Shloka 63

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

Devanagari script

प्रणवं त्रिःप्रकारं तु ततस्तस्यार्थमादिशेत् । षड्विधार्थं परिज्ञानसहितं गुरुसत्तमः

Transliteration

praṇavaṃ triḥprakāraṃ tu tatastasyārthamādiśet | ṣaḍvidhārthaṃ parijñānasahitaṃ gurusattamaḥ

Translation

Dann soll der erhabenste Guru den Praṇava (Om) in seiner dreifachen Gestalt lehren und danach seine Bedeutung darlegen, zusammen mit klarer Verwirklichung seines sechsfachen Sinngehalts, damit der Schüler wahrhaft versteht.

Word by Word

• प्रणवम्: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• त्रिः-प्रकारम्: threefold
• त्रिः-प्रकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय/संख्या) + प्रकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: त्रिः प्रकारः यस्य (threefold)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थक

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-प्रयोगः (adverb: thereafter/from that)

• तस्य: of it/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अर्थम्: meaning
• अर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• आदिशेत्: should instruct/teach
• आदिशेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दिś् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• षड्-विध-अर्थम्: having sixfold meaning
• षड्-विध-अर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: षड्विधः अर्थः यस्य (having six kinds of meanings)

• परिज्ञान-सहितम्: together with thorough knowledge
• परिज्ञान-सहितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + सहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (अर्थानुसार), द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: परिज्ञानेन सहितम् (accompanied by full understanding)

• गुरु-सत्तमः: the best teacher
• गुरु-सत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: गुरुषु सत्तमः (best of gurus)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ (praṇava) — taught in triḥprakāra and with ṣaḍvidhārtha (sixfold import) as mantra-śāstra preliminaries; pañcākṣarī (namaḥ śivāya) is typically grounded in praṇava in Śaiva Siddhānta pedagogy.

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It places liberation-oriented mantra-knowledge under disciplined guidance: Om is not merely recited, but taught with lived understanding, so the seeker moves from sound (śabda) to realized meaning (artha) under the Guru’s authority—central to Shaiva Siddhanta practice.

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

Om functions as a bridge between Saguna worship (such as Linga-pūjā with form and rites) and the subtler contemplation of Shiva as Pati beyond form; the Guru explains Om’s layered meanings so external worship matures into inner meditation on Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Guru-taught praṇava-japa and dhyāna: learn correct pronunciation and contemplation of Om, then practice steady repetition with meaning-awareness; it can be integrated with Linga worship, bhasma/tripuṇḍra observance, and daily Shaiva mantra discipline.