Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 33

काम्यकर्मविभागः — Taxonomy of Kāmya (Desire-Motivated) Śaiva Rites

Devanagari script

ओंकाराख्यमयं चैव हंसशक्त्या समन्वितम् । तथेच्छात्मिकया शक्त्या समारूढांकमंडलम्

Transliteration

oṃkārākhyamayaṃ caiva haṃsaśaktyā samanvitam | tathecchātmikayā śaktyā samārūḍhāṃkamaṃḍalam

Translation

Il est, en vérité, de la nature même nommée Oṁ, et conjoint à la Haṁsa-Śakti ; de même, porté par la puissance de la Volonté (icchā-śakti), il tient sur son giron le maṇḍala rayonnant.

Word by Word

• ओंकार-आख्य-मयम्: consisting of (that) called Oṃkāra
• ओंकार-आख्य-मयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ओंकार (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘-मय’ = ‘consisting of’; आख्य = ‘named/called’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात

• हंस-शक्त्या: by/with Haṃsa-śakti
• हंस-शक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• समन्वितम्: endowed (with)
• समन्वितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+अन्वि (धातु) → समन्वित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘endowed/connected’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रिया-विशेषण (adverb): ‘likewise’

• इच्छा-आत्मिकया: by/with will-natured
• इच्छा-आत्मिकया: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; शक्तेः विशेषणम्

• शक्त्या: by/with power (Śakti)
• शक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• समारूढ-अङ्क-मण्डलम्: having the maṇḍala placed upon the lap/seat
• समारूढ-अङ्क-मण्डलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+आ+रुह् (धातु) → समारूढ (कृदन्त) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अङ्क’ = lap/seat; ‘mounted/placed upon the lap/seat’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: The verse’s oṃkāra-centric metaphysics resonates with the Omkāra-liṅga tradition: Śiva is contemplated as Oṃ itself, the source of mantra and tattva; in local sthala narratives, the liṅga is revered as self-manifested and especially potent for mantra-siddhi and inner awakening.

Significance: Mantra-japa and prāṇic contemplation (haṃsa) are believed to become steady; worship here is traditionally linked with purification of pāśa (bondage) through śiva-jñāna.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ (Oṃkāra); haṃsa (Haṃsa-mantra implied)

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti
• Om (Omkara)
• Hamsa

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva-tattva as manifesting through Oṁ (the primordial sound) and Śakti, especially the Haṁsa-principle linked with prāṇa, showing how consciousness and divine power unite as the basis for inner realization.

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

The verse points to a saguna focus for meditation: Oṁ as a perceivable support (ālambana) and the mandala as a visualized divine sphere—both used to approach the transcendent Śiva through mantra and inner iconography, akin to linga-upāsanā that uses form to reach the formless.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditation on Oṁ along with haṁsa (the natural mantra of the breath) is implied—linking inhalation/exhalation with awareness and offering the mind into Śiva-Śakti unity; this aligns with Shaiva mantra-japa and prāṇa-sādhana.