Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

अकारश्चाप्युकारोयं मकाराश्च त्रयं क्रमात् । तिस्रो मात्रास्समाख्याता अर्द्धमात्रा ततः परम्

Transliteration

akāraścāpyukāroyaṃ makārāśca trayaṃ kramāt | tisro mātrāssamākhyātā arddhamātrā tataḥ param

Translation

In rechter Ordnung sind ‘a’, ‘u’ und ‘m’—diese drei werden als die drei Mātrās (Klangmaße) von Oṃ erklärt; jenseits davon ist die Halb‑Mātrā, die feine Transzendenz, die darauf folgt.

Word by Word

अकारःthe letter ‘a’

चand

अपिalso

उकारःthe letter ‘u’

अयम्this

मकाराःthe letter(s) ‘ma’

चand

त्रयम्a set of three

क्रमात्in sequence; step by step

तिस्रःthree

मात्राःmeasures; mātrās

समाख्याताःare called; are designated

अर्द्धमात्राthe half-mātrā

ततःthereafter; then

परम्beyond; subsequent

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching in the Kailāsa Saṃhitā, a philosophical discourse context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ = a + u + m (+ arddhamātrā)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines Oṃ as three articulated mātrās—A, U, M—culminating in the arddha-mātrā, indicating the move from expressed sound to the silent, subtle awareness where Pati (Śiva) is realized beyond pasha and pashu.

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

In Śaiva practice, Oṃ supports saguna upāsanā (worship with form) by steadying mind and breath; the half-mātrā points to the linga’s deeper import—Śiva as the formless ground (nirguṇa) transcending the manifested syllables while still being approached through them.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa and dhyāna on Oṃ: contemplate A–U–M in sequence, then rest attention in the arddha-mātrā (the quiet after sound), aligning breath and mind before or alongside Panchākṣarī (Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya) recitation.