Shloka 13

प्रणवमहिमा — The Greatness of the Praṇava (Om) as Śiva

Devanagari script

वर्णपंचकरूपोयमेवं प्रणव उद्धृतः । त्रिमात्रबिन्दुनादात्मा मुक्तिदो जपतां सदा

Transliteration

varṇapaṃcakarūpoyamevaṃ praṇava uddhṛtaḥ | trimātrabindunādātmā muktido japatāṃ sadā

Translation

هكذا أُعلن البرَنَفَا (أوم): فهو على هيئة الحروف الخمسة، وجوهره المَاتْرَات الثلاث مع البِندُو والنَّادَا. ومن يداوم على ترديده في الجَپَا نالَ الموكشا، أي التحرّر.

Word by Word

• वर्णपञ्चकरूपः: having the form of five letters
• वर्णपञ्चकरूपः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण + पञ्चक + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्णपञ्चकस्य रूपः)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• प्रणवः: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उद्धृतः: is extracted/derived
• उद्धृतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√हृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय (predicate)

• त्रिमात्रबिन्दुनादात्मा: whose essence is the three mātrās, the bindu and the nāda
• त्रिमात्रबिन्दुनादात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + मात्रा + बिन्दु + नाद + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (त्रयः मात्राः, बिन्दुः, नादः—एतेषां आत्मा/स्वरूपः)

• मुक्तिदः: giver of liberation
• मुक्तिदः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (मुक्तिं ददाति इति)

• जपताम्: of those who chant
• जपताम्: Sampradāna/Adhikāra (सम्प्रदान/अधिकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √जप् (धातु) + शतृ/शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle used substantively); षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘जपन्ति ये’

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: The liṅga is identified with Oṃkāra; worship of Śiva as the very praṇava grants siddhi and mokṣa—this verse supplies the doctrinal basis for seeing Oṃ as Śiva’s body (śabda-tanu).

Significance: Japa and contemplation of Oṃ as Śiva’s essence is held to purify mala and bestow liberation; the tīrtha emphasizes praṇava-upāsanā and liṅga-darśana.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: ॐ (Praṇava) — trimātrā-bindu-nādātmā

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It presents Oṁ as the liberating seed-sound whose subtle structure (A-U-M with bindu and nāda) leads the seeker toward Shiva-realization and moksha through steady japa.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In Shaiva Siddhanta, the Praṇava is Shiva’s sacred sonic form; japa purifies the pashu (individual soul) and prepares devotion and meditation that culminate in Linga-worship and inner union with Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Regular mantra-japa of Oṁ (Praṇava), done with attention to its three mātrās and the subtle bindu-nāda resonance, as a daily discipline aimed at purification and liberation.