Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

मुनीन्दश ससर्जादौ मानसानमितौजसः । तेषां सिद्धिविवृद्ध्यर्थं मां प्रोवाच पितामहः

Transliteration

munīndaśa sasarjādau mānasānamitaujasaḥ | teṣāṃ siddhivivṛddhyarthaṃ māṃ provāca pitāmahaḥ

Translation

ആദിയിൽ പിതാമഹൻ പത്ത് ശ്രേഷ്ഠ മുനീന്ദ്രന്മാരെ സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു—മാനസപുത്രന്മാർ, അമിതതേജസ്സുള്ളവർ. അവരുടെ സിദ്ധിവൃദ്ധിക്കായി പിന്നെ പിതാമഹൻ എന്നോടു സംസാരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• मुनीन्: sages
• मुनीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma-anvayi (कर्मसमन्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे मुनीन्-विशेषण

• ससर्ज: created
• ससर्ज: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (locative used adverbially); क्रियाविशेषण (at the beginning)

• मानसान्: mind-born, mental
• मानसान्: Karma-anvayi (कर्मसमन्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; मुनीन्-विशेषण

• अमित-ओजसः: of immeasurable vigor
• अमित-ओजसः: Karma-anvayi (कर्मसमन्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित + ओजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; मुनीन्-विशेषण; कर्मधारय (अमितम् ओजः येषाम्)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• सिद्धि-विवृद्धि-अर्थम्: for the accomplishment and increase (of their powers)
• सिद्धि-विवृद्धि-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सिद्धि + विवृद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभावार्थ (purpose accusative); समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सिद्धेः विवृद्धेः अर्थम्)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रोवाच: said, addressed
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पितामहः: the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: early sṛṣṭi phase: creation of mānasaputras (ten sages) to populate and regulate worlds

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• the ten sages (mind-born)

FAQs

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

It establishes that even exalted, mind-born sages require right instruction (upadeśa) for the maturation of siddhi—implying that spiritual attainment ripens through divine guidance aligned with the Supreme Pati (Śiva).

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

Brahmā’s role as instructor points toward structured Shaiva practice: sages are directed toward methods that culminate in Śiva-realization, commonly expressed in the Purāṇa through devotion to Saguna Śiva and Linga-upāsanā as accessible supports for inner awakening.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is guru-given discipline for “siddhi-vivṛddhi”: steady japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī), meditation on Śiva as Pati, and Shaiva observances such as bhasma and rudrākṣa where prescribed in the surrounding teaching.