Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

त्वरितं व्याधिरभ्येति तस्मात्पूज्यः पिनाकधृक् । यावन्नायाति मरणं यावन्नाक्रमते जरा

Transliteration

tvaritaṃ vyādhirabhyeti tasmātpūjyaḥ pinākadhṛk | yāvannāyāti maraṇaṃ yāvannākramate jarā

Translation

بیماری جلدی آن گھیرتی ہے؛ اس لیے پیناک دھاری شِو کی پوجا کرنی چاہیے—جب تک موت نہ آئے اور جب تک بڑھاپا غالب نہ ہو۔

Word by Word

• त्वरितम्: quickly
• त्वरितम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्वरित (कृदन्त; √त्वर् धातु)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb); manner adverb

• व्याधिः: disease
• व्याधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• अभ्येति: approaches, comes near
• अभ्येति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इ (धातु) + अभि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतु/कारणार्थे); ablatival adverbial use ‘therefore/from that’

• पूज्यः: worthy of worship
• पूज्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त; √पूज् धातु, यत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• पिनाकधृक्: the bearer of the Pināka (Śiva)
• पिनाकधृक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाक + धृक् (कृदन्त; √धृ धातु, क्विप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘पिनाकस्य धृक्’

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (कालपर्यन्त/‘as long as’); correlating particle

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• आयाति: comes, arrives
• आयाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु) + आ- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (कालपर्यन्त/‘as long as’)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• आक्रमते: attacks, overtakes
• आक्रमते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्रम् (धातु) + आ- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• जरा: old age
• जरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a jyotirliṅga; uses the epithet Pinākadhṛk to stress Śiva as protector and remover of affliction, motivating timely worship before disease/decay.

Significance: Supports the common pilgrimage intention of ārogya and protection; frames these as secondary to the deeper aim of turning to Śiva before mortality closes in.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches urgency (kāla-smarana): since illness, aging, and death are inevitable, one should turn to Pati (Śiva) now—establishing devotion and discipline while body and mind still support sādhana.

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

By naming Śiva as Pinākadhṛk, the verse points to Saguna Śiva accessible to devotees; worship of the Śiva-liṅga is the primary Shaiva form of that worship, undertaken before decline makes practice difficult.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin regular Śiva-pūjā and japa immediately—especially Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya")—supported by simple daily observances such as vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa, while health and clarity remain.