Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

पूजयेन्मां स मुच्येत नात्र कार्या विचारणा । अरुद्रो वा सरुद्रो वा सकृत्पञ्चाक्षरेण यः

Transliteration

pūjayenmāṃ sa mucyeta nātra kāryā vicāraṇā | arudro vā sarudro vā sakṛtpañcākṣareṇa yaḥ

Translation

ผู้ใดบูชาข้า ผู้นั้นย่อมหลุดพ้น—ไม่จำเป็นต้องสงสัยหรือไตร่ตรองอีกต่อไป ไม่ว่าเป็นผู้มิใช่รุทระหรือเป็นรุทระ ผู้ใดแม้เพียงครั้งเดียวสาธยายมนต์ปัญจักษระ ย่อมได้รับพระกรุณานี้

Word by Word

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन

• मुच्येत: would be liberated
• मुच्येत: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (passive sense)

• न: not
• न: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय

• कार्या: to be done/necessary
• कार्या: विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• विचारणा: consideration/deliberation
• विचारणा: कर्ता/विधेय (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अ-रुद्रः: one who is not Rudra
• अ-रुद्रः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; in alternative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वपद (negated: ‘not Rudra’)

• वा: or
• वा: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• स-रुद्रः: one who is Rudra/with Rudra
• स-रुद्रः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; in alternative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सह-पूर्वपद (with Rudra/being Rudra)

• वा: or
• वा: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: विशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/आवृत्तिवाचक (once)

• पञ्च-अक्षरेण: with the five-syllable (mantra)
• पञ्च-अक्षरेण: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (five-syllabled)

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific (sthāla) passage; it is a doctrinal assurance that Śiva’s grace (anugraha) is accessible through worship and the pañcākṣarī, irrespective of status.

Significance: Frames mantra-worship as equivalent in salvific power to pilgrimage: even a single sincere engagement with the pañcākṣarī is said to open the path to liberation.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: नमः शिवाय (namaḥ śivāya)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra

FAQs

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

It declares Śiva’s anugraha (saving grace): sincere worship and even a single engagement with the Pañcākṣarī is presented as a direct cause for liberation, emphasizing devotion over doubt and over mere status.

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

The verse supports Saguna upāsanā—approaching Śiva through worship (pūjā) and mantra. In Purāṇic practice this commonly includes Liṅga-pūjā, where mantra-japa and offering are united as a concrete means to receive Śiva’s liberating grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Pañcākṣarī-japa (“namaḥ śivāya”) along with Śiva-pūjā (often Liṅga worship). The key takeaway is consistency and sincerity—even one heartfelt repetition is praised, while regular japa and pūjā are implied as the ideal discipline.