Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

पञ्चाक्षरमाहात्म्यम् / The Greatness of the Pañcākṣarī (Five-Syllable) Mantra

Devanagari script

तेषां हि सफलं जन्म कृतार्थास्ते नरोत्तमाः । भवभक्तिपरा ये च भवप्रणतचेतसः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ hi saphalaṃ janma kṛtārthāste narottamāḥ | bhavabhaktiparā ye ca bhavapraṇatacetasaḥ

Translation

یقیناً اُن کا جنم کامیاب ہے؛ وہ نرश्रेष्ठ اور کृतارتھ ہیں—جو بھوَ (بھگوان شِو) کی بھکتی میں پرायण ہیں اور جن کے دل بھوَ کے حضور جھکے رہتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्धसूचक/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• सफलम्: fruitful
• सफलम्: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सफल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘जन्म’)

• जन्म: birth
• जन्म: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• कृतार्थाः: fulfilled, having achieved the purpose
• कृतार्थाः: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (कृतः अर्थः येषाम्/कृतार्थः = accomplished)

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• नरोत्तमाः: best of men
• नरोत्तमाः: सम्बोधन/विधेय (Appositional predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषार्थे रूढि (नराणाम् उत्तमाः)

• भवभक्तिपराः: devoted to devotion to Bhava (Śiva)
• भवभक्तिपराः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘ये/ते’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भव + भक्ति + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (भवस्य भक्तिः तस्यां पराः = devoted to devotion to Bhava/Śiva)

• ये: who
• ये: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• भवप्रणतचेतसः: whose minds are bowed to Bhava (Śiva)
• भवप्रणतचेतसः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘ये/ते’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भव + प्रणत + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (भवे प्रणतं चेतो येषाम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Defines the ‘successful’ human birth as one oriented to Bhava-bhakti; supports the pilgrim ideal of living as a Śiva-bhakta (kṛtārtha).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares that the true success of human life is fulfillment through devotion and surrender to Bhava (Lord Shiva); such a person is called kṛtārtha—one who has attained life’s purpose by orienting mind and heart toward Pati (Shiva).

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

Bhava-bhakti is commonly expressed through Saguna worship—reverence, pranama, and service to Shiva as the Linga; the bowed heart (praṇata-cetas) indicates inner surrender that gives outer Linga-puja its transforming power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily pranama and bhakti to Shiva—mentally bowing to him while repeating the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and maintaining a humble, surrendered disposition during Shiva-puja (with bhasma/rudraksha if one’s tradition prescribes).