Shiva Panchakshara Stotram
शिवपञ्चाक्षरस्तोत्रम्
Śivapañcākṣarastotram
All 5 verses
Verse 1
नागेन्द्रहाराय त्रिलोचनाय भस्माङ्गरागाय महेश्वराय नित्याय शुद्धाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै नकाराय नमः शिवाय ॥१॥
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- नागेन्द्रहाराय त्रिलोचनाय भस्माङ्गरागाय महेश्वराय
- To the wearer of the king of serpents, the three-eyed one, anointed with ash, the great Lord.
- नित्याय शुद्धाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै नकाराय नमः शिवाय
- To the eternal, pure, sky-clad one; to that Na-kara, salutations to Shiva.
The Na of Namah-Shivaya is the first surrender of the ego before the eternal, pure awareness that wears the universe as ornament. Ash on the body reminds the devotee that all form returns to the formless.
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Verse 2
मन्दाकिनिसलिलचन्दनचर्चिताय नन्दीश्वरप्रमथनाथ महेश्वराय मन्दारपुष्पबहुपुष्पसुपूजिताय तस्मै मकाराय नमः शिवाय ॥२॥
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- मन्दाकिनिसलिलचन्दनचर्चिताय नन्दीश्वरप्रमथनाथ महेश्वराय
- To him anointed with Ganga water and sandal, lord of Nandi and the pramathas, the great Lord.
- मन्दारपुष्पबहुपुष्पसुपूजिताय तस्मै मकाराय नमः शिवाय
- To him worshipped with mandara and many excellent flowers; to that Ma-kara, salutations to Shiva.
The Ma-kara flows like the Ganga from the matted locks of the Lord who is the source of all sacred waters. Worship with flowers is the offering of the mind's virtues to the Maheshvara who transcends them all.
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Verse 3
शिवाय गौरीवदनाब्जवृन्दसूर्याय दक्षाध्वरनाशकाय श्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय तस्मै शिकाराय नमः शिवाय ॥३॥
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- शिवाय गौरीवदनाब्जवृन्दसूर्याय दक्षाध्वरनाशकाय
- To Shiva, the sun to the lotus cluster of Gauri's face, destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice.
- श्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय तस्मै शिकाराय नमः शिवाय
- To the glorious blue-throated one, bearer of the bull-banner; to that Shi-kara, salutations to Shiva.
The Shi-kara is the auspicious power that illumines even the lotus face of Shakti without being dimmed by it. Nilakantha who held poison for the world's sake symbolizes consciousness that absorbs suffering without being destroyed.
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Verse 4
वसिष्ठकुम्भोद्भवगौतमार्यमुनीन्द्रदेवार्चितशेखराय चन्द्रार्कवैश्वानरलोचनाय तस्मै वकाराय नमः शिवाय ॥४॥
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- वसिष्ठकुम्भोद्भवगौतमार्यमुनीन्द्रदेवार्चितशेखराय
- To him whose crest is worshipped by Vasishtha, Agastya, Gautama, great sages, and Indra.
- चन्द्रार्कवैश्वानरलोचनाय तस्मै वकाराय नमः शिवाय
- To him whose eyes are moon, sun, and fire; to that Va-kara, salutations to Shiva.
Moon, sun, and fire as eyes signify that Shiva illumines the three states of waking, dream, and deep sleep. The Va-kara is the expansive consciousness in which all the gods and sages find their ground.
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Verse 5
यक्षस्वरूपाय जटाधराय पिनाकहस्ताय सनातनाय दिव्याय देवाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै यकाराय नमः शिवाय ॥५॥
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- यक्षस्वरूपाय जटाधराय पिनाकहस्ताय सनातनाय
- To the Yaksha-formed one, bearer of matted locks, with Pinaka in hand, the primeval one.
- दिव्याय देवाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै यकाराय नमः शिवाय
- To the divine God, sky-clad; to that Ya-kara, salutations to Shiva.
The Ya-kara completes the fivefold mantra and returns the mind to the primeval Lord beyond time. Sky-clad Digambara Shiva is Brahman without attributes, the final refuge into which the five syllables dissolve.
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