Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

रागाज्ञानादिभिर्दोषैर्ग्रस्तत्वादनृतं वदेत् । ते चेश्वरे न विद्येते ब्रूयात्स कथमन्यथा

Transliteration

rāgājñānādibhirdoṣairgrastatvādanṛtaṃ vadet | te ceśvare na vidyete brūyātsa kathamanyathā

Translation

Saisi par des fautes telles que l’attachement (rāga) et l’ignorance (ajñāna), l’être peut proférer le mensonge. Mais de tels défauts n’existent pas en Īśvara (le Seigneur Śiva). Comment donc pourrait-Il parler autrement que selon la vérité ?

Word by Word

• राग: attachment/passion
• राग: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (compound-member); एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• अज्ञान: ignorance
• अज्ञान: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (compound-member); एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• आदिभिः: etc., by (these and others)
• आदिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन; 'आदि' = etc.

• दोषैः: by faults
• दोषैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• ग्रस्तत्वात्: because of being seized/overcome
• ग्रस्तत्वात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Ablative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु) → ग्रस्त (कृदन्त) + त्व (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भाववाचक-तद्धित/कृदन्त-निर्मित संज्ञा; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/5th); एकवचन

• अनृतम्: falsehood/untruth
• अनृतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• वदेत्: may speak/would speak
• वदेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: those (faults)
• ते: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ईश्वरे: in the Lord (Īśvara)
• ईश्वरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• विद्येते: exist (the two)/are found
• विद्येते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ब्रूयात्: should say
• ब्रूयात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: सम्बन्ध (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: otherwise)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes Īśvara as nirdosha (faultless) and satyavāk (truth-speaking); trusting Śiva’s teaching is framed as spiritually safe because it is free from rāga/ajñāna that mislead pilgrims and practitioners.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms the Shaiva Siddhanta view of Shiva as Pati—ever pure, omniscient, and untouched by rāga (attachment) and ajñāna (ignorance). Since falsehood arises from such defects, Shiva’s speech and will are intrinsically satya (truth), making Him the reliable refuge for liberation.

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

Linga worship trains the devotee to approach the Saguna form as the manifest sign of the Nirguna, flawless Īśvara. By contemplating that Shiva is free from doṣas, the devotee deepens śraddhā (trust) in His grace and in the scriptural words that praise the Linga as the truthful axis of reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is satya-anusandhāna (meditation on truth): during japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” reflect that Shiva is untouched by attachment and ignorance, and offer one’s own tendencies to falsehood into the Linga with humility and vow of truthfulness (satya-vrata).