The ‘Panchakrityas’ are the Five Duties of Main Deities as prescribed by Lord Siva. The Lord as ParaSiva advised Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra, the Trinity, that all would all be of the same status. They are essentially of the manifestations of His origin would undertake the Lord’s assignments on His behalf. They would carry out ‘Panchakritya’ which are ‘Srishti’ meaning Creation, ‘Sthithi’ meaning Preservation, ‘Laya’ meaning Destruction, ‘Tirobhav’ meaning Concealment and Revival and ‘Anugraha’ meaning Providing Salvation.
Srishti would be performed by Lord Brahma, Sthithi by Lord Vishnu, and Laya by Lord Rudra. They would perform these tasks with the combined powers of their shaktis, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Uma. This leaves two remaining functions. So the fourth task, Tirobhav would be performed by Mahesa, who would be yet be Lord Siva’s fourth manifestation and finally the most significant task of Anugraha would be the exclusive dispensation by Lord Siva Himself. After defining the first four duties as ‘Sarga’ or Nature, Lord Siva taught the initial mantras of the Universe. The extraordinary potency of the recitation of His Mantras were revealed.
It was to the Trinity that the mighty power of the Omkara and Mantra OM and the Panchakshari Mantras were revealed and taught first. Om sums up all the Shaiva Siddhanta, the Vedas and scriptures. The Omkara and Panchaksari are the combined power of Himself as ParaShiva and ParaaShakti that that is all pervasive and omnipotent; Parashakti’s Bindu connects the three words A-U-M. The Omkara and Panchaksari emerge from Me and whoever recites this Mantra is always My own track, said the Lord: SHIVA PURANA.
Hara Hara Mahadeva.
Yogi Ananda Saraswati