Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 8

पञ्चाक्षर-षडक्षरमन्त्र-माहात्म्यम् | The Greatness of the Pañcākṣara/Ṣaḍakṣara Mantra

Devanagari script

देवो गुणत्रयातीतः सर्वज्ञः सर्वकृत्प्रभुः । ओमित्येकाक्षरे मन्त्रे स्थितः सर्वगतः शिवः

Transliteration

devo guṇatrayātītaḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvakṛtprabhuḥ | omityekākṣare mantre sthitaḥ sarvagataḥ śivaḥ

Translation

主は三グナを超越し、遍く知り、万作の自在なる根源である。一音の真言「オーム」に住して、シヴァは一切に遍満し、あらゆる処に現前する。

Word by Word

• देवः: the Lord/God
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुणत्रय-अतीतः: beyond the three qualities
• गुणत्रय-अतीतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + अतीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गुणत्रयातीत’ = beyond the three guṇas

• सर्वज्ञः: omniscient
• सर्वज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् of ‘देवः’

• सर्वकृत्-प्रभुः: the lord who does all
• सर्वकृत्-प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + कृत् (कृ धातु से कृत्-प्रत्यय; agent-noun) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार-विशेषण (lord who does all)

• ओम्: Om
• ओम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ओम् (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-शब्दः; मन्त्र-बीज (sacred syllable)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative)

• एक-अक्षरे: in the one-syllabled
• एक-अक्षरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘मन्त्रे’ का विशेषणम्

• मन्त्रे: in the mantra
• मन्त्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्थितः: is situated/abides
• स्थितः: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत्; past passive participle)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• सर्वगतः: all-pervading
• सर्वगतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + गत (गम् धातु से क्त; प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘शिवः’ का विशेषणम्

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord who is beyond the three guṇas, yet immanent in all beings; meditating on Him as the praṇava “Om” leads the seeker toward liberation through recognition of His all-pervading presence.

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

Though Shiva is guṇatrayātīta (nirguṇa), He is approached through saguna supports like the Śiva-liṅga and mantra; “Om” functions as a subtle form (liṅga) of the Supreme, enabling devotion and contemplation to culminate in realization of the formless, all-pervading Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice praṇava-japa—steady repetition and contemplation of “Om” with awareness of Shiva as sarvagata (all-pervading); this can be paired with Śiva-pūjā and dhyāna, keeping the mind established in the Lord beyond the guṇas.