Shloka 14

Devanagari script

इति तेन समादिष्टः पञ्चवक्त्रधरो ह्यहम् पञ्चाक्षरान्पञ्चमुखैः प्रोक्तवान् पद्मयोनये

Transliteration

iti tena samādiṣṭaḥ pañcavaktradharo hyaham pañcākṣarānpañcamukhaiḥ proktavān padmayonaye

Translation

അവൻ ആജ്ഞാപിച്ചതിനാൽ പഞ്ചവക്ത്രധാരിയായ ഞാൻ, എന്റെ അഞ്ചു മുഖങ്ങളാൽ പഞ്ചാക്ഷര മന്ത്രം പദ്മയോനി ബ്രഹ്മാവിന് ഉച്ചരിച്ചു ഉപദേശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• iti: thus

• tena: by him (by that Lord)

• samādiṣṭaḥ: commanded/instructed

• pañca-vaktra-dharaḥ: one who bears five faces

• hi: indeed

• aham: I

• pañca-akṣarān: the five syllables (the Pañcākṣarī mantra ‘namaḥ śivāya’)

• pañca-mukhaiḥ: with the five mouths/faces

• proktavān: spoke/declared

• padma-yonaye: to the lotus-born (Brahmā)

Speaker

Shiva (within Suta’s narration)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-worship in mantra: the Pañcākṣarī (‘namaḥ śivāya’) is presented as a revealed Śaiva seed of worship, transmitted from Śiva’s five-faced form, establishing the mantra as the inner limb (antar-aṅga) of Linga-pūjā.

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

Śiva appears as Pati—the supreme Lord who commands and authorizes revelation—manifesting as Pañcavaktra (Sadāśiva), from whom liberating knowledge and mantra-flow proceed to Brahmā for ordering creation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-upadeśa/dīkṣā of the Pañcākṣarī is implied: disciplined japa and contemplative absorption on Śiva as Pati are the core practice that cuts pāśa (bondage) for the paśu (individual soul).