Shiva Panchakshara Stotram
|| शिव पञ्चाक्षर स्तोत्रम् ||
Shiva Panchakshara Stotram is a powerful Lord Shiva prayer addressed to the five lettered mantra of Shiva: “Namah Shivaya”. Hence the name Panch Akshara or 5 letters. The Shiva Panchakshara Stotram is found in the famous Rudrayamala Tantra text. Rudra Yamala Tantra is part of the Bhairava Agama canon of Shaivism as well as Tantric canon of Shaktism. In this Penta-Syllabic Hymn, there is a single stanza mantra for each letter of Na-Ma-Shi-Va-Ya. It is believed that anyone who recites Shiva Panchakshara Mantra in front of Lord Shiva, daily with devotion, faith and concentration will attain Happiness and Moksha. The Above Recitation is by Ravindra Sathe.
Verse 1
नागेन्द्रहाराय त्रिलोचनाय भस्माङ्गरागाय महेश्वराय । नित्याय शुद्धाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै “न” काराय नमः शिवाय ॥१॥
nāgendrahārāya trilocanāya bhasmāṅgarāgāya maheśvarāya . nityāya śuddhāya digambarāya tasmai nakārāya namaḥ śivāya ..1..
He who has the king of snakes as his garland and who has three eyes, He whose body is smeared with sacred ashes and who is the great Lord, He who is eternal, who is ever pure with the four directions as his clothes, Salutations to that Shiva, who is represented by the syllable “na”
Verse 2
मन्दाकिनीसलिलचन्दनचर्चिताय नन्दीश्वरप्रमथनाथमहेश्वराय । मन्दारपुष्पबहुपुष्पसुपूजिताय तस्मै “म” काराय नमः शिवाय ॥२॥
mandākinī salila candana carcitāya nandīśvara pramathanātha maheśvarāya . mandāra puṣpa bahupuṣpa supūjitāya tasmai makārāya namaḥ śivāya ..2..
He who is worshipped with water from the Mandakini river and smeared with sandal paste, He who is the lord of Nandi and of the ghosts and goblins, the great Lord, He who is worshipped with Mandara and many other flowers, Salutations to that Shiva, who is represented by the syllable “ma”
Verse 3
शिवाय गौरीवदनाब्जवृन्द सूर्याय दक्षाध्वरनाशकाय । श्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय तस्मै “शि” काराय नमः शिवाय ॥३॥
śivāya gaurī vadanābja vṛnda sūryāya dakṣādhvara nāśakāya . śrīnīlakaṇṭhāya vṛṣadhvajāya tasmai śikārāya namaḥ śivāya ..3..
He who is auspicious and who is like the newly risen sun causing the lotus-face of Gauri to blossom, He who is the destroyer of the sacrifice of Daksha, He who has a blue throat and has a bull as his emblem, Salutations to that Shiva, who is represented by the syllable “shi”
Verse 4
वशिष्ठकुम्भोद्भवगौतमार्य मूनीन्द्रदेवार्चितशेखराय । चन्द्रार्कवैश्वानरलोचनाय तस्मै “व” काराय नमः शिवाय ॥४॥
vaśiṣṭha kumbhodbhava gautamārya mūnīndra devārcita śekharāya . candrārka vaiśvānara locanāya tasmai vakārāya namaḥ śivāya ..4..
He who is worshipped by the best and most respected sages – Vasishtha, Agastya and Gautama, and also by the gods, and who is the crown of the universe, He who has the moon, sun and fire as his three eyes, Salutations to that Shiva, who is represented by the syllable “va”
Verse 5
यज्ञस्वरूपाय जटाधराय पिनाकहस्ताय सनातनाय । दिव्याय देवाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै “य” काराय नमः शिवाय ॥५॥
yajñasvarūpāya jaṭādharāya pinākahastāya sanātanāya . divyāya devāya digambarāya tasmai yakārāya namaḥ śivāya ..5..
He who is the embodiment of yagna (sacrifice) and who has matted locks, He who has the trident in his hand and who is eternal, He who is divine, who is the shining one and who has the four directions as his clothes, Salutations to that Shiva, who is represented by the syllable “ya”
Verse 6
पञ्चाक्षरमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेच्छिवसंनिधौ । शिवलोकमावाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते ॥६॥
pañcākṣaramidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhecchiva saṃnidhau . śivalokamāvāpnoti śivena saha modate ..6.. Will attain the abode of Shiva and enjoy bliss.
He who recites this Panchakshara near Shiva,
॥इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्यस्य श्रीगोविन्दभगवत्पूज्यपादशिष्यस्य श्रीमच्छङ्करभगवतः कृतौ श्रीशिवपञ्चाक्षरस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम्॥
About this stotra
The Shiva Panchakshara Stotram (शिव पञ्चाक्षर स्तोत्रम्) is a powerful hymn dedicated to Lord Shiva, structured around the five sacred syllables “Na-Ma-Śi-Vā-Ya” which form the Pañcākṣara Mantra (“Namaḥ Śivāya”). Each of the five main verses corresponds to one of these five syllables, extolling a particular attribute of Lord Shiva associated with that syllable.
The stotram is found in the Rudrayāmala Tantra, which is part of the Bhairava Āgama canon of Shaivism as well as the Tantric canon of Shaktism. According to tradition, anyone who recites this Panchakshara Stotram in front of Lord Shiva daily with devotion, faith and concentration will attain happiness and liberation (Moksha).
The sixth verse is the phalaśruti (declaration of benefits), stating that one who recites this sacred pentasyllabic hymn in the presence of Shiva attains the abode of Shiva and rejoices with Him. The seventh verse is the colophon attributing the composition to Śrī Śaṅkarabhagavat (Ādi Śaṅkarācārya).