Shiv Panchakshar Stotram
शिव पञ्चाक्षर स्तोत्रम्
Shiv Panchakshar Stotram is a Sanskrit hymn of five verses built on the five syllables of the mantra "Na-Mah Shi-Va-Ya", and tradition attributes it to Adi Shankaracharya. Each verse praises Shiva and salutes him as one syllable in turn (Na, Ma, Shi, Va, Ya), and a closing phalashruti says those who recite it reach Shiva's abode. It is sung at abhishekam, on Mondays and on Maha Shivratri.
- 6 verses
- 3 min
- Adi Shankaracharya (per tradition)
- Best on Monday
Nagendraharaya Trilochanayaनागेन्द्रहाराय त्रिलोचनाय
Bhasmangaragaya Maheshvarayaभस्माङ्गरागाय महेश्वराय।
Nityaya Shuddhaya Digambarayaनित्याय शुद्धाय दिगम्बराय
Tasmai Nakaraya Namah Shivayaतस्मै नकाराय नमः शिवाय॥
To him who wears the king of serpents as a garland, the three-eyed one, whose body is smeared with sacred ash, the great Lord; the eternal, the pure, clothed only by the directions: to that Shiva, present in the syllable "Na", salutations.
- Nagendraharayawho wears the king of serpents as a garland
- Trilochanayathe three-eyed
- Bhasmangaragayawhose body is smeared with sacred ash
- Maheshvarayathe great Lord
- Nityayathe eternal
- Shuddhayathe pure
- Digambarayaclothed by the directions (sky-clad)
- Tasmaito him
- Nakarayaembodied in the syllable "Na"
- Namahsalutations
- Shivayato Shiva
Mandakini Salila Chandana Charchitayaमन्दाकिनीसलिलचन्दनचर्चिताय
Nandishvara Pramathanatha Maheshvarayaनन्दीश्वरप्रमथनाथमहेश्वराय।
Mandara Pushpa Bahupushpa Supujitayaमन्दारपुष्पबहुपुष्पसुपूजिताय
Tasmai Makaraya Namah Shivayaतस्मै मकाराय नमः शिवाय॥
To him who is anointed with the waters of the heavenly Ganga and with sandal paste, the great Lord of Nandi and of the pramatha hosts; who is worshipped with mandara and many other flowers: to that Shiva, present in the syllable "Ma", salutations.
- Mandakini Salila Chandana Charchitayaanointed with the waters of the Ganga (Mandakini) and sandal paste
- Nandishvara Pramathanatha Maheshvarayathe great Lord, master of Nandi and of the pramatha hosts
- Mandara Pushpa Bahupushpa Supujitayaworshipped with mandara and many other flowers
- Tasmaito him
- Makarayaembodied in the syllable "Ma"
- Namahsalutations
- Shivayato Shiva
Shivaya Gauri Vadanabja Vrindaशिवाय गौरीवदनाब्जवृन्द-
Suryaya Dakshadhvara Nashakayaसूर्याय दक्षाध्वरनाशकाय।
Shri Nilakanthaya Vrishadhvajayaश्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय
Tasmai Shikaraya Namah Shivayaतस्मै शिकाराय नमः शिवाय॥
To the auspicious one, the sun who makes the lotus face of Gauri bloom; the destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice; the glorious blue-throated Lord whose banner bears the bull: to that Shiva, present in the syllable "Shi", salutations.
- Shivayato the auspicious one
- Gauri Vadanabja Vrinda Suryayathe sun that makes the lotus face of Gauri (Parvati) bloom
- Dakshadhvara Nashakayadestroyer of Daksha's sacrifice
- Shri Nilakanthayathe blue-throated Lord
- Vrishadhvajayawhose banner bears the bull
- Tasmaito him
- Shikarayaembodied in the syllable "Shi"
- Namahsalutations
- Shivayato Shiva
Vasishtha Kumbhodbhava Gautamaryaवसिष्ठकुम्भोद्भवगौतमार्य-
Munindra Devarchita Shekharayaमुनीन्द्रदेवार्चितशेखराय।
Chandrarka Vaishvanara Lochanayaचन्द्रार्कवैश्वानरलोचनाय
Tasmai Vakaraya Namah Shivayaतस्मै वकाराय नमः शिवाय॥
To him whose crown is worshipped by the great sages Vasishtha, Agastya and Gautama and by the gods; whose three eyes are the moon, the sun and fire: to that Shiva, present in the syllable "Va", salutations.
