Shloka 1

विष्णुरुवाच—एकाक्षर-प्रणव-लिङ्ग-व्याप्ति-शिवस्तोत्रम्

Devanagari script

विष्णुर् उवाच एकाक्षराय रुद्राय अकारायात्मरूपिणे उकारायादिदेवाय विद्यादेहाय वै नमः

Transliteration

viṣṇur uvāca ekākṣarāya rudrāya akārāyātmarūpiṇe ukārāyādidevāya vidyādehāya vai namaḥ

Translation

Viṣṇu sprach: Verehrung sei Rudra, der Einsilbige (Pranava); Verehrung sei Ihm als dem Laut „A“, dessen Gestalt das Selbst ist; Verehrung sei Ihm als dem Laut „U“, dem uranfänglichen Deva; und Verehrung sei Ihm, dessen Leib Vidyā ist—reines Wissen.

Word by Word

• viṣṇuḥ uvāca: Viṣṇu said

• ekākṣarāya: to the One-syllabled (Om/Pranava)

• rudrāya: to Rudra (Śiva as Pati)

• akārāya: to the letter ‘A’

• ātma-rūpiṇe: whose form is the Self/inner reality

• ukārāya: to the letter ‘U’

• ādi-devāya: to the primordial Lord of the gods

• vidyā-dehāya: whose body is Knowledge/Consciousness

• vai: indeed

• namaḥ: salutation

Speaker

Vishnu

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

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

It frames Rudra (Śiva) as the Pranava (the one-syllabled Om), implying that Linga-worship is ultimately worship of the formless Pati as Consciousness, approached through sacred sound and its meanings.

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

Śiva is identified as Ekākṣara (Om) and as Vidyā itself—Self-luminous awareness—showing Pati as the primordial source beyond pasha (bondage) and the inner Self of all beings.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Pranava-japa and contemplation on A-U (as aspects of Om) are implied as a Shaiva upāya: meditating on Śiva as ātma-rūpa and vidyā-deha to loosen pasha and orient the pashu toward liberation.