Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10
पञ्चाक्षरीविद्यायाḥ कलियुगे मोक्षोपायः | The Pañcākṣarī Vidyā as a Means of Liberation in Kali Yuga
नारकी स्यान्न सन्देहो मम पञ्चाक्षरं विना । अब्भक्षा वायुभक्षाश्च ये चान्ये व्रतकर्शिताः
nārakī syānna sandeho mama pañcākṣaraṃ vinā | abbhakṣā vāyubhakṣāśca ye cānye vratakarśitāḥ
Sans mon mantra aux cinq syllabes, il n’y a aucun doute que l’on devient voué à l’enfer—même ceux qui ne vivent que d’eau, ceux qui ne vivent que d’air, et d’autres encore, amaigris par les austérités et les vœux.
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Mantra: नमः शिवाय (Namaḥ Śivāya)
Type: panchakshara
Cosmic Event: Naraka (post-mortem consequence) invoked as moral-cosmic outcome of lacking Śiva-mantra.
FAQs
It teaches that mere bodily austerity is not the liberating cause; liberation depends on grace accessed through Shiva-bhakti, especially the pañcākṣarī (Namaḥ Śivāya), which aligns the soul (paśu) with Pati, breaking bondage (pāśa).
The pañcākṣarī is a direct form of Saguna Shiva-worship used with Linga-pūjā; the verse prioritizes mantra-devotion over external hardship, indicating that true worship is inner surrender and remembrance while honoring Shiva’s manifest presence (Linga).
Daily japa of the pañcākṣarī—“Namaḥ Śivāya” (often with “Om”)—as the core practice, supported by Shaiva disciplines like Linga-pūjā, vibhūti (tripuṇḍra), and steady devotional remembrance rather than extreme fasting alone.