Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

तस्मात्तपांसि यज्ञांश्च सर्वे सर्वस्वदक्षिणाः । शिवमूर्त्यर्चनस्यैते कोट्यंशेनापि नो समाः

Transliteration

tasmāttapāṃsi yajñāṃśca sarve sarvasvadakṣiṇāḥ | śivamūrtyarcanasyaite koṭyaṃśenāpi no samāḥ

Translation

因此，一切苦行与一切祭祀——纵然将全部财物作为达克希那（dakṣiṇā）奉与祭司——也不及礼拜供奉湿婆圣像（mūrti）之阿尔恰那（arcana），哪怕仅一百万分之一。

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्-प्रयोगः: हेतौ/तस्मादर्थे (ablatival adverb: “therefore/from that”)

• तपांसि: austerities
• तपांसि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• यज्ञान्: sacrifices
• यज्ञान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• सर्वस्वदक्षिणाः: having one’s entire wealth as the sacrificial fee
• सर्वस्वदक्षिणाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वस्व + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): सर्वस्वस्य दक्षिणा यस्य/येषां ते

• शिवमूर्ति-अर्चनस्य: of the worship of Śiva’s form
• शिवमूर्ति-अर्चनस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवमूर्ति + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: शिवमूर्तेः अर्चनम्

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• कोटि-अंशेन: even by a croreth part
• कोटि-अंशेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: कोट्याः अंशः (a fraction of a crore)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: even/also)

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

• उ: indeed
• उ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• समाः: equal
• समाः: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General valuation statement: arcana of Śiva’s mūrti surpasses tapas and yajña (even with total-wealth dakṣiṇā). Not tied to a particular jyotirliṅga.

Significance: Reorients religious economy: devotionally performed Śiva-arcana is presented as the highest merit, exceeding costly Vedic sacrifices.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It asserts a Bhakti-centered hierarchy of spiritual merit: direct worship of Śiva (Pati) is portrayed as surpassing even extreme tapas and grand yajñas, because devotion and surrender to Śiva are the most potent means toward grace and liberation.

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

By praising śiva-mūrti-arcana, the verse supports Saguna worship—such as Śiva-liṅga pūjā or mūrti pūjā—as a direct, grace-invoking practice, superior in fruit to ritual sacrifice performed without that focused devotion to Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular Śiva-arcana is implied: daily Liṅga/mūrti worship with offerings (water, bilva leaves), accompanied by japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the inner support of devotion.