Shloka 46

उमामहेश्वरव्रतं—पञ्चाक्षरमन्त्रस्य माहात्म्यं, न्यासः, जपविधिः, सदाचारः, विनियोगः

Devanagari script

त्वदीयं प्रणवं विद्धि त्रिमात्रं प्लुतमुत्तमम् ओङ्कारस्य स्वरोदात्त ऋषिर्ब्रह्म सितं वपुः

Transliteration

tvadīyaṃ praṇavaṃ viddhi trimātraṃ plutamuttamam oṅkārasya svarodātta ṛṣirbrahma sitaṃ vapuḥ

Translation

Know this Pranava as Yours: the supreme Oṁ, prolonged in utterance and consisting of three mātrās. For that Oṅkāra, the accent is udātta; the seer is Brahmā; and its form is radiant white—signifying the pure light of Pati (Śiva) that frees the paśu from pāśa.

Word by Word

• त्वदीयम्: belonging to You (O Lord)

• प्रणवम्: the Pranava, sacred syllable Oṁ

• विद्धि: know (understand)

• त्रिमात्रम्: having three mātrās (A-U-M)

• प्लुतम्: prolonged (drawn out in recitation)

• उत्तमम्: supreme, highest

• ओङ्कारस्य: of Oṅkāra (Oṁ)

• स्वरः: Vedic accent/intonation

• उदात्तः: udātta (raised accent)

• ऋषिः: seer (ṛṣi) of the mantra

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā

• सितम्: white, pure

• वपुः: form, body, appearance

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating an internal Shaiva teaching on Pranava)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It links Linga-upāsanā to the Pranava (Oṁ) as Śiva’s own sonic form—recited as a three-mātrā, prolonged mantra—making Omkara the seed (bīja) contemplation behind Linga-pūjā.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati whose pure, luminous (white) form is expressed as Oṅkāra; meditating on this purity is a means for the paśu (soul) to loosen pāśa (bondage) through mantra-jñāna.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Vedic-correct japa/uccāraṇa of Oṁ with three mātrās and a prolonged (pluta) recitation, maintaining the proper udātta intonation—used as a Pāśupata-oriented mantra practice supporting inner absorption (dhyāna).