Shloka 6
शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman
मकारं मध्यतश्चैव नादमंतेऽस्य चोमिति । सूर्यमंडलवद्दृष्ट्वा वर्णमाद्यं तु दक्षिणे
makāraṃ madhyataścaiva nādamaṃte'sya comiti | sūryamaṃḍalavaddṛṣṭvā varṇamādyaṃ tu dakṣiṇe
One should contemplate the syllable “ma” abiding in the middle, and its subtle resonance (nāda) at the end—thus as “Oṃ”. Seeing it like a radiant solar orb, one should place the first letter on the right (southern) side.
Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s teaching on Praṇava-dhyāna within the creation discourse)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Significance: Internal tīrtha: dhyāna of praṇava as solar orb is presented as a purifier of cognition, preparing the paśu for Śiva’s anugraha.
Mantra: Oṃ = A + U + M + nāda (subtle resonance at the end).
Type: gayatri
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches Praṇava-dhyāna: Oṃ is to be contemplated as a luminous, sun-like reality with an inner progression of sound ending in nāda, leading the mind from gross syllable to subtle vibration—an approach aligned with Shaiva Siddhānta’s inward turning toward Pati (Shiva).
The sun-orb visualization and placement of letters indicate a structured mantra-nyāsa and form-based contemplation (saguṇa upāsanā) that steadies awareness; through such ordered worship, the seeker approaches Shiva’s formless truth (nirguṇa) via the mantra’s subtle culmination in nāda.
Meditate on Oṃ by visualizing it as a radiant sphere, attending to its internal syllabic structure and ending resonance (nāda), and performing a letter-placement (varṇa-vinyāsa/nyāsa) as instructed—useful as a preparatory practice before japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”