Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 17

पञ्चाक्षरीविद्यायाḥ कलियुगे मोक्षोपायः | The Pañcākṣarī Vidyā as a Means of Liberation in Kali Yuga

Devanagari script

मम भक्तो जितक्रोधो सलब्धो ऽलब्ध एव वा । अलब्धालब्ध एवेह कोटिकोटिगुणाधिकः

Transliteration

mama bhakto jitakrodho salabdho 'labdha eva vā | alabdhālabdha eveha koṭikoṭiguṇādhikaḥ

Translation

എന്റെ ഭക്തൻ, ക്രോധം ജയിച്ചവൻ, ലഭിച്ചാലും ലഭിക്കാതിരുന്നാലും സമനായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു. ലാഭനഷ്ടങ്ങളിൽ സമത പുലർത്തുന്നവൻ ഇവിടെ കോടി-കോടി ഗുണങ്ങളാൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• भक्तः: devotee
• भक्तः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; भज्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जित-क्रोधः: one who has conquered anger
• जित-क्रोधः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of भक्तः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (प्रातिपदिक; जि-धातोः क्त) + क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (क्रोधं जितः = one who has conquered anger)

• स-लब्धः: successful/one who has obtained (results)
• स-लब्धः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of भक्तः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; लभ्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सह-पूर्वपद (having obtained/possessing)

• अ-लब्धः: unsuccessful/not having obtained
• अ-लब्धः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of भक्तः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वपद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थ (not obtained)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic ‘indeed/only’)

• वा: or
• वा: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• अ-लब्ध-अ-लब्धः: (even if) unsuccessful in every way
• अ-लब्ध-अ-लब्धः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of भक्तः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्+लब्ध) + अलब्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (alabdha and alabdha; idiomatically ‘whether unsuccessful or unsuccessful’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक (here/in this world/in this matter)

• कोटि-कोटि-गुण-अधिकः: greater by crores upon crores of times
• कोटि-कोटि-गुण-अधिकः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of भक्तः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (कोटिकोटिभिः गुणैः अधिकः = superior by crores upon crores of times)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Ethical-psychological teaching rather than shrine narrative: the true bhakta is equanimous in success and failure, having conquered anger.

Significance: Defines the inner fruit of pilgrimage/worship: steadiness (samatā) and krodha-jaya; such inner transformation is valued above external attainments.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares that the highest Shiva-bhakta is one who has mastered anger and remains inwardly steady in both gain and non-gain—showing mature devotion and freedom from binding desires (pāśa).

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

Linga-worship trains the devotee to offer all outcomes to Shiva; by seeing Shiva as the Lord of results, the worshipper becomes even-minded, loving Saguna Shiva while moving toward inner purity fit for liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with a vow of kṣamā (forbearance), and mentally offer both success and failure at Shiva’s feet after daily pūjā (optionally with bhasma and rudrākṣa) to cultivate equanimity.