Shiva Purana — Vidyesvara Samhita, Shloka 64

भस्म-प्रकार-त्रिपुण्ड्र-धारण-विधिः

Types of Bhasma and the Method of Wearing Tripuṇḍra

Devanagari script

सप्तकोटि महामंत्राः पंचाक्षरपुरस्सराः । तथान्ये कोटिशो मंत्राः शैवकैवल्यहेतवः

Transliteration

saptakoṭi mahāmaṃtrāḥ paṃcākṣarapurassarāḥ | tathānye koṭiśo maṃtrāḥ śaivakaivalyahetavaḥ

Translation

大咒有七千万，以五字真言（Pañcākṣara）为最上。又有无数亿万真言；然其一切皆为趋向湿婆之解脱（Śaiva kaivalya，与湿婆合一之自由）的因缘。

Word by Word

• saptakoṭi: seven crores (of)
• saptakoṭi: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); dvigu numeral compound qualifying ‘mantrāḥ’ in sense ‘(amounting to) seven crores’

• mahāmantrāḥ: great mantras
• mahāmantrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); karmadhāraya: ‘great mantras’

• pañcākṣara: five-syllable (mantra)
• pañcākṣara: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), (in compound stem); dvigu: ‘five-syllabled (mantra)’

• purassarāḥ: preceded by / having as foremost
• purassarāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purassarā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘having in front/preceded by’

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• koṭiśaḥ: in crores
• koṭiśaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quantifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: koṭiśaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (परिमाणवाचक अव्यय): ‘by crores, in crores’

• mantrāḥ: mantras
• mantrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śaiva: Śaiva
• śaiva: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), (in compound stem); ‘pertaining to Śiva’

• kaivalya: liberation
• kaivalya: Upapada (उपपद/compound-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaivalya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), (in compound stem)

• hetavaḥ: causes
• hetavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: śaiva-kaivalya-hetu = ‘cause of Śaiva liberation’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (implied) oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes that many powerful mantras exist, but the Panchakshara is foremost, and that Śiva-oriented mantra practice is a direct means to Śaiva kaivalya (liberation through Śiva’s grace).

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

In the Vidyeśvarasaṃhitā, mantra is central to Saguna Śiva worship—especially in Linga-upāsanā—where the Panchakshara functions as the primary invocation aligning the devotee with Śiva as Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the principal daily practice, supported by Śaiva disciplines such as purity, devotion, and (where taught in context) Linga worship with mantra recitation.