Shiva Panchakshara Stotram: Meaning

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1. Verse 1

   नागेन्द्रहाराय त्रिलोचनाय भस्माङ्गरागाय महेश्वराय । नित्याय शुद्धाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै न काराय नमः शिवाय ॥

   nāgendrahārāya trilocanāya bhasmāṅgarāgāya maheśvarāya । nityāya śuddhāya digambarāya tasmai na kārāya namaḥ śivāya ॥

   नागेन्द्रहाराय	nāgendrahārāya	to him whose garland is the king of serpents
   त्रिलोचनाय	trilocanāya	to the three-eyed one
   भस्माङ्गरागाय	bhasmāṅgarāgāya	to him smeared with ash
   दिगम्बराय	digambarāya	to him clothed in the directions

   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.

   The syllable "na". Shiva wears the king of serpents as a garland, has three eyes, is smeared with ash, and is digambara, "clothed in the directions", meaning that he wears nothing but space itself, a sign of complete renunciation.

2. Verse 2

   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 ॥

   मन्दाकिनी	mandākinī	the heavenly Ganga
   नन्दीश्वर	nandīśvara	lord of Nandi
   प्रमथनाथ	pramathanātha	lord of the pramathas, his attendants
   मन्दारपुष्प	mandārapuṣpa	mandara flowers

   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.

   The syllable "ma". Shiva is anointed with the water of the Mandakini, a name of the heavenly Ganga, and with sandal paste. He is lord of Nandi, his bull and gatekeeper, and of the pramathas, his band of attendants. He is worshipped with mandara flowers, the flowers of the heavenly gardens.

3. Verse 3

   शिवाय गौरीवदनाब्जवृन्द सूर्याय दक्षाध्वरनाशकाय । श्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय तस्मै शि काराय नमः शिवाय ॥

   śivāya gaurīvadanābjavṛnda sūryāya dakṣādhvaranāśakāya । śrīnīlakaṇṭhāya vṛṣadhvajāya tasmai śi kārāya namaḥ śivāya ॥

   गौरीवदनाब्ज	gaurīvadanābja	the lotus of Gauri's face
   दक्षाध्वरनाशकाय	dakṣādhvaranāśakāya	to the destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice
   नीलकण्ठाय	nīlakaṇṭhāya	to the blue-throated one
   वृषध्वजाय	vṛṣadhvajāya	to him whose banner bears the bull

   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.

   The syllable "shi". Shiva is the sun that makes the lotus of Gauri's (Parvati's) face bloom. He destroyed Daksha's sacrifice, which was held without honouring him. He is Nilakantha, blue-throated from the poison he drank at the churning of the ocean, and his banner bears the bull.

4. Verse 4

   वसिष्ठकुम्भोद्भवगौतमार्य मुनीन्द्रदेवार्चितशेखराय । चन्द्रार्क वैश्वानरलोचनाय तस्मै व काराय नमः शिवाय ॥

   vasiṣṭhakumbhodbhavagautamārya munīndradevārcitaśekharāya । candrārka vaiśvānaralocanāya tasmai va kārāya namaḥ śivāya ॥

   कुम्भोद्भव	kumbhodbhava	born from a pot, Agastya
   चन्द्रार्क	candrārka	the moon and the sun
   वैश्वानर	vaiśvānara	fire

   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.

   The syllable "va". Shiva's head is worshipped by the great sages Vasishtha, Agastya (called Kumbhodbhava, "born from a pot") and Gautama, and by the gods. His three eyes are the moon, the sun and fire (Vaishvanara).

5. Verse 5

   यक्षस्वरूपाय जटाधराय पिनाकहस्ताय सनातनाय । दिव्याय देवाय दिगम्बराय तस्मै य काराय नमः शिवाय ॥

   yakṣasvarūpāya jaṭādharāya pinākahastāya sanātanāya । divyāya devāya digambarāya tasmai ya kārāya namaḥ śivāya ॥

   यक्षस्वरूपाय	yakṣasvarūpāya	to him who took the form of a yaksha
   जटाधराय	jaṭādharāya	to him who wears matted hair
   पिनाकहस्ताय	pinākahastāya	to him who holds the Pinaka bow
   सनातनाय	sanātanāya	to the eternal one

   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.

   The syllable "ya". Shiva "took the form of a yaksha": in the Kena Upanishad, Brahman appears to the gods as a mysterious being to humble their pride. He wears matted hair, holds the Pinaka, his bow, and is eternal.

6. Verse 6

   पञ्चाक्षरमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेच्छिवसन्निधौ । शिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते ॥

   pañcākṣaramidaṃ puṇyaṃ yaḥ paṭhecchivasannidhau । śivalokamavāpnoti śivena saha modate ॥

   पञ्चाक्षरम्	pañcākṣaram	the five syllables
   शिवसन्निधौ	śivasannidhau	near Shiva
   मोदते	modate	rejoices

   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.

   The phalashruti: whoever recites this hymn of the five syllables near Shiva, at a shrine or before a linga, reaches Shiva's world and rejoices with him. The same verse closes the Lingashtakam.