Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

आदौ नमः प्रयोक्तव्यं शिवाय तु ततः परम् । सैषा पञ्चाक्षरी विद्या सर्वश्रुतिशिरोगता

Transliteration

ādau namaḥ prayoktavyaṃ śivāya tu tataḥ param | saiṣā pañcākṣarī vidyā sarvaśrutiśirogatā

Translation

D’abord, il faut prononcer « namaḥ » ; puis, après cela, « śivāya ». Telle est la vidyā aux cinq syllabes (pañcākṣarī), établie comme la couronne de toutes les Védas.

Word by Word

• आदौ: at first; in the beginning
• आदौ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (locative used adverbially)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (indeclinable-like)

• प्रयोक्तव्यम्: should be uttered/applied
• प्रयोक्तव्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + युज् (धातु) → प्रयोक्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-भावः ‘should be employed/uttered’

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• परम्: next; further
• परम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative)

• सा: she/that (f.)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• एषा: this (f.)
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• पञ्चाक्षरी: five-syllabled
• पञ्चाक्षरी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + अक्षरिन्/अक्षरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च अक्षराणि यस्याः)

• विद्या: mantra/knowledge
• विद्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वश्रुतिशिरोगता: placed at the head of all Vedas/śrutis
• सर्वश्रुतिशिरोगता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + श्रुति + शिरस् + गत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—‘सर्वासां श्रुतीनां शिरः (श्रेष्ठस्थानम्) गता’ इति

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga-specific passage; it introduces the pañcākṣarī as ‘sarvaśruti-śirogatā’, a pan-Śaiva mantra-teaching used across temples and tīrthas.

Significance: Recitation of the pañcākṣarī is treated as a universal Śaiva upāya: purification, protection, and orientation toward Śiva’s grace; commonly integrated into darśana, pradakṣiṇā, and liṅga-pūjā at all major Śiva-kṣetras.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (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 teaches the correct formation and primacy of the Panchākṣarī—“namaḥ śivāya”—where “namaḥ” signifies surrender (śaraṇāgati) and ego-offering, and “śivāya” fixes devotion on Pati (Śiva), the liberating Lord; thus it is praised as the essence placed at the ‘crown’ of Vedic revelation.

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

The mantra “namaḥ śivāya” is the central verbal worship (mānasa/ vācika upacāra) offered to Saguna Śiva as worshipped in the Liṅga; through repeated japa, the devotee’s mind is yoked to Śiva’s auspicious form while progressing toward realization of His transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa by clearly uttering “namaḥ” first and then “śivāya,” maintaining the attitude of surrender; it is especially suited for daily Liṅga-pūjā and Mahāśivarātri observance, optionally accompanied by bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as Shaiva aids.