Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

तस्माद्वेदादिरेवाहं प्रणवो मम वाचकः । वाचकत्वान्ममैषोऽपि वेदादिरिति कथ्यते

Transliteration

tasmādvedādirevāhaṃ praṇavo mama vācakaḥ | vācakatvānmamaiṣo'pi vedādiriti kathyate

Translation

Therefore, I alone am the very beginning of the Vedas; the Praṇava (Oṃ) is the sign that denotes Me. Because it serves as My denoter, this Praṇava too is spoken of as “the beginning of the Vedas.”

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Apādāna/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that)

• वेदादिः: Veda as the beginning; ‘Veda-first’
• वेदादिः: Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वेदः आदिः यस्य/वेदः आदिः = beginning as Veda / Veda-first)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (indeed/only)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• प्रणवः: Praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• वाचकः: designator; denoter
• वाचकः: Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाचकत्वात्: because of (its) being a denoter
• वाचकत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाचकत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (because of denotative-ness)

• मम: of me; my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Prayojaka-nipāta (प्रयोजक-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• वेदादिः: Veda-first; beginning with the Veda
• वेदादिः: Pratipādya (प्रातिपाद्य/predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Vākyānta-bodhaka (वाक्यान्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative)

• कथ्यते: is called; is said
• कथ्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate, passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कथ् (कथ्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (passive: is called/said)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: praṇava (oṃ) as mama vācakaḥ (Śiva-vācaka)

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Pranava (Om)
• Vedas

FAQs

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

It declares Śiva as the ultimate ground of revelation (Veda) and identifies Oṁ as the primary sacred sound that points to Him, making mantra-recitation a direct doorway to Śiva-realization.

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

Oṁ functions as the sonic form of Śiva: just as the Liṅga is a visible emblem of the formless Lord, the Praṇava is His audible emblem—supporting Saguna worship while leading the mind toward the Nirguṇa source.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa and dhyāna of Praṇava (Oṁ)—optionally joined with the Pañcākṣarī “Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a daily practice to steady the mind and orient consciousness toward Pati (Śiva).