The Shiva Panchakshara Stotram is a five-verse hymn built around the five syllables of the mantra na-ma-shi-va-ya. Panchakshara simply means “five syllables”. Each verse describes Shiva through a string of epithets and ends by saluting one syllable in order: first na, then ma, shi, va and finally ya. Read together, the five verses spell out the mantra letter by letter.
In the printed edition this page comes from, the stotram is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. Scholars debate which of the many stotras that carry his name are really his, so the attribution is best taken as traditional. The verses are short and clear, which makes this a good first Sanskrit hymn for anyone who already knows the mantra.
Below you will find the Devanagari with a transliteration and the meaning of each verse, followed by notes on recitation, tradition and pronunciation. If you want the mantra itself and the way it is chanted, see Om Namah Shivaya.
The text, transliteration and meaning
Notice how the last line of each verse repeats the same pattern, with only the named syllable changing. That is the quickest way to memorise the hymn.
Verse 1: the syllable na
नागेन्द्रहाराय विलोचनाय
भस्माङ्गरागाय महेश्वराय ।
नित्याय शुद्धाय दिगम्बराय
तस्मै नकाराय नमः शिवाय ॥
Nagendraharaya vilochanaya
Bhasmangaragaya maheshvaraya
Nityaya shuddhaya digambaraya
Tasmai nakaraya namah shivaya
MeaningSalutation to Shiva, who wears the king of serpents as his garland, who has three eyes, whose body is smeared with ash, the great Lord, eternal, pure and sky-clad. To that syllable na, salutation to Shiva.
Verse 2: the syllable ma
मन्दाकिनीसलिलचन्दनचर्चिताय
नन्दीश्वरप्रमथनाथमहेश्वराय ।
मन्दारमुख्यबहुपुष्पसुपूजिताय
तस्मै मकारमहिताय नमः शिवाय ॥
Mandakinisalilachandanacharchitaya
Nandishvarapramathanathamaheshvaraya
Mandaramukhyabahupushpasupujitaya
Tasmai makaramahitaya namah shivaya
MeaningSalutation to Shiva, anointed with water of the heavenly river and with sandal paste, Lord of Nandi and of the host of attendants, worshipped with many flowers led by the mandara. To that syllable ma, honoured, salutation to Shiva.
Verse 3: the syllable shi
शिवाय गौरीवदनाब्जबृन्द-
सूर्याय दक्षाध्वरनाशकाय ।
श्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय
तस्मै शिकाराय नमः शिवाय ॥
Shivaya gaurivadanabjabrinda-
Suryaya dakshadhvaranashakaya
Shrinilakanthaya vrishadhvajaya
Tasmai shikaraya namah shivaya
MeaningSalutation to Shiva, who is the sun to the cluster of lotuses that is the face of Gauri, who destroyed Daksha's sacrifice, the blessed blue-throated one whose banner bears the bull. To that syllable shi, salutation to Shiva.
Verse 4: the syllable va
वसिष्टकुम्भोद्भवगौतमार्य-
मुनीन्द्रदेवार्चितशेखराय ।
चन्द्रार्कवैश्वानरलोचनाय
तस्मै वकारांय नमः शिवाय ॥
Vasishtakumbhodbhavagautamarya-
Munindradevarchitashekharaya
Chandrarkavaishvanaralochanaya
Tasmai vakaramya namah shivaya
MeaningSalutation to Shiva, whose crown is worshipped by the sages Vasishtha, Agastya and Gautama and by the gods, whose three eyes are the moon, the sun and fire. To that syllable va, salutation to Shiva.
Verse 5: the syllable ya
यक्षस्वरूपाय जटाधराय
पिनाकहस्ताय सनातनाय ।
दिव्याय देवाय दिगम्बराय
तस्मै यकाराय नम: शिवाय ॥
Yakshasvarupaya jatadharaya
Pinakahastaya sanatanaya
Divyaya devaya digambaraya
Tasmai yakaraya nama: shivaya
MeaningSalutation to Shiva, who took the form of a yaksha, who wears matted hair, holds the Pinaka bow, who is ancient, divine, a god, and sky-clad. To that syllable ya, salutation to Shiva.
Text: Sanskrit Wikisource, page “शिवपञ्चाक्षरस्तोत्रम्” (a transcription of the printed book शङ्कराचार्यविरचितानि स्तोत्राणि (प्रथमः भागः), pages 131 to 132). Transliteration is simplified; meanings are our own. Verse numbers appear as labels above each verse. The source shows the final syllable name in verse 4 with a stray mark; we show the text as it stands.
When and how it is traditionally recited
Because the hymn is so short, people tend to recite it as a unit, often at dawn after a bath or in the evening beside a lamp. Many devotees chant it on Mondays or before a linga, and it is a fixture on Maha Shivaratri. A single reading takes barely two minutes, which makes it easy to include in a daily routine.
Some families sing the five verses and then follow with a few rounds of the mantra Om Namah Shivaya on a mala. Others treat each verse as a prompt to reflect on one aspect of Shiva: his adornments, his companions, his compassion and so on. Customs differ, and no fixed count is laid down in the text.
What the tradition says it is for
The idea behind the hymn is that the mantra is not merely a name but five letters, each worth honouring. Tradition connects the syllables with the five elements, although this particular text does not state that, and different teachers draw different correspondences. The hymn’s own method is simpler: it gives each syllable a verse of praise.
The text mentions many well-known images of Shiva: the serpent garland, the bull banner, the Pinaka bow, the blue throat and the sages who worship him. They are used here as epithets rather than stories, so no background is needed to enjoy it.
This version of the stotram has no closing benefit verse, so there is no stated promise to report. It is offered as devotion, and it is not a substitute for medical, legal or financial advice. Dates for the major Shiva festival are on the Maha Shivaratri page.
Pronunciation notes
The five syllables are said na, ma, shi, va and ya. In the verses they appear as nakara, makara, shikara, vakara and yakara, each ending in kara, which just means “the letter”. The final line is read at an even pace: tasmai nakaraya namah shivaya.
Long vowels, as in nagendra and mandakini, last about twice as long as short ones. The sh in Shiva is soft, the v sits between an English v and w, and the ng in nagendra is a nasal blend before the d. The ya at the end is light and open, not a heavy yaa.
Related mantras and pages
- Om Namah Shivaya: the mantra these five verses explain
- Lingashtakam: eight verses to the linga with a refrain
- Rudrashtakam: a hymn of surrender to Shiva
- Shiva Tandava Stotram: a fast, long hymn to Shiva the dancer
- Maha Shivaratri: the main night of Shiva worship
- All mantras, stotras, chalisas and aartis
Frequently asked questions
↳ What does panchakshara mean?
Panchakshara means five syllables. In Shaiva tradition it names the mantra Namah Shivaya, whose five syllables are na, ma, shi, va and ya. This hymn gives one verse to each syllable.
↳ Who wrote the Shiva Panchakshara Stotram?
The printed edition the text comes from attributes it to Adi Shankaracharya. Scholars debate which stotras are truly his, so this is a traditional attribution rather than a settled fact.
↳ How long does it take to recite?
About two minutes at a gentle pace. That makes it one of the shortest complete Shiva hymns, and a handy one to learn first.
↳ What is the difference between this hymn and Om Namah Shivaya?
Om Namah Shivaya is the mantra itself, chanted on a mala. This stotram is a hymn of praise that honours its five syllables one by one. Many devotees use both, one after the other.
↳ Why does verse 4 look a little different in the transcription?
The source prints the syllable name in that verse with a stray mark. We show the text exactly as it stands, and the intended word is the syllable va.