Shloka 51

Adhyaya 17: लिङ्गोद्भव—ब्रह्मविष्ण्वहङ्कार-शमनं, ओंकार-प्रादुर्भावः, मन्त्र-तत्त्वं च

Devanagari script

आद्यवर्णमकारं तु उकारं चोत्तरे ततः मकारं मध्यतश्चैव नादान्तं तस्य चौमिति

Transliteration

ādyavarṇamakāraṃ tu ukāraṃ cottare tataḥ makāraṃ madhyataścaiva nādāntaṃ tasya caumiti

Translation

Der erste Laut ist „A“, darauf folgt „U“; „M“ steht in der Mitte und mündet in nāda, den feinen Nachklang. Dieses Ganze wird als „Om“ ausgesprochen—der Pranava, die Klanggestalt von Pati (Śiva), verehrt im Śaiva Siddhānta.

Word by Word

• ādya-varṇam: the first phoneme/sound

• akāram: the sound ‘A’

• tu: indeed

• ukāram: the sound ‘U’

• ca: and

• uttare tataḥ: thereafter/next in sequence

• makāram: the sound ‘M’

• madhyataḥ: in the middle

• ca eva: and indeed

• nāda-antam: ending in nāda (subtle resonance)

• tasya: of that (Pranava)

• ca: and

• om iti: as ‘Om’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching on Pranava to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Om (Pranava)
• Nada

FAQs

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

It anchors Linga-upāsanā in Pranava-sādhana: ‘Om’ (A-U-M with nāda) is presented as the sonic body of Pati (Śiva), making mantra-japa and nāda-anuśandhāna a core support for Linga-pūjā.

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

Śiva-tattva is indicated as transcending gross sound yet approachable as Pranava—moving from articulated letters (A-U-M) into subtle nāda, mirroring the ascent from pasha-bound pashu toward the supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Japa of ‘Om’ with contemplation of its stages—A, U, M, and the dissolving nāda—i.e., a Pāśupata-aligned meditative practice of inner resonance (nāda) supporting mantra and Linga-upāsanā.