Shiva Panchakshara Stotram · शिव पञ्चाक्षर स्तोत्रम्
Five verses on the five syllables of "Namah Shivaya", one syllable per verse, with a closing verse of benefit.
नागेन्द्रहाराय त्रिलोचनाय भस्माङ्गरागाय महेश्वराय । नित्याय शुद्धाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै न काराय नमः शिवाय ॥
nāgendrahārāya trilocanāya bhasmāṅgarāgāya maheśvarāya । nityāya śuddhāya digambarāya tasmai na kārāya namaḥ śivāya ॥
जो नागराज को हार रूप में धारण करते हैं, तीन नेत्रों वाले हैं, भस्म का अंगराग लगाते हैं, महेश्वर हैं, नित्य, शुद्ध और दिगंबर हैं, उन "न" अक्षर रूप शिव को नमस्कार।
To him who wears the king of serpents as a garland, the three-eyed one, smeared with ash, the great lord; eternal, pure, clothed in the directions: to that Shiva in the form of the syllable "na", salutations.
मन्दाकिनी सलिलचन्दन चर्चिताय नन्दीश्वर प्रमथनाथ महेश्वराय । मन्दारपुष्प बहुपुष्प सुपूजिताय तस्मै म काराय नमः शिवाय ॥
mandākinī salilacandana carcitāya nandīśvara pramathanātha maheśvarāya । mandārapuṣpa bahupuṣpa supūjitāya tasmai ma kārāya namaḥ śivāya ॥
जो मंदाकिनी के जल और चंदन से चर्चित हैं, नंदीश्वर और प्रमथगणों के स्वामी महेश्वर हैं, और मंदार तथा अनेक पुष्पों से पूजित हैं, उन "म" अक्षर रूप शिव को नमस्कार।
To him anointed with the water of the Mandakini and sandal paste, lord of Nandi and the hosts of attendants, the great lord; worshipped with mandara and many other flowers: to that Shiva in the form of "ma", salutations.
शिवाय गौरीवदनाब्जवृन्द सूर्याय दक्षाध्वरनाशकाय । श्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय तस्मै शि काराय नमः शिवाय ॥
śivāya gaurīvadanābjavṛnda sūryāya dakṣādhvaranāśakāya । śrīnīlakaṇṭhāya vṛṣadhvajāya tasmai śi kārāya namaḥ śivāya ॥
जो कल्याणकारी हैं, गौरी के मुख-कमल को खिलाने वाले सूर्य हैं, दक्ष के यज्ञ का नाश करने वाले हैं, नीलकंठ हैं और जिनकी ध्वजा पर वृषभ है, उन "शि" अक्षर रूप शिव को नमस्कार।
To the auspicious one, the sun that opens the lotus of Gauri's face, destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice; to the blue-throated one whose banner bears the bull: to that Shiva in the form of "shi", salutations.
वसिष्ठकुम्भोद्भवगौतमार्य मुनीन्द्रदेवार्चितशेखराय । चन्द्रार्क वैश्वानरलोचनाय तस्मै व काराय नमः शिवाय ॥
vasiṣṭhakumbhodbhavagautamārya munīndradevārcitaśekharāya । candrārka vaiśvānaralocanāya tasmai va kārāya namaḥ śivāya ॥
जिनका मस्तक वसिष्ठ, कुंभोद्भव (अगस्त्य), गौतम आदि श्रेष्ठ मुनियों और देवताओं द्वारा पूजित है, जिनके नेत्र चंद्र, सूर्य और अग्नि हैं, उन "व" अक्षर रूप शिव को नमस्कार।
To him whose head is worshipped by Vasishtha, Agastya, Gautama and the best of sages and gods, whose eyes are the moon, the sun and fire: to that Shiva in the form of "va", salutations.
यक्षस्वरूपाय जटाधराय पिनाकहस्ताय सनातनाय । दिव्याय देवाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै य काराय नमः शिवाय ॥
yakṣasvarūpāya jaṭādharāya pinākahastāya sanātanāya । divyāya devāya digambarāya tasmai ya kārāya namaḥ śivāya ॥
जिन्होंने यक्ष रूप धारण किया, जो जटाधारी हैं, जिनके हाथ में पिनाक है, जो सनातन, दिव्य, देव और दिगंबर हैं, उन "य" अक्षर रूप शिव को नमस्कार।
To him who took the form of a yaksha, who wears matted hair, who holds the Pinaka bow, the eternal one; divine, the god, clothed in the directions: to that Shiva in the form of "ya", salutations.
पञ्चाक्षरमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेच्छिवसन्निधौ । शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते ॥
pañcākṣaramidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhecchivasannidhau । śivalokamavāpnoti śivena saha modate ॥
जो शिव के सान्निध्य में यह पवित्र पञ्चाक्षर स्तोत्र पढ़ता है, वह शिवलोक पाता है और शिव के साथ आनंद करता है।
Whoever recites this sacred five-syllable hymn near Shiva attains Shiva's world and rejoices with Shiva.
About this text
The Shiva Panchakshara Stotram is a short Sanskrit hymn traditionally attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. Each of its five verses begins with, and is dedicated to, one syllable of the panchakshara mantra न-मः-शि-वा-य (Namah Shivaya), and ends with a salutation to Shiva "in the form of that syllable". A sixth verse states the benefit of reciting it near Shiva.
How it is recited
It is often recited on Mondays and during Shravan, before a Shiva linga, sometimes along with the mantra Om Namah Shivaya. Practices vary.
When it is recited
More for Shiva
More Stotras
Sources & checks
- Editions compared
- Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, vignanam.org (2026), collated 2026-10-10, sha256 3c0f911fff18
- Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, sanskritdocuments.org (2026), collated 2026-10-10, sha256 bb3cfefc129d
- Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, hindunidhi.com (2026), collated 2026-10-10, sha256 f2b0e6b9b1d1
- Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, hindunidhi.com (2026), collated 2026-10-10, sha256 8aa78cd73ec3
- Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, bhaktibharat.com (2026), collated 2026-10-10, sha256 b440044f0556
- Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, bhaktvatsal.com (2026), collated 2026-10-10, sha256 d03c2ba11edf
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- Compared line by line across 4 independent sources; every line confirmed by at least 2 (SanatanVani editorial process)
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- : Published. Text compared line by line across independent sources (see the editorial policy).