Though Paramaśiva Kāmēśvara Mahābhaṭṭāraka (who is referred to variously as Svacchandanātha, Nētra Bhaṭṭāraka, Navātmēśvara, Nr̥simhabhairava, Mahākāla, etc. by various traditions) can only be described through expressions such as śuddha, buddha, cidānanda, etc., he assumes a form (cinmayākāra) to aid contemplation by the upāsaka. The Pauṣkarāgama says:
साधकस्य तु लक्ष्यार्थं तस्य रूपमिदं स्मृतम् ||
sādhakasya tu lakṣyārtham tasya rūpamidam smr̥tam ||
While the īśānādi Pañcabrahma mantras are known to represent the five faces of Sadāśiva, they are also the five aṅgas of the transcendent Mahākāmēśvara:
तद्वपुः पञ्चभिर्मन्त्रैःपञ्चकृत्योपयोगिभिः ।
ईशतत्पुरुषाघोर-वामाजैर्मस्तकादिकम् ॥
tadvapuḥ pañcabhirmantraiḥpañcakr̥tyōpayōgibhiḥ |
īśatatpuruṣāghōra-vāmājairmastakādikam ||
On account of Kāmēśvara svarūpa being cinmaya or of the nature of pure consciousness, His organs are represented by these mantras. Thus, the divine form of the deity is mantrātmaka. It should also be understood that the word aṅga is simply a saṁjñā as explained later. As with everything else for the Divine Couple, the same is true in the case of Mahākāmēśvarī who is described as ‘mūlakūṭatrayakalēvarā’. The names śrīmadvāgbhavakūṭaika svarūpa-mukhapaṅkajā etc. embed in them the nyāsa saṅkēta as also the following verses which illustrate the five limbs of the Parama-puruṣa, who, in reality, is niṣkala. It may be noted that Mr̥gēndrādyāgamas trace the origin of the Pañcabrahma mantras to śuddha pañcākṣarī Mahāmantra.
The īśāna mantra represents the mastaka (head) of Paramaśiva.
ईष्टे येन जगत्सर्वं
गुणेनोपरिवर्तिना ।
स मूधसमदेशत्वात्
मूर्धा नावयवस्तनोः ||
īṣṭē yēna jagatsarvaṁ
guṇēnōparivartinā |
sa mūdhasamadēśatvāt
mūrdhā nāvayavastanōḥ ||
While we speak of limbs here, special attention must be repeatedly paid to the word: nāvayavastanōḥ. A venerable commentator on this verse further adds:
स उत्तमाङ्गवत् सर्वोर्ध्वस्थितत्वान्मूर्धेव मूर्धा, न परमार्थतो देहावयवः ||
sa uttamāṅgavat sarvōrdhvasthitatvānmūrdhēva mūrdhā, na paramārthatō dēhāvayavaḥ ||
This understanding should not be abandoned even for a minute while contemplating on mastakādyavayavas of the dēvatā mūrti, treating them as mere physical organs or parts.
The Tatpuruṣa mantra represents the face of Paramaśiva:
तस्य तस्य तनुर्या पू-
स्तस्यामुषति येन सः |
तत्राणाद्व्यञ्जनाच्चापि
स तत्पुरुषवक्त्रकः ॥
tasya tasya tanuryā pū-
stasyāmuṣati yēna saḥ |
tatrāṇādvyañjanāccāpi
sa tatpuruṣavaktrakaḥ ||
The Aghora mahāmantra represents the very heart of the Supreme:
हृदयं बोधपर्यायः
सोऽस्य घोरः शिवो यतः ।
परिग्रहस्य घोरत्वा-
दघोरोक्तिरुपचरतः ||
hr̥dayaṁ bōdhaparyāyaḥ
sō’sya ghōraḥ śivō yataḥ |
parigrahasya ghōratvā-
daghōrōktirupacarataḥ ||
The Vāmadēva mantra represents the guhya-dēśa of Kāmaśambhu:
वामस्त्रिवर्गवामत्वा-
द्रहस्यश्च स्वभावतः |
वामं धाम परं गुह्यं
यस्यासौ वामगुह्यकः ||
vāmastrivargavāmatvā-
drahasyaśca svabhāvataḥ |
vāmaṁ dhāma paraṁ guhyaṁ
yasyāsau vāmaguhyakaḥ ||
The mūrti or form of Paramēśvara is associated with the Sadyōjāta mantra:
सद्योऽणूनां मूर्तयः संभवन्ति
यस्येच्छातस्तेन सद्योऽभिधानः |
सद्यो मूर्तीर्योगिनां वा विधत्ते
सद्योमूर्तिः कृत्यशैघ्र्यान्न मूर्तेः||
sadyō’ṇūnāṁ mūrtayaḥ saṁbhavanti
yasyēcchātastēna sadyō’bhidhānaḥ |
sadyō mūrtīryōgināṁ vā vidhattē
sadyōmūrtiḥ kr̥tyaśaighryānna mūrtēḥ ||
The verses are self-explanatory and aid us in understanding the tattva behind the Pañcabrahma mahāmantras.