Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

अस्त्रं पाशुपतं दिव्यं तत्रावाह्य समर्चयेत् । शिवस्यारोप्यः तत्पात्रं द्विजस्यालंकृतस्य च

Transliteration

astraṃ pāśupataṃ divyaṃ tatrāvāhya samarcayet | śivasyāropyaḥ tatpātraṃ dvijasyālaṃkṛtasya ca

Translation

അവിടെ ദിവ്യമായ പാശുപതാസ്ത്രത്തെ ആവാഹനം ചെയ്ത് ഭക്തിയോടെ സമർചിക്കണം. തുടർന്ന് ആ പാത്രം ശിവസംബന്ധമായതെന്ന് കരുതി, അലങ്കൃത (സത്കൃത) ബ്രാഹ്മണനുമേയ്ക്ക് അർപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• astram: the weapon (Astra-mantra)
• astram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• pāśupatam: Pāśupata
• pāśupatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāśupata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of astram)

• divyam: divine
• divyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of astram)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• āvāhya: having invoked
• āvāhya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-vah (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (absolutive/gerund): ‘having invoked/brought’

• samarcayet: should worship
• samarcayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• śivasya: of Śiva
• śivasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• āropyaḥ: should be placed
• āropyaḥ: Vidhi (विधि/obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-ruh/ā-rop (धातु) + ya (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्/ण्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘to be placed/raised’ (context: should be placed)

• tat-pātram: that vessel
• tat-pātram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (tad- = ‘that/its’)

• dvijasya: of the brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• dvijasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• alaṃkṛtasya: of the adorned/ornamented (one)
• alaṃkṛtasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alaṃkṛta (कृदन्त; alaṃ-kṛ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of dvijasya)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Pashupata Astra

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva’s power (Pāśupata) is approached through mantra-invocation and reverent worship, and that devotion becomes complete when the offering is dedicated to Śiva and concluded with dharmic giving—honouring a worthy brāhmaṇa—purifying the worshipper and strengthening Śiva-bhakti.

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

The verse reflects Saguna Śiva-upāsanā: invoking a specific divine śakti of Śiva and treating the ritual vessel as Śiva’s own. This mirrors Liṅga worship where substances, vessels, and mantras are sanctified as Śiva’s presence, and the rite culminates in offering and consecrated giving.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A mantra-based āvāhana (invocation/installation) followed by formal arcana (worship) and a concluding dāna: dedicating the worship materials to Śiva and gifting the sanctified vessel to an honoured brāhmaṇa as a completion rite.