Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 32

पञ्चाक्षरीविद्यायाḥ कलियुगे मोक्षोपायः | The Pañcākṣarī Vidyā as a Means of Liberation in Kali Yuga

Devanagari script

तदाज्ञप्तेन मार्गेण मदाराधनकांक्षिणः । मेरोस्तु शिखरे रम्ये मुंजवान्नाम पर्वतः

Transliteration

tadājñaptena mārgeṇa madārādhanakāṃkṣiṇaḥ | merostu śikhare ramye muṃjavānnāma parvataḥ

Translation

Ceux qui aspiraient à m’adorer suivirent la voie que j’avais prescrite. Sur le charmant sommet du Meru se trouve une montagne nommée Muñjavān.

Word by Word

• तत्: by that
• तत्: Instrument (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (विशेषणरूपेण: 'that/its')

• आज्ञप्तेन: by the command/that which was ordered
• आज्ञप्तेन: Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; आज्ञा + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used as noun: 'commanded/ordered')

• मार्गेण: by the path/way
• मार्गेण: Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-सम्बन्धार्थे अव्ययवत्-रूप (genitival stem: 'my')

• आराधन: worship
• आराधन: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आराधन (प्रातिपदिक; √राध्/आराध् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषाङ्ग (in compound)

• कांक्षिणः: desirous
• कांक्षिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कांक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √काङ्क्ष् + इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'desirous of' (agent noun)

• मद्-आराधन-कांक्षिणः: desirous of my worship
• मद्-आराधन-कांक्षिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् + आराधन + कांक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मम आराधनस्य कांक्षिणः)

• मेरोः: of Meru
• मेरोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: emphasis/contrast)

• शिखरे: on the peak
• शिखरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रम्ये: beautiful
• रम्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying शिखरे)

• मुंजवान्: Muñjavān
• मुंजवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुंजवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; -वत् प्रत्ययान्त (possessive name)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative/namely)

• पर्वतः: a mountain
• पर्वतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Meru/Muñjavān functions as a mythic sacred geography for tapas and worship rather than a Jyotirliṅga-sthala in this passage.

Significance: Symbolic: ascent to Meru signifies inner ascent toward Śiva through prescribed discipline (ājñā-mārga).

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Meru
• Muñjavān

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes niyama (divine ordinance) in sādhanā: sincere seekers approach Shiva not randomly, but by the sanctioned path of devotion and discipline, leading them toward sacred, sattvic spaces conducive to worship.

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

By highlighting 'madārādhana' (worship of Me), the verse supports Saguna upāsanā—approaching Shiva through prescribed forms, places, and methods (often including Liṅga-worship) as an accessible means for embodied beings (paśu) to connect with Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It implies following Shiva’s enjoined discipline: steady bhakti with regular japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and worship performed in a pure, elevated environment—outerly a tīrtha, inwardly a calm, ‘summit-like’ mind.