Shloka 18
पञ्चकृत्यलक्षणनिर्णयः
Definition of Śiva’s Five Cosmic Acts—Pañcakṛtya
अकार उत्तरात्पूर्वमुकारः पश्चिमाननात् । मकारो दक्षिणमुखाद्बिंदुः प्राण्मुखतस्तथा
akāra uttarātpūrvamukāraḥ paścimānanāt | makāro dakṣiṇamukhādbiṃduḥ prāṇmukhatastathā
The syllable “A” is to be contemplated from the northern side, facing the east; the syllable “U” from the western face; the syllable “M” from the southern face; and likewise the bindu (the nasal point of Oṃ) from the eastern face. Thus one should meditate upon the Praṇava in the Liṅga’s directional faces.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Vidyeshvara teachings to the sages of Naimisharanya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha
Sthala Purana: Directional contemplation of Praṇava on the Liṅga’s faces accords with Kāśī’s Viśvanātha tradition where Śiva is worshipped as the cosmic Lord with all directions as His body and the Liṅga as axis mundi.
Significance: Meditating on A-U-M-bindu as per directions stabilizes mind (sthiti) and sacralizes space; Kāśī-darśana is famed for granting jñāna and mokṣa through Śiva’s grace.
Mantra: A-U-M + bindu (Oṃkāra components)
Type: gayatri
Offering: pushpa
FAQs
It teaches Praṇava-dhyāna (meditation on Oṁ) by mapping its parts (A-U-M and bindu) onto the Liṅga’s directional faces, showing that Shiva as Pati is realized through disciplined mantra-contemplation, not merely external ritual.
The Liṅga is treated as Saguna Shiva’s accessible form for worship, yet it points to Nirguna reality; contemplating Oṁ across the Liṅga’s faces integrates form-based worship with inner realization of Shiva’s all-pervading consciousness.
During Liṅga-pūjā or japa, mentally place and recite A-U-M with the bindu while visualizing the corresponding directions/faces of the Liṅga, steadying attention (dhyāna) alongside mantra (japa).