Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

तप्तचामीकरप्रख्या पीनोन्नतपयोधरा । चतुर्भुजा त्रिनयना बालेंदुकृतशेखरा

Transliteration

taptacāmīkaraprakhyā pīnonnatapayodharā | caturbhujā trinayanā bāleṃdukṛtaśekharā

Translation

Elle resplendissait tel l’or chauffé à blanc, aux seins pleins et relevés. Pourvue de quatre bras et de trois yeux, elle portait le jeune croissant de lune comme joyau de faîte.

Word by Word

• तप्त-चामीकर-प्रख्या: shining like heated gold
• तप्त-चामीकर-प्रख्या: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त; √तप् + क्त) + चामीकर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (तप्तचामीकरस्य प्रख्या = like heated gold)

• पीन-उन्नत-पयोधरा: with full, uplifted breasts
• पीन-उन्नत-पयोधरा: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीन (प्रातिपदिक) + उन्नत (कृदन्त; √नम् + उद्, क्त) + पयोधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (pīnonnata = full and high; payodharā = having breasts)

• चतुर्भुजा: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजा: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः द्विगुः (four-armed)

• त्रिनयना: three-eyed
• त्रिनयना: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + नयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः द्विगुः (three-eyed)

• बाल-इन्दु-कृत-शेखरा: having a crest made of the young moon
• बाल-इन्दु-कृत-शेखरा: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ + क्त) + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (बाल इन्दुः कृतः शेखरः यस्याः = whose crest is made of the young moon)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents the Goddess in a luminous, auspicious Saguna form—Shakti as the manifest power of Pati (Shiva). Her three eyes signify transcendent knowledge beyond time’s three modes, while her splendor indicates the grace that uplifts the bound soul (paśu) toward liberation.

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

In Shaiva Siddhanta, the Linga signifies Shiva’s supreme reality, while such iconographic descriptions guide devotion to Saguna manifestations. Worship of Shiva is traditionally complete with Shakti, since divine power (śakti) is inseparable from the Lord’s presence and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna (visual meditation) on the Goddess’s radiant form while repeating the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and performing Shiva worship with reverence to Shakti (e.g., offering bilva to Shiva and a respectful offering to the Devi).