Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 46

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga

Devanagari script

एकाक्षरादुकाराख्याद्द्विधा विष्णुरुदीर्यते । एकाक्षरान्मकाराख्याच्छिवो रुद्र उदाहृतः

Transliteration

ekākṣarādukārākhyāddvidhā viṣṇurudīryate | ekākṣarānmakārākhyācchivo rudra udāhṛtaḥ

Translation

Aus der einen Silbe, die „U“ genannt wird, wird Viṣṇu in zweifacher Weise verkündet. Aus der einen Silbe, die „M“ genannt wird, wird Śiva als Rudra ausgerufen.

Word by Word

• ekākṣarāt: from the one syllable
• ekākṣarāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• ukāra-ākhyāt: called ‘u-kāra’
• ukāra-ākhyāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ukāra + ākhyāta/ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying ekākṣarāt

• dvidhā: in two ways
• dvidhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dvidhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• udīryate: is uttered/declared
• udīryate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-īr (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि प्रयोग), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• ekākṣarāt: from the one syllable
• ekākṣarāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• makāra-ākhyāt: called ‘ma-kāra’
• makāra-ākhyāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: makāra + ākhyāta/ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying ekākṣarāt

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); apposition to śivaḥ

• udāhṛtaḥ: is said/declared
• udāhṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-ā-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत्: क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicative with śivaḥ/rudraḥ

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: U (ukāra) and M (makāra) as components of Oṃ

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

The verse teaches a mantra-based metaphysics: specific seed-syllables (ukāra and makāra) are linked to divine functions, while affirming Śiva as Rudra— the transformative Lord who dissolves bondage (pāśa) and grants liberation in Shaiva Siddhanta terms (Pati as the liberator of paśu).

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

By identifying Śiva with the mantra-syllable “M,” the text supports Saguna worship through sound (nāda) and form: devotees approach Śiva-Rudra via japa and Linga-upāsanā, using mantra as a direct means to invoke the Lord’s grace (anugraha) embodied in the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice focused japa and contemplation on Oṃ and the Panchākṣarī (“Namaḥ Śivāya”), holding the awareness that makāra signifies Śiva-Rudra; this can be paired with traditional Shaiva aids like vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa while meditating on Śiva as the remover of bonds.