Shloka 25
पञ्चकृत्यलक्षणनिर्णयः
Definition of Śiva’s Five Cosmic Acts—Pañcakṛtya
नंदिकेश्वर उवाच । पुनस्तयोस्तत्र तिरः पटं गुरुः प्रकल्प्य मंत्रं च समादिशत्परम् । निधाय तच्छीर्ष्णि करांबुजं शनैरुदण्मुखं संस्थितयोः सहांबिकः
naṃdikeśvara uvāca | punastayostatra tiraḥ paṭaṃ guruḥ prakalpya maṃtraṃ ca samādiśatparam | nidhāya tacchīrṣṇi karāṃbujaṃ śanairudaṇmukhaṃ saṃsthitayoḥ sahāṃbikaḥ
നന്ദികേശ്വരൻ പറഞ്ഞു—പിന്നെയും ഗുരു അവരിരുവരുടെയും ഇടയിൽ തിരഃപടം (തിരശ്ശീല) ഒരുക്കി പരമമന്ത്രം ഉപദേശിച്ചു. അവരുടെ ശിരസ്സിൽ തന്റെ പദ്മഹസ്തം മൃദുവായി വെച്ച്, അംബികാസഹിതം അവരെ ഉത്തരമുഖമായി നിർത്തി.
Nandikeśvara (Nandin)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Kāśī is famed as the seat where Śiva grants upadeśa leading to liberation; the verse’s guru-upadeśa motif resonates with the Kāśī tradition of Śiva as Jagadguru imparting saving mantra.
Significance: Pilgrims seek guru-upadeśa and japa near Viśvanātha, viewing the kṣetra as especially conducive to mantra-siddhi and anugraha.
Shakti Form: Ambikā
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights mantra-dīkṣā: the Guru transmits the ‘supreme mantra’ with protective discipline (the curtain) and a sanctifying touch, showing that Shiva’s grace flows through proper initiation and inner purity.
The ‘supreme mantra’ in the Vidyeśvara context points to Shaiva mantra-worship (often centered on the Pañcākṣarī) that leads the devotee from saguna devotion (ritual, form, guidance) toward realization of Shiva as the supreme Pati.
A formal initiation-style practice is implied: receiving mantra from a qualified Guru, maintaining ritual purity and restraint, and meditating with disciplined orientation (north-facing posture) while repeating the mantra with devotion.