Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 16

पञ्चाक्षर-षडक्षरमन्त्र-माहात्म्यम् | The Greatness of the Pañcākṣara/Ṣaḍakṣara Mantra

Devanagari script

वैद्यं विना निरानंदाः क्लिश्यंते रोगिणो यथा । तस्मादनादिः सर्वज्ञः परिपूर्णस्सदाशिवः

Transliteration

vaidyaṃ vinā nirānaṃdāḥ kliśyaṃte rogiṇo yathā | tasmādanādiḥ sarvajñaḥ paripūrṇassadāśivaḥ

Translation

如病者无医则无乐而受苦，众生离开祂亦同样困厄。故萨达希瓦无始、全知，且圆满具足。

Word by Word

• वैद्यम्: a physician
• वैद्यम्: अपादान/विनापद-योगे (Object of vinā; ‘without’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विना-योगे द्वितीया

• विना: without
• विना: सम्बन्ध (Exclusion/without)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय governing द्वितीया (accusative)

• निरानन्दाः: joyless
• निरानन्दाः: कर्तृ (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरानन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण

• क्लिश्यन्ते: suffer / are afflicted
• क्लिश्यन्ते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्लिश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present indicative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); आत्मनेपद

• रोगिणः: patients
• रोगिणः: कर्तृ (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यथा: as / just as
• यथा: उपमान-सम्बन्ध (Simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (comparative indeclinable)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: हेतु/अपादान (Reason/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular); तस्मात् = ‘therefore/from that’ (logical ablative)

• अनादिः: beginningless
• अनादिः: कर्तृ (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• सर्वज्ञः: omniscient
• सर्वज्ञः: कर्तृ (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• परिपूर्णः: fully complete
• परिपूर्णः: कर्तृ (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + पूर्ण (कृदन्त; पॄ/पॄञ् धातु से पूर्ण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कृदन्त-विशेषण (past participial adjective)

• सदा-शिवः: Sadāśiva
• सदा-शिवः: कर्तृ (Karta/Subject; main noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा (अव्यय) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: सदा शिवः (‘ever-auspicious’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Sadashiva
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse presents Sadāśiva as the divine “physician” of saṃsāra: without the grace and guidance of Pati (the Lord), the bound soul remains afflicted and joyless; recognizing Him as beginningless, all-knowing, and complete turns the seeker toward liberation.

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

Though Sadāśiva is described in transcendent terms (anādi, sarvajña, paripūrṇa), devotees approach that same reality through saguna worship—especially the Śiva-liṅga—seeking healing of impurity (mala) and bondage (pāśa) through devotion and right knowledge.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt Śiva as the inner healer through daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and steady dhyāna on Śiva-liṅga; this supports purification and relief from the ‘disease’ of ignorance and craving.