Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

सितपद्मासनासीना नीलकुंचितमूर्धजा । अस्याः पञ्चविधा वर्णाः प्रस्फुरद्रश्मिमंडलाः

Transliteration

sitapadmāsanāsīnā nīlakuṃcitamūrdhajā | asyāḥ pañcavidhā varṇāḥ prasphuradraśmimaṃḍalāḥ

Translation

Assise sur un siège de lotus blanc, aux cheveux bleu sombre et bouclés, elle rayonnait. D’elle émanaient cinq sortes de teintes, entourées de cercles de rayons vivement étincelants, qui se déployaient avec splendeur.

Word by Word

• सित-पद्म-आसन-आसीना: seated on a white lotus-seat
• सित-पद्म-आसन-आसीना: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + आसीन (कृदन्त; √आस् ‘to sit’ + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (seated on a white-lotus seat); कृदन्तः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• नील-कुञ्चित-मूर्धजा: with dark, curled hair
• नील-कुञ्चित-मूर्धजा: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + कुञ्चित (कृदन्त; √कुञ्च् + क्त) + मूर्धज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (mūrdhajā = hair; nīla-kuñcita = dark and curled)

• अस्याः: of her
• अस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पञ्चविधाः: fivefold
• पञ्चविधाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः द्विगुः (fivefold)

• वर्णाः: colors
• वर्णाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• प्रस्फुरत्-रश्मि-मण्डलाः: having radiant circles of rays
• प्रस्फुरत्-रश्मि-मण्डलाः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रस्फुरत् (कृदन्त; √स्फुर् + प्र, शतृ) + रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (having circles/halos of flashing rays); कृदन्तः शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse presents a dhyāna-style vision of the Goddess (Śakti) as luminous and ordered: her lotus-seat signifies purity and transcendence, while the fivefold radiance hints at the divine power that pervades and harmonizes the cosmos—Śakti inseparable from Pati (Śiva) in Shaiva Siddhanta contemplation.

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

Though the Linga is Śiva’s central emblem, Shaiva worship often pairs it with contemplations of Śiva’s Śakti. This verse supports Saguna-upāsanā (meditation on form): the devotee steadies the mind on a radiant, auspicious icon of Devi, recognizing her as the manifest power of Śiva that makes grace and liberation accessible.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests dhyāna: visualize the Goddess seated on a white lotus with a radiant halo, then offer mantra-japa (commonly the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) as the mind rests in luminous awareness; this can be done alongside Linga-pūjā with bhasma and rudrākṣa as supportive Shaiva aids.