Shloka 28

उपमन्युकुमारस्य क्षीरार्थ-प्रार्थना तथा शिवप्रसाद-निबन्धनम् | Upamanyu’s Longing for Milk and the Doctrine of Shiva’s Grace

Devanagari script

नन्दीश्वर उवाच । तच्छ्रुत्वा स मुनेः पुत्रो जपन्पञ्चाक्षरम्मनुम् । मन्यमानो धर्मविघ्नम्प्राह तं कर्तुमागतम्

Transliteration

nandīśvara uvāca | tacchrutvā sa muneḥ putro japanpañcākṣarammanum | manyamāno dharmavighnamprāha taṃ kartumāgatam

Translation

นันทีศวรกล่าวว่า—ครั้นได้ฟังดังนั้น บุตรของฤๅษีซึ่งยังคงภาวนามนต์ปัญจักษระอยู่ ก็คิดว่า “เขามาเพื่อก่ออุปสรรคแก่ธรรม” แล้วจึงกล่าวกับผู้นั้น

Word by Word

• नन्दीश्वरः: Nandīśvara
• नन्दीश्वरः: कर्ता (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दीश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): ‘नन्दिनः ईश्वरः’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having heard’

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मुनेः: of the sage
• मुनेः: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जपन्: muttering; reciting
• जपन्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘while muttering’

• पञ्चाक्षरम्: five-syllabled
• पञ्चाक्षरम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: ‘पञ्च अक्षराणि यस्य’ (five-syllabled)

• मनुम्: mantra
• मनुम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र/मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; here ‘manu’ in sense of ‘mantra’

• मन्यमानः: thinking; considering
• मन्यमानः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदी भावः ‘thinking/considering’

• धर्मविघ्नम्: obstacle to dharma
• धर्मविघ्नम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): ‘धर्मस्य विघ्नः’

• प्राह: said; spoke
• प्राह: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह्/अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), ‘to do/make’

• आगतम्: come; arrived
• आगतम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having come’ qualifying तम्

Speaker

Nandishvara (Nandi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Centers the Pañcākṣarī as the portable ‘tīrtha’ of Śaiva Siddhānta: steady japa protects dharma, repels vighna, and draws anugraha irrespective of place.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (Namaḥ Śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Nandi
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It shows that steady Panchākṣara-japa anchors the devotee in Śiva (Pati) and sharpens discernment against forces that obstruct dharma, a key Shaiva Siddhanta theme of grace overcoming bonds (pāśa).

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

The Panchākṣara mantra is a direct Saguna-Siva upāsanā; by japa, the devotee remains connected to Śiva’s accessible form and protection, which is also the spirit of Liṅga-worship—steadfast devotion amid disturbances.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Continuous mantra-japa of the Panchākṣara (commonly “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), maintaining inward focus even when confronted by distractions or opposition.