Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

षडक्षरेण वा देवं सूक्तमन्त्रेण पूजयेत् । शिवभक्तो जितक्रोधो ह्यलब्धो लब्ध एव च

Transliteration

ṣaḍakṣareṇa vā devaṃ sūktamantreṇa pūjayet | śivabhakto jitakrodho hyalabdho labdha eva ca

Translation

主は六音節の真言によって、あるいはヴェーダの讃歌マントラによって礼拝すべきである。シヴァの帰依者は怒りを克服し、何も得ぬときも多くを得るときも、変わらず泰然として満ち足りている。

Word by Word

• ṣaṭ: six
• ṣaṭ: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral stem as prior member in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• akṣareṇa: with the six-syllable (mantra)
• akṣareṇa: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); dvigu: ṣaḍ-akṣara ("six-syllabled")

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle of alternative (विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय)

• devam: the deity (Śiva)
• devam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sūkta: hymn
• sūkta: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūkta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Stem form as prior member in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• mantreṇa: with a hymn-mantra
• mantreṇa: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: sūkta-mantra ("hymn-mantra")

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• śiva: Śiva
• śiva: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Stem form as prior member in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• bhaktaḥ: a devotee of Śiva
• bhaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: śiva-bhakta ("devotee of Śiva")

• jita: conquered
• jita: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग/Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ji (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle/क्त (कृदन्त), Stem form as prior member in compound (समासपूर्वपद)

• krodhaḥ: one who has conquered anger
• krodhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: jita-krodha ("one whose anger is conquered")

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle (निश्चय/हेतौ; emphatic)

• alabdhaḥ: one who has not obtained (it)
• alabdhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; appositional)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-labdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle/क्त (कृदन्त) from √labh with negative prefix a-; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• labdhaḥ: one who has obtained (it)
• labdhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; appositional)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: labdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle/क्त (कृदन्त) from √labh; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: certainly; indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable particle of emphasis/restriction (अवधारण-अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames daily upāsanā as inner transformation: conquering anger (krodhajaya) and maintaining equanimity in gain/loss—marks of a mature Śiva-bhakta.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true Śiva-bhakti is measured by inner transformation—especially victory over anger—and by equanimity that is not shaken by worldly gain or loss, aligning the devotee toward liberation under Pati (Śiva).

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

It supports Saguna worship through mantra and hymn (sūkta) recitation as valid approaches to honoring Śiva—commonly performed before the Liṅga—while emphasizing that the fruit is inner steadiness rather than external reward.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular mantra-japa (the six-syllabled mantra) and/or sūkta-mantra recitation during pūjā, combined with disciplined control of krodha (anger) as a daily yogic-vrata for the Śiva devotee.