Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । महर्षिवर सर्वज्ञ सर्वज्ञानमहोदधे । पञ्चाक्षरस्य माहात्म्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः

Transliteration

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca | maharṣivara sarvajña sarvajñānamahodadhe | pañcākṣarasya māhātmyaṃ śrotumicchāmi tattvataḥ

Translation

ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣನು ಹೇಳಿದರು— ಹೇ ಮಹರ್ಷಿವರ, ಸರ್ವಜ್ಞ, ಸರ್ವಜ್ಞಾನ ಮಹೋದಧೇ! ಪಂಚಾಕ್ಷರ ಮಂತ್ರದ ಮಹಾತ್ಮ್ಯವನ್ನು ತತ್ತ್ವತಃ ಕೇಳಲು ಇಚ್ಛಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ।

Word by Word

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीकृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः श्री + कृष्ण (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महर्षिवर: O best of sages
• महर्षिवर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महर्षीणां वरः)

• सर्वज्ञ: O omniscient one
• सर्वज्ञ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वं जानाति)

• सर्वज्ञान: of all knowledge
• सर्वज्ञान: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वस्य ज्ञानम्)

• महोदधे: O great ocean
• महोदधे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + उदधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् उदधिः)

• पञ्चाक्षरस्य: of the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्चाक्षरस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च अक्षराणि यस्य/पञ्चाक्षरम्)

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness, glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Infinitive purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्त्वतः: in truth, truly
• तत्त्वतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Shiva

FAQs

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

This verse opens a teaching on the Panchākṣara’s mahātmya, showing that liberation-oriented knowledge (tattva) begins with humble inquiry into Śiva’s mantra, the direct means for grace (anugraha) in Shaiva Siddhānta.

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

By requesting the glory of the five-syllabled mantra, the verse points to Saguna Śiva-upāsanā—mantra-japa that supports devotion to Śiva as Lord (Pati), commonly worshipped through the Liṅga with mantra as the inner worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-śravaṇa (hearing) and mantra-japa of the Panchākṣara (“Namaḥ Śivāya,” traditionally with “Oṃ”) with tattva-bhāvanā—contemplating Śiva as the supreme Lord and source of liberation.