Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 53

Praṇava-Māhātmya and the Twofold Mantra (Sūkṣma–Sthūla) in Śaiva Sādhanā

Devanagari script

पुरश्चरणमेवं तु कृत्वा मन्त्रीभवेन्नरः । पुनश्च पंचलक्षेण सर्वपापक्षयो भवेत्

Transliteration

puraścaraṇamevaṃ tu kṛtvā mantrībhavennaraḥ | punaśca paṃcalakṣeṇa sarvapāpakṣayo bhavet

Translation

Sa gayong pagsasagawa ng itinakdang puraścaraṇa, ang tao ay nagiging ganap sa mantra. At higit pa, sa pag-uulit nito nang limang laksa, nagaganap ang pagkapawi ng lahat ng kasalanan.

Word by Word

• पुरः-चरणम्: puraścaraṇa (preliminary rite)
• पुरः-चरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावसमासः (पुरः = ‘before/preceding’ + चरणम्)

• एवम्: thus/in this manner
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle) — विरोध/अन्वय (but/indeed)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वक्रिया

• मन्त्री-भवेत्: one becomes a mantrin (authorized practitioner)
• मन्त्री-भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; नामधात्वर्थे ‘मन्त्री’ (become a mantrin)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — ‘again/further’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पञ्च-लक्षेण: by (the count of) five lakhs
• पञ्च-लक्षेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (पञ्च लक्षाणि यस्य तत्)

• सर्व-पाप-क्षयः: destruction of all sins
• सर्व-पाप-क्षयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां पापानां क्षयः)

• भवेत्: would occur/be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Not site-specific; emphasizes sādhana leading to mantra-siddhi and pāpa-kṣaya, a portable ‘inner tīrtha’ through disciplined practice.

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that disciplined mantra-practice (puraścaraṇa) ripens into mantra-siddhi, and extensive japa purifies the practitioner by exhausting accumulated pāpa, aligning the soul (paśu) toward Shiva (Pati).

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

Mantra-japa is a core limb of Saguna Shiva worship, often performed with devotion before the Shiva-linga; the verse emphasizes that steady repetition and observance make the worship efficacious and purifying.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform puraścaraṇa for the Shiva mantra (commonly the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and undertake sustained japa—here indicated as five lakh repetitions—for purification and mantra-accomplishment.