Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22

काम्यकर्मविभागः — Taxonomy of Kāmya (Desire-Motivated) Śaiva Rites

Devanagari script

पञ्चवक्त्रं दशभुजं चन्द्रखण्डशिखामणिम् । अस्य पूर्वमुखं सौम्यं बालार्कसदृशप्रभम्

Transliteration

pañcavaktraṃ daśabhujaṃ candrakhaṇḍaśikhāmaṇim | asya pūrvamukhaṃ saumyaṃ bālārkasadṛśaprabham

Translation

Il est à cinq visages et dix bras, couronné du joyau sommital portant le croissant de lune. De Lui, le visage de l’Orient est doux et de bon augure, rayonnant d’un éclat semblable au soleil à peine levé.

Word by Word

• पञ्चवक्त्रम्: five-faced
• पञ्चवक्त्रम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च-वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (Numeral compound)

• दशभुजम्: ten-armed
• दशभुजम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-भुज (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• चन्द्रखण्डशिखामणिम्: the crest-jewel (adorned) with a piece of the moon
• चन्द्रखण्डशिखामणिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र-खण्ड-शिखा-मणि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• अस्य: of him/of this (one)
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive, Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• पूर्वमुखम्: the eastern face
• पूर्वमुखम्: विशेष्य (Topic/subject-part)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व-मुख (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सौम्यम्: gentle/pleasant
• सौम्यम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• बालार्कसदृशप्रभम्: having radiance like the rising sun
• बालार्कसदृशप्रभम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल-अर्क-सदृश-प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This verse explicitly presents the pañcavaktra (five-faced) Sadāśiva iconography. In Śaiva Siddhānta, the five faces correspond to Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, Aghora, Tatpuruṣa, Īśāna—linked to pañcakṛtya and pañcabrahma-mantras; here the eastern face is described as saumya and sunlike.

Significance: Dhyāna on pañcavaktra Sadāśiva is held to integrate the five divine functions and purify the soul’s bonds (pāśa) through right knowledge and grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Saguna Shiva for contemplation: the five faces indicate His all-pervading lordship and manifold powers, while the gentle eastern face teaches that grace (anugraha) is the doorway to liberation when the soul turns toward Shiva with devotion and steadiness.

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

Though the Linga signifies Shiva beyond form, the Purana also authorizes meditation on His compassionate form. Visualizing Panchavaktra Shiva supports focused worship (upasana) that culminates in realizing the Linga’s formless, supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice Shiva-dhyana by visualizing the five-faced Lord with the crescent crest, and accompany it with japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” ideally after applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as a sign of Shaiva orientation.