Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 35

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

ओकारश्च तथौकारो दन्तपंक्तिद्वयं क्रमात् । अमस्तु तालुनी तस्य देवदेवस्य शूलिनः

Transliteration

okāraśca tathaukāro dantapaṃktidvayaṃ kramāt | amastu tālunī tasya devadevasya śūlinaḥ

Translation

وبحسب الترتيب، يُفهَم الصوتان «o» و«au» على أنهما صفّا الأسنان؛ ويُقال إن الصوت «aṃ» هو الحنكان—وهكذا (هذه الصور الصوتية) تتعلّق بإله الآلهة، شيفا حامل الرمح الثلاثي.

Word by Word

• ओकारः: the letter/sound o
• ओकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• औकारः: the letter/sound au
• औकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• दन्तपङ्क्तिद्वयम्: the two rows of teeth
• दन्तपङ्क्तिद्वयम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त + पङ्क्ति + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दन्तानां पङ्क्तिः) + द्वय (twofold)

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन used adverbially (instrumental of manner): 'in order/ क्रमशः'

• अम्: the sound 'aṃ' (anusvāra)
• अम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् वर्णनाम; प्रथमा एकवचन (as phoneme-name)

• तु: but/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• तालुनी: in the two palates
• तालुनी: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तालु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), द्विवचन; 'in the two palates' (dual)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'देवानां देवः'

• शूलिनः: of the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलिनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: The verse foregrounds o/au and aṃ as sacred phonemes of the Lord; by later tīrtha-theology, Oṃkāra is especially associated with Śiva’s presence as Oṃkāreśvara, where the praṇava is worshipped as liṅga.

Significance: Worship of Śiva as praṇava-svarūpa; merit through japa/abhisheka and contemplation of Oṃ as Śiva’s body.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Phonemic cosmology: o/au/aṃ as structural powers within the Lord’s manifest form (creation through śabda).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred sound (nāda/varṇa) is not merely linguistic but a divine embodiment: specific phonemes are contemplated as parts of Śiva, helping the devotee internalize the Lord through mantra-aware meditation.

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

Just as the Liṅga is a tangible support for worship, these phonetic correspondences provide a subtle support (saguṇa-upāsanā through sound), enabling devotees to worship Śiva through mantra as a living form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa and dhyāna on Oṃ and Śiva-mantras with mindful articulation—contemplating the sounds as Śiva’s presence—supports concentration and devotion, especially when paired with traditional Śaiva disciplines like bhasma and Rudrākṣa (where practiced).