Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 22
ओंकार-परमेश-लिङ्गकथा — The Narrative of the Oṃkāra Parameśa Liṅga
Gokarṇa–Vindhya Episode
ॐ कारं चैव यल्लिंगमेकं तच्च द्विधा गतम् । प्रणवे चैव ओंकारनामासीत्स सदाशिवः
oṃ kāraṃ caiva yalliṃgamekaṃ tacca dvidhā gatam | praṇave caiva oṃkāranāmāsītsa sadāśivaḥ
Aquel único Liṅga, que es la sílaba Oṁ, en verdad se volvió doble. En el Praṇava, el llamado “Oṅkāra” no es otro que el mismo Sadāśiva.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara
Sthala Purana: The liṅga identified with Praṇava (Oṁ) manifests as ‘Oṅkāra’; the narrative frames a self-manifest sign of Śiva whose very essence is the praṇava, later revered as Oṃkāreśvara.
Significance: Darśana of the praṇava-svarūpa liṅga is held to grant both spiritual clarity and liberation-oriented merit; worship aligns the devotee with Śiva as the source of mantra and meaning.
Mantra: ॐ (Praṇava)
Type: gayatri
Role: teaching
FAQs
It identifies the Praṇava (Oṁ) as the supreme Liṅga—Śiva’s most subtle ‘mark’—and declares that Sadāśiva is present as Oṅkāra itself, making Oṁ a direct support for contemplation of the Supreme.
The verse links the visible Liṅga worship to its inner source: Oṁ as the subtle Liṅga. Thus, external Liṅga-pūjā (saguṇa support) is grounded in the inner Praṇava (subtle, nearer to nirguṇa realization), both leading toward Sadāśiva.
Meditate on and chant Oṁ (Praṇava-japa) while mentally recognizing it as Sadāśiva’s Liṅga; this can be paired with standard Śaiva practice such as offering water to the Liṅga and concluding with japa of “Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.”