Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23

पञ्चाक्षरमाहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of the Pañcākṣarī (Five-Syllable) Mantra

Devanagari script

यावन्नेन्द्रियवैकल्यं तावत्पूजय शंकरम् । न शिवार्चनतुल्यो ऽस्ति धर्मो ऽन्यो भुवनत्रये

Transliteration

yāvannendriyavaikalyaṃ tāvatpūjaya śaṃkaram | na śivārcanatulyo 'sti dharmo 'nyo bhuvanatraye

Translation

ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങൾക്ക് ക്ഷയം വരുന്നതിന് മുമ്പേ ശങ്കരനെ പൂജിക്കൂ. ത്രിലോകങ്ങളിലും ശിവാർച്ചനത്തിന് തുല്യമായ മറ്റൊരു ധർമ്മമില്ല.

Word by Word

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (कालपर्यन्त/‘as long as’)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• इन्द्रियवैकल्यम्: impairment of the senses
• इन्द्रियवैकल्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय + वैकल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘इन्द्रियाणां वैकल्यम्’

• तावत्: until then, so long
• तावत्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (तावदर्थे/‘until then/so long’)

• पूजय: worship
• पूजय: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष (2nd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• शिवार्चनतुल्यः: equal to Śiva-worship
• शिवार्चनतुल्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + अर्चन + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सम्बन्ध/निर्देश): ‘शिवार्चनेन तुल्यः’

• अस्ति: exists, is
• अस्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धर्मः: dharma, religious duty
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• अन्यः: other
• अन्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of धर्मः)

• भुवनत्रये: in the three worlds
• भुवनत्रये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: ‘त्रीणि भुवनानि’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General dharma-śikṣā: Śiva-arcana is proclaimed supreme among dharmas across the three worlds; not localized to a jyotirliṅga.

Significance: Affirms Śiva-pūjā as the highest religious practice; motivates sustained practice while bodily faculties remain, a common framing for vrata and tīrtha-yātrā.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It urges a seeker to use the capable human body and functioning senses for devotion and worship of Śiva, declaring Śiva-arcana the highest dharma across the three worlds—because it purifies the paśu (bound soul) and turns it toward Pati (Śiva), loosening pāśa (bondage).

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

The instruction ‘pūjaya śaṅkaram’ is fulfilled through saguna upāsanā—especially Śiva-liṅga worship with offerings, mantra, and reverence—by which the mind becomes fit to recognize Śiva’s nirguṇa reality beyond form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prioritize regular Śiva-pūjā while able—such as liṅga-arcana with water/flowers, japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), and simple daily observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa if one follows those disciplines.