Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

असत्यस्मिन् जगन्नाथे तमोभूतमिदं भवेत् । अचेतनत्वात्प्रकृतेरज्ञत्वात्पुरषस्य च

Transliteration

asatyasmin jagannāthe tamobhūtamidaṃ bhavet | acetanatvātprakṛterajñatvātpuraṣasya ca

Translation

ജഗന്നാഥൻ അസത്യനായിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ ഈ സർവ്വലോകവും അന്ധകാരത്തിൽ മുങ്ങുമായിരുന്നു; കാരണം പ്രകൃതി ജഡമാണ്, പുരുഷനും സ്വയം യഥാർത്ഥജ്ഞാനരഹിതൻ.

Word by Word

• असति: in the unreal / when (it is) unreal
• असति: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjectival)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• जगत्-नाथे: in the Lord of the world
• जगत्-नाथे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): जगतः नाथः

• तमः-भूतम्: become darkness / darkened
• तमः-भूतम्: कर्तृ/विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त; भू धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कृदन्त: भूत (क्त/PPP) ‘become’; तत्पुरुष: तमः इव/तमःरूपेण भूतम्

• इदम्: this (world)
• इदम्: कर्तृ (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• अचेतनत्वात्: because of insentience
• अचेतनत्वात्: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचेतनत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व abstract)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular); हेतौ पञ्चमी (ablative of cause)

• प्रकृतेः: of Prakṛti (nature)
• प्रकृतेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अज्ञत्वात्: because of ignorance
• अज्ञत्वात्: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व abstract)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular); हेतौ पञ्चमी

• पुरुषस्य: of the Puruṣa (person/self)
• पुरुषस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya philosophical teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Prakriti
• Purusha

FAQs

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

It asserts that the Supreme Lord (Shiva as Pati) is the necessary reality and light of consciousness; without Him, the cosmos would be mere tamas (darkness/ignorance), since Prakriti is inert and the individual self cannot attain liberating knowledge by itself.

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

Linga worship honors Shiva as the ever-real foundation of existence and awareness. Saguna worship (form with attributes) is a compassionate means to approach the same Lord who alone dispels tamas and grants true knowledge to the soul.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the inner light (jñāna) through japa of the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” supported by Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, to overcome tamas and awaken right knowledge.