Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 51
पञ्चाक्षरीविद्यायाḥ कलियुगे मोक्षोपायः | The Pañcākṣarī Vidyā as a Means of Liberation in Kali Yuga
नामान्यस्य विजानीयाच्छैवं मे हृदयं महत् । नकारश्शिर उच्येत मकारस्तु शिखोच्यते
nāmānyasya vijānīyācchaivaṃ me hṛdayaṃ mahat | nakāraśśira ucyeta makārastu śikhocyate
ನನ್ನ ಈ ಮಹಾ ಶೈವ ‘ಹೃದಯ’ದ ನಾಮಗಳನ್ನೂ ಅದರ ಅಂತರ್ರಚನೆಯನ್ನೂ ಯಥಾರ್ಥವಾಗಿ ತಿಳಿಯಬೇಕು. ‘ನ’ ಅಕ್ಷರವು ಶಿರಸ್ಸು ಎಂದು, ‘ಮ’ ಅಕ್ಷರವು ಶಿಖೆ (ಚೂಡ) ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತದೆ.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Mantra: न–म–शि–वा–य mapped as aṅgas: na = śiraḥ, ma = śikhā (as taught here)
Type: panchakshara
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches mantra-śarīra-bhāvanā—contemplating the Panchākṣarī as Shiva’s living presence—by mapping syllables to sacred limbs, making japa a direct inner worship of Pati (Shiva).
By treating the mantra as Shiva’s ‘heart’ with a formed structure (head, crown), it supports Saguna-upāsanā: the devotee worships Shiva through a tangible inner form even while aiming toward His transcendent reality.
Perform Panchākṣarī japa with dhyāna: visualize ‘na’ as Shiva’s head and ‘ma’ as His crown/topknot, integrating mantra-recitation with inner nyāsa-like contemplation.