Shloka 17

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा प्रयोगं विधिना च सिद्धिं लब्ध्वा तथा पञ्चमुखो महात्मा प्रोवाच पुत्रेषु जगद्धिताय मन्त्रं महार्थं किल पञ्चवर्णम्

Transliteration

jñātvā prayogaṃ vidhinā ca siddhiṃ labdhvā tathā pañcamukho mahātmā provāca putreṣu jagaddhitāya mantraṃ mahārthaṃ kila pañcavarṇam

Translation

規定にかなう正しい行法を知り、かくして成就（シッディ）を得た大霊なる五面の主は、世の利益のために、深遠な大義を宿す五音のマントラを子らに説き示した。

Word by Word

• ज्ञात्वा (jñātvā): having known/understood

• प्रयोगम् (prayogam): application, practical use (of mantra/rite)

• विधिना (vidhinā): according to injunction, by proper method

• च (ca): and

• सिद्धिम् (siddhim): accomplishment, successful fruition

• लब्ध्वा (labdhvā): having obtained

• तथा (tathā): then/so

• पञ्चमुखः (pañcamukhaḥ): the Five-Faced One (Śiva/Sadāśiva aspect)

• महात्मा (mahātmā): great-souled, exalted being

• प्रोवाच (provāca): spoke, proclaimed, taught

• पुत्रेषु (putreṣu): to (his) sons/offspring (disciples in lineage)

• जगद्धिताय (jagaddhitāya): for the good of the world

• मन्त्रम् (mantram): sacred formula/mantra

• महार्थम् (mahārtham): of great import, carrying supreme meaning

• किल (kila): indeed, it is said/assuredly

• पञ्चवर्णम् (pañcavarṇam): of five syllables/letters (the pañcākṣarī—“namaḥ śivāya”)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana; reporting Shiva’s act of instruction)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It grounds Linga-pūjā in mantra-prayoga: Śiva’s five-syllabled mantra is presented as a world-benefiting transmission whose correct method (vidhi) leads to siddhi, making worship effective rather than merely symbolic.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva appears as Pañcamukha—the all-knowing Pati—who possesses perfected mastery of means (upāya) and compassionately teaches for jagad-hita, indicating his role as liberator of the paśu from pāśa through mantra and grace.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-dīkṣā and disciplined mantra-prayoga are implied: knowing the correct injunctions, applying them, and attaining siddhi—an approach aligned with Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā centered on the pañcākṣarī (namaḥ śivāya).