Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 42

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

ओंकारप्रभवं मंत्रं कलापंचकसंयुतम् । शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशं शुभाष्टत्रिंशदक्षरम्

Transliteration

oṃkāraprabhavaṃ maṃtraṃ kalāpaṃcakasaṃyutam | śuddhasphaṭikasaṃkāśaṃ śubhāṣṭatriṃśadakṣaram

Translation

Né de la syllabe sacrée Oṃ, ce mantra—pourvu des cinq kalās—brille de la pureté d’un cristal sans défaut et se compose de trente-huit syllabes auspiciennes.

Word by Word

• ओंकारप्रभवम्: originating from Oṃkāra
• ओंकारप्रभवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ओंकार + प्रभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ओंकारात् प्रभवः यस्य)

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कलापञ्चकसंयुतम्: joined with the set of five kalās
• कलापञ्चकसंयुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कला + पञ्चक + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कलानां पञ्चकं तेन संयुतम्)

• शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशम्: resembling pure crystal
• शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध + स्फटिक + संकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय (शुद्ध-स्फटिकवत् संकाशः)

• शुभाष्टत्रिंशदक्षरम्: auspicious, consisting of thirty-eight syllables
• शुभाष्टत्रिंशदक्षरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ + अष्टत्रिंशत् + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (अष्टत्रिंशद्-अक्षरम् = 38-syllabled) with विशेषण शुभ

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: The verse’s oṃkāra-prabhava mantra naturally evokes Oṃkāra as Śiva’s self-manifest sign; in later sthala traditions, the liṅga is revered as arising from/identified with Oṃkāra on the Narmadā’s island, making mantra and liṅga mutually revelatory.

Significance: Darśana and japa centered on Oṃkāra are held to purify speech and mind, strengthen mantra-siddhi, and dispose the devotee toward Śiva’s anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃkāraprabhavaṃ maṃtraṃ kalāpaṃcakasaṃyutam | śuddhasphaṭikasaṃkāśaṃ śubhāṣṭatriṃśadakṣaram

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-mantra is not merely sound but a divine revelation arising from Oṃ, intrinsically pure and auspicious; such mantra-upāsanā refines consciousness toward Shiva (Pati) and supports liberation.

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

In Rudra Samhita’s worship framework, mantra born of Oṃ is a primary means to approach Saguna Shiva in devotion; it sanctifies the worshipper’s mind and makes external worship (including Linga-upāsanā) inwardly effective.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa and dhyāna of an Oṃ-origin mantra with disciplined purity (śuddhi) is implied—performed with steady repetition, clear pronunciation of syllables, and a mind made “crystal-like” through devotion and restraint.