Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

भक्त्या पञ्चाक्षरेणैव यः शिवं सकृदर्चयेत् । सोपि गच्छेच्छिवस्थानं शिवमन्त्रस्य गौरवात्

Transliteration

bhaktyā pañcākṣareṇaiva yaḥ śivaṃ sakṛdarcayet | sopi gacchecchivasthānaṃ śivamantrasya gauravāt

Translation

ഭക്തിയോടെ പഞ്ചാക്ഷരമന്ത്രം ജപിച്ച് ഒരിക്കൽപോലും ശിവനെ അർച്ചിച്ചാൽ, ശിവമന്ത്രത്തിന്റെ മഹിമയാൽ അവനും ശിവസ്ഥാനത്തെത്തും.

Word by Word

• भक्त्या: by devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Instrumental Singular)

• पञ्चाक्षरेण: with the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्चाक्षरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Instrumental Singular)

• एव: only; indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण निपात (restrictive particle) ‘only/indeed’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative Singular)

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘once’

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (Nominative Singular)

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) ‘also/even’

• गच्छेत्: would go; should attain
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg)

• शिवस्थानम्: Śiva’s abode
• शिवस्थानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष ‘शिवस्य स्थानम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative Singular)

• शिवमन्त्रस्य: of the Śiva-mantra
• शिवमन्त्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष ‘शिवस्य मन्त्रः’; पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन (Genitive Singular)

• गौरवात्: because of the greatness
• गौरवात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति; एकवचन (Ablative Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Universal doctrine: even a single act of Śiva-arcana performed with Pañcākṣarī-bhakti leads to Śivasthāna/Śivaloka due to the mantra’s ‘gaurava’ (intrinsic potency + Lord’s grace).

Significance: Encourages even beginners: one sincere worship ‘once’ is not wasted; establishes accessibility of Śiva’s abode through mantra-bhakti.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (Namaḥ Śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares the liberating potency of the Pañcākṣarī when joined with bhakti: even a single sincere act of worship oriented to Pati (Śiva) can loosen pāśa (bondage) and lead the soul toward Śivaloka through mantra-grace.

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

The verse supports Saguna upāsanā as an effective doorway: worship of Śiva (commonly through the Liṅga) accompanied by the Pañcākṣarī invokes Śiva’s accessible form and presence, through which the devotee receives purification and divine acceptance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-arcana while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Namaḥ Śivāya,” traditionally with “Oṃ”); offer water, bilva leaves, or simple pūjā with steady devotion—emphasizing mantra-japa as the core practice.