Shloka 16

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

वाच्यः पञ्चाक्षरैर्देवि शिवस्त्रैलोक्यपूजितः वाचकः परमो मन्त्रस् तस्य पञ्चाक्षरः स्थितः

Transliteration

vācyaḥ pañcākṣarairdevi śivastrailokyapūjitaḥ vācakaḥ paramo mantras tasya pañcākṣaraḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

噢，女神啊！遍受三界礼敬的湿婆，是由五音节所诠示者；而诠示祂的至上真言，也正安立于这五音节之形。

Word by Word

• वाच्यः: the One to be expressed/denoted

• पञ्चाक्षरैः: by the five syllables (pañcākṣara)

• देवि: O Goddess

• शिवः: Śiva (Pati, the Lord)

• त्रैलोक्य-पूजितः: worshipped in the three worlds

• वाचकः: the denoter/that which expresses

• परमः: supreme

• मन्त्रः: mantra/sacred formula

• तस्य: of Him (Śiva)

• पञ्चाक्षरः: the five-syllabled (mantra)

• स्थितः: established/abides as

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating an internal Shaiva teaching on the Panchakshara)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devi (Parvati)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It establishes that Śiva, the Pati worshipped in all worlds, is directly invoked and contemplated through the pañcākṣara; thus japa of the five syllables becomes a core limb of Linga-pūjā and inner worship.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva-tattva is presented as the vācya (the ultimate referent): the supreme reality whom the mantra signifies—implying that the sound-form (mantra) functions as a direct pointer to Pati beyond pasha-bound limitations of the paśu.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Pañcākṣara-japa (repetition of the five-syllabled mantra, classically “Namaḥ Śivāya”)—used as mantra-sādhana within Shaiva practice and as a support for Pāśupata-oriented purification of the paśu from pāśa.