Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 18
शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman
मकाराख्यस्तु यो नित्यमनुग्रहकरोऽभवत् । मकाराख्यो विभुर्बीजी ह्यकारो बीज उच्यते
makārākhyastu yo nityamanugrahakaro'bhavat | makārākhyo vibhurbījī hyakāro bīja ucyate
Ce principe éternel, nommé « Ma », devint le dispensateur toujours gracieux de la faveur divine. Le Seigneur omniprésent, désigné comme « Ma », est la source porteuse de la semence (bīja) ; et la syllabe « A » est aussi proclamée semence (bīja).
Suta Goswami (narrating the Rudrasaṃhitā teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Mantra: मकाराख्यस्तु यो नित्यमनुग्रहकरोऽभवत् । मकाराख्यो विभुर्बीजी ह्यकारो बीज उच्यते
Role: liberating
Cosmic Event: pre-creational causal doctrine of bīja (phonemic seed)
FAQs
It highlights that creation and liberation are rooted in Shiva’s anugraha (grace), expressed through mantra-seeds (bīja) like ‘Ma’ and ‘A’, pointing to Shiva as the all-pervading source who awakens the soul through sacred sound.
In Saguna worship, Shiva is approached through tangible supports like the Liṅga and audible supports like mantra; this verse frames specific syllables as Shiva’s power in sound-form, making mantra-japa a direct mode of Liṅga-centered devotion and grace.
Mantra-japa focusing on bīja-syllables—especially within the Panchākṣarī stream (“Namaḥ Śivāya”)—performed with bhakti and purity, as a grace-invoking practice aligned with Shaiva Siddhanta.