivātmakam

Translation

L’énoncé «Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya» est la parole même de Śiva, en six syllabes. C’est une injonction śaiva (vidhi), non une simple louange ; elle est de la nature même de Śiva.

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक ‘that which’

• ॐ: Oṃ
• ॐ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-रूप अव्यय (sacred syllable)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः/अव्ययीभावार्थे (indeclinable interjection of salutation)

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन (Masculine, Dative, Singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• शिव-वाक्यम्: Śiva’s utterance/statement
• शिव-वाक्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); ‘शिवस्य वाक्यम्’ (genitive-tatpuruṣa)

• षट्-अक्षरम्: six-syllabled
• षट्-अक्षरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); द्विगु-समासः (numeral compound)

• विधि-वाक्यम्: an injunction (prescriptive statement)
• विधि-वाक्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); ‘विधेः वाक्यम्’/‘विधिरूपं वाक्यम्’ (injunctive statement)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); सर्वनाम

• शैवम्: Śaiva, pertaining to Śiva
• शैवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (तद्धित; शिव + अण्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); तद्धित-निर्मित विशेषण ‘pertaining to Śiva’

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• अर्थवादम्: eulogy/explanatory praise (arthavāda)
• अर्थवादम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• शिव-आत्मकम्: of the nature of Śiva
• शिव-आत्मकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular); ‘शिवः आत्मा यस्य’/‘शिवस्वरूपम्’ (determinative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares that “Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya” is not just praise but an authoritative injunction for liberation-oriented practice, because the mantra is considered Śiva-essence (śivātmakam) and thus a direct means to Śiva-realization.

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

In Śaiva worship, the mantra functions as the living presence of Śiva and can be joined with Linga-upāsanā: the devotee offers water, bilva, and reverence while repeating the mantra, treating sound (mantra) and form (Liṅga) as complementary expressions of Saguna Śiva leading toward the supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular japa of “Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya” as a commanded discipline—performed with purity, devotion, and steady attention—optionally alongside Śiva-pūjā with bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as supportive Śaiva observances.