Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

पञ्चाक्षरीविद्यायाḥ कलियुगे मोक्षोपायः | The Pañcākṣarī Vidyā as a Means of Liberation in Kali Yuga

Devanagari script

नारकी स्यान्न सन्देहो मम पञ्चाक्षरं विना । अब्भक्षा वायुभक्षाश्च ये चान्ये व्रतकर्शिताः

Transliteration

nārakī syānna sandeho mama pañcākṣaraṃ vinā | abbhakṣā vāyubhakṣāśca ye cānye vratakarśitāḥ

Translation

หากปราศจากมนตร์ห้าพยางค์ของเรา ย่อมไม่ต้องสงสัยว่าเป็นผู้มุ่งสู่นรก แม้ผู้ดำรงชีพด้วยน้ำอย่างเดียว ผู้ดำรงชีพด้วยลมอย่างเดียว และผู้อื่นที่ซูบผอมด้วยตบะและวัตร

Word by Word

• नारकी: a hell-goer
• नारकी: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नरकसम्बन्धी (one destined for hell)

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/प्रसङ्गसूचक (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• सन्देहः: doubt
• सन्देहः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पञ्चाक्षरम्: the five-syllabled (mantra)
• पञ्चाक्षरम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: पञ्चान्य् अक्षराणि यस्य तत् (द्विगु); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: सम्बन्ध/अपवाद (Exclusion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोग/अपवादसूचक उपपद (preposition-like indeclinable: without)

• अब्भक्षाः: water-eaters
• अब्भक्षाः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: अपां भक्षाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• वायुभक्षाः: air-eaters
• वायुभक्षाः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: वायोः भक्षाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• ये: those who
• ये: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (ये) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• व्रतकर्शिताः: emaciated by vows
• व्रतकर्शिताः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत + कर्शित (कृदन्त; कृश्/कर्श् + क्त)
• Form: समास: व्रतेन कर्शिताः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (Namaḥ Śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Naraka (post-mortem consequence) invoked as moral-cosmic outcome of lacking Śiva-mantra.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mere bodily austerity is not the liberating cause; liberation depends on grace accessed through Shiva-bhakti, especially the pañcākṣarī (Namaḥ Śivāya), which aligns the soul (paśu) with Pati, breaking bondage (pāśa).

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

The pañcākṣarī is a direct form of Saguna Shiva-worship used with Linga-pūjā; the verse prioritizes mantra-devotion over external hardship, indicating that true worship is inner surrender and remembrance while honoring Shiva’s manifest presence (Linga).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily japa of the pañcākṣarī—“Namaḥ Śivāya” (often with “Om”)—as the core practice, supported by Shaiva disciplines like Linga-pūjā, vibhūti (tripuṇḍra), and steady devotional remembrance rather than extreme fasting alone.