- Vasishtha Kumbhodbhava Gautamarya MunindraVasishtha, Agastya (the pot-born), Gautama and other noble sages
- Devarchita Shekharayawhose crown is worshipped by them and by the gods
- Chandrarka Vaishvanara Lochanayawhose three eyes are the moon, the sun and fire
- Tasmaito him
- Vakarayaembodied in the syllable "Va"
- Namahsalutations
- Shivayato Shiva
Yakshasvarupaya Jatadharayaयक्षस्वरूपाय जटाधराय
Pinakahastaya Sanatanayaपिनाकहस्ताय सनातनाय।
Divyaya Devaya Digambarayaदिव्याय देवाय दिगम्बराय
Tasmai Yakaraya Namah Shivayaतस्मै यकाराय नमः शिवाय॥
To him who took the form of a Yaksha, who bears matted locks and holds the Pinaka bow, the eternal one; the divine, the shining God, clothed only by the directions: to that Shiva, present in the syllable "Ya", salutations.
- Yakshasvarupayawho took the form of a Yaksha
- Jatadharayabearer of matted locks
- Pinakahastayawho holds the Pinaka bow
- Sanatanayathe eternal, the ancient one
- Divyayathe divine
- Devayathe shining God
- Digambarayaclothed by the directions
- Tasmaito him
- Yakarayaembodied in the syllable "Ya"
- Namahsalutations
- Shivayato Shiva
Panchaksharamidam Punyam Yah Pathet Shivasannidhauपञ्चाक्षरमिदं पुण्यं यः पठेच्छिवसन्निधौ।
Shivalokam Avapnoti Shivena Saha Modateशिवलोकमवाप्नोति शिवेन सह मोदते॥
Whoever recites this sacred hymn of the five syllables in the presence of Shiva attains the abode of Shiva and rejoices there with Shiva.
- Panchaksharamthis hymn on the five syllables
- Idamthis
- Punyamholy, merit-giving
- Yahwhoever
- Pathetrecites
- Shivasannidhauin the presence of Shiva
- Shivalokamthe abode of Shiva
- Avapnotiattains
- Shivenawith Shiva
- Sahatogether
- Modaterejoices
The phalashruti is given in sanskritdocuments.org and most Hindi prints; some South Indian editions end at verse 5.
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Questions
What does "Panchakshar" mean?
"Pancha" is five and "akshara" is syllable. The panchakshari mantra is "Namah Shivaya", made of five syllables: Na, Mah, Shi, Va, Ya. The stotra gives one verse to each syllable.
Who composed the Shiv Panchakshar Stotram?
Tradition says Adi Shankaracharya, the eighth-century teacher of Advaita Vedanta, and the colophon in the standard texts names him. Several other Shiva hymns are also credited to him, such as the Shivananda Lahari and the Shiva Aparadha Kshamapana Stotram.
When should the Panchakshar Stotram be recited?
While offering water, milk or bilva leaves to the Shiva Linga, especially on Mondays, at Pradosh, in Shravan and on Maha Shivratri. The phalashruti asks you to recite it in Shiva's presence, so a temple or your home shrine is the usual place. Many devotees follow it with 108 repetitions of "Om Namah Shivaya".
Source and review
Source: Shiva Panchakshara Stotram, sanskritdocuments.org (doc_shiva/panch, encoded and translated by Anand Hudli) and "Prabhata Stotranidhi" (stotranidhi.com, Devanagari); both carry the colophon naming Shri Shankaracharya
Variants: v2 line 1 "मन्दाकिनि" (short i) in sanskritdocuments vs "मन्दाकिनी" in stotranidhi (we use "मन्दाकिनी"); v2 line 3 "मन्दारपुष्पबहुपुष्पसुपूजिताय" (sanskritdocuments, and the most widely sung form) vs "मन्दारमुख्यबहुपुष्पसुपूजिताय" (stotranidhi); sanskritdocuments also records "मकारमहिताय" for "मकाराय". v3 "वृन्द" (sanskritdocuments) vs "बृन्द" (stotranidhi). stotranidhi omits the phalashruti; we give it from sanskritdocuments, with "पञ्चाक्षर" for "पंचाक्षर" (same word).
We checked the text line by line against the sources named here. The meanings are an AI-assisted draft. A scholar has not reviewed them yet.
The meanings are our own first draft. A scholar has not reviewed them yet. If you spot a mistake, please tell us.