Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

इति विज्ञाय यत्नेन पूजनीयस्सदाशिवः । द्वारयागं जवनिकां परिवारबलिक्रियाम्

Transliteration

iti vijñāya yatnena pūjanīyassadāśivaḥ | dvārayāgaṃ javanikāṃ parivārabalikriyām

Translation

既如是了知，当以勤恳之心礼敬供养常住吉祥的萨达湿婆：行门阈供（dvāra-yāga），安置帷幕（javanikā，圣所屏障），并依仪轨向其眷属随从诸神奉献规定之bali（供献、食施）。

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इत्यादि-परामर्शक-अव्यय (quotative/thus)

• विज्ञाय: having understood
• विज्ञाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; उपसर्गः वि-

• यत्नेन: with effort
• यत्नेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• पूजनीयः: worthy to be worshipped
• पूजनीयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + अनीय (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (अनीयत्/तव्यत्-अर्थः: 'to be worshipped'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सदा-शिवः: Sadāśiva
• सदा-शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा (अव्यय) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (सदा शिवः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्वार-यागम्: door-worship/door-rite
• द्वार-यागम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक) + याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (द्वारे यागः / द्वारस्य यागः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जवनिकाम्: curtain/screen
• जवनिकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जवनिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• परिवार-बलि-क्रियाम्: offering-rite for the attendants/retinue
• परिवार-बलि-क्रियाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिवार (प्रातिपदिक) + बलि (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-तत्पुरुष (परिवारस्य बलिक्रिया / परिवारार्थं बलिक्रिया); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sadashiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship of Sadāśiva is not casual but disciplined—outer ritual order (doorway rites, sanctum arrangement, and offerings) supports inner reverence, steadiness, and purity, aligning the devotee (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

The mention of doorway worship, curtain/veil, and offerings to the Lord’s retinue reflects formal Saguna worship as done before the Linga or deity in a shrine—honoring the sacred space and the attendant powers connected with Shiva’s manifested presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests structured Shiva-pūjā: begin with dvārayāga (threshold propitiation), maintain sanctum decorum (javanikā), and perform parivāra-bali (offerings to attendants). As an inner practice, do these with focused mind and Shiva-bhakti, optionally supported by japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).