Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22
पञ्चाक्षरमाहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of the Pañcākṣarī (Five-Syllable) Mantra
त्वरितं व्याधिरभ्येति तस्मात्पूज्यः पिनाकधृक् । यावन्नायाति मरणं यावन्नाक्रमते जरा
tvaritaṃ vyādhirabhyeti tasmātpūjyaḥ pinākadhṛk | yāvannāyāti maraṇaṃ yāvannākramate jarā
వ్యాధి త్వరగా చేరుతుంది; అందుకే పినాకధారి శివుని పూజించాలి—మరణం ఇంకా రాకముందే, జరా ఇంకా ఆక్రమించకముందే.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Rudra
Sthala Purana: Not tied to a jyotirliṅga; uses the epithet Pinākadhṛk to stress Śiva as protector and remover of affliction, motivating timely worship before disease/decay.
Significance: Supports the common pilgrimage intention of ārogya and protection; frames these as secondary to the deeper aim of turning to Śiva before mortality closes in.
Type: stotra
Role: nurturing
Offering: dhupa
FAQs
It teaches urgency (kāla-smarana): since illness, aging, and death are inevitable, one should turn to Pati (Śiva) now—establishing devotion and discipline while body and mind still support sādhana.
By naming Śiva as Pinākadhṛk, the verse points to Saguna Śiva accessible to devotees; worship of the Śiva-liṅga is the primary Shaiva form of that worship, undertaken before decline makes practice difficult.
Begin regular Śiva-pūjā and japa immediately—especially Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya")—supported by simple daily observances such as vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa, while health and clarity remain.