Shloka 17

लिङ्गार्चनविधिक्रमः—शुद्धि, न्यास, आसनकल्पना, अभिषेक, स्तोत्र-प्रदक्षिणा

Adhyaya 27

Devanagari script

न्यसेत्पञ्चाक्षरं चैव गायत्रीं रुद्रदेवताम् केवलं प्रणवं वापि वेदसारमनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

nyasetpañcākṣaraṃ caiva gāyatrīṃ rudradevatām kevalaṃ praṇavaṃ vāpi vedasāramanuttamam

Translation

Hendaklah dilakukan nyāsa dengan mantra lima suku kata (pañcākṣara), dan juga dengan Gāyatrī yang berdewa Rudra; atau, sebagai pilihan lain, cukup dengan Praṇava “Oṁ” sahaja—inti Veda yang tiada bandingnya.

Word by Word

• nyaset: one should place/perform nyāsa

• pañcākṣaram: the five-syllabled mantra (Namaḥ Śivāya)

• ca eva: and indeed/also

• gāyatrīm: the Gāyatrī-mantra

• rudra-devatām: having Rudra as its presiding deity

• kevalam: alone/only

• praṇavam: the Praṇava (Oṃ)

• vā api: or even/alternatively

• veda-sāram: the essence of the Vedas

• anuttamam: unsurpassed, supreme

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating traditional Rudra-nyāsa and mantra practice to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It authorizes nyāsa (sanctifying placement of mantra on body/linga) using key Shaiva mantras—Pañcākṣarī, Rudra-Gāyatrī, or even Oṃ—showing that mantra-imbued installation and worship is central to Linga-pūjā.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By naming Rudra as the deity of Gāyatrī and calling Praṇava the unsurpassed Vedic essence, it presents Shiva (Pati) as the inner meaning of Veda and the supreme consciousness approached through mantra.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Mantra-nyāsa: a Pāśupata-aligned discipline where the sādhaka (paśu) overcomes pāśa (bondage) by installing Shiva-mantra in the body and worship, centering on Pañcākṣarī, Rudra-Gāyatrī, or Praṇava.