Shloka 54

अध्याय 91: अरिष्ट-लक्षण, मृत्यु-संस्कार, पाशुपत-धारणा तथा ओङ्कार-उपासना

Devanagari script

अकारस् त्वेष भूर्लोक उकारो भुव उच्यते सव्यञ्जनो मकारस्तु स्वर्लोक इति गीयते

Transliteration

akāras tveṣa bhūrloka ukāro bhuva ucyate savyañjano makārastu svarloka iti gīyate

Translation

يُنشَد «أ» على أنه بُهور-لوكا (Bhūr-loka)، عالم الأرض. ويُعلَن «أُ» أنه بُهوفَر-لوكا (Bhuvar-loka)، الإقليم الأوسط لقوة الحياة. وأما «م»—مع رنين نطقه—فيُنشَد أنه سْفَر-لوكا (Svar-loka)، العالم السماوي المضيء.

Word by Word

• अकारः (akāraḥ): the syllable ‘A’

• तु (tu): indeed

• एष (eṣa): this

• भूर्लोकः (bhūrlokaḥ): Bhūr-loka, the terrestrial world

• उकारः (ukāraḥ): the syllable ‘U’

• भुवः (bhuvaḥ): Bhuvar-loka, the mid-world

• उच्यते (ucyate): is said/declared

• सव्यञ्जनः (savyañjanaḥ): with articulation/resonant utterance (with consonantal support)

• मकारः (makāraḥ): the syllable ‘M’

• तु (tu): and/indeed

• स्वर्लोकः (svarlokaḥ): Svar-loka, the heavenly world

• इति (iti): thus

• गीयते (gīyate): is sung/recited

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching on Pranava)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It maps the Pranava (A-U-M)—a primary sound-symbol of Shiva—onto the three lokas, guiding the devotee to worship the Linga as the axis of all realms and as the support of creation.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By identifying A-U-M with the entire tri-loka structure, the verse implies Shiva as Pati: the all-pervading ground of the worlds, while also transcending them as the source of the Pranava itself.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Japa and dhyāna on AUM with three-world visualization—contemplating ‘A’ as Bhūr, ‘U’ as Bhuvar, and ‘M’ as Svar—used in Shaiva puja and Pashupata-style inner worship (antar-yāga).