Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 15

पञ्चाक्षरमाहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of the Pañcākṣarī (Five-Syllable) Mantra

Devanagari script

निष्फलं तस्य तज्जन्म मोक्षाय न भवेद्यतः । दुर्ल्लभं प्राप्य मानुष्यं ये ऽर्चयन्ति पिनाकिनम्

Transliteration

niṣphalaṃ tasya tajjanma mokṣāya na bhavedyataḥ | durllabhaṃ prāpya mānuṣyaṃ ye 'rcayanti pinākinam

Translation

Vaine est, en vérité, cette naissance, car elle ne devient pas cause de délivrance ; lorsque, après avoir obtenu la rare condition humaine, on n’adore toujours pas Pinākin (Śiva, porteur de l’arc Pināka).

Word by Word

• निष्फलम्: fruitless
• निष्फलम्: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘जन्म’)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (qualifying ‘जन्म’)

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• मोक्षाय: for liberation
• मोक्षाय: सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन (Sampradāna/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; प्रयोजन-द्योतक (dative of purpose)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• भवेत्: would be / becomes
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यतः: because
• यतः: हेतु (Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (causal)

• दुर्लभम्: rare
• दुर्लभम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘मानुष्यं’)

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• मानुष्यम्: human birth
• मानुष्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• ये: those who
• ये: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अर्चयन्ति: worship
• अर्चयन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• पिनाकिनम्: Pinākin (Śiva, bearer of the bow Pināka)
• पिनाकिनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; शिवस्य उपनाम (epithet of Śiva)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: States the soteriological criterion: worship of Śiva (Pinākin) makes human life mokṣa-oriented; without it, birth is niṣphala.

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse declares that human birth is precious and purposeful; without turning that rare opportunity toward worship of Lord Shiva (Pati), life remains spiritually unfulfilled and does not mature into moksha.

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

By naming Shiva as Pinākin, the verse points to Saguna Shiva—approachable through devotion and ritual worship such as Linga-arcana—through which the bound soul (paśu) loosens pasha (bondage) and moves toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A clear takeaway is daily Shiva-arcana: Linga worship with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with supportive Shaiva observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa where appropriate.