Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga

Devanagari script

उपमन्युरुवाच । अथाविरभवत्तत्र सनादं शब्दलक्षणम् । ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म ब्रह्मणः प्रतिपादकम्

Transliteration

upamanyuruvāca | athāvirabhavattatra sanādaṃ śabdalakṣaṇam | omityekākṣaraṃ brahma brahmaṇaḥ pratipādakam

Translation

Upamanyu dit : Alors, en ce lieu se manifesta un son retentissant, dont la nature était vibration sacrée. C’était le Brahman d’une seule syllabe, « Om », qui proclame et révèle la Réalité suprême (Brahman).

Word by Word

• उपमन्युः: Upamanyu
• उपमन्युः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमन्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequencing particle)

• आविरभवत्: appeared
• आविरभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आविर् + भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: आ; अव्ययपूर्वक-धातु: आविर्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• सनादम्: with sound
• सनादम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समास: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सह नादेन = with sound)

• शब्दलक्षणम्: a characteristic/sign of sound
• शब्दलक्षणम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शब्दस्य लक्षणम् = a mark/characteristic of sound)

• ओम्: Om
• ओम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quoted form)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ओम् (अव्यय/प्रणव-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रणव (sacred syllable)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• एकाक्षरम्: single-syllabled
• एकाक्षरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (one-syllabled)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• प्रतिपादकम्: that which expounds/indicates
• प्रतिपादकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति + पद् (धातु) + ण्वुल् → प्रतिपादक (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; कृदन्त: ण्वुल्-प्रत्यय (agentive/instrumental sense)

Speaker

Upamanyu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ (ekākṣara-brahma)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Nāda-manifestation (śabda-brahman) as revelatory epiphany

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Om

FAQs

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

It presents Om (Praṇava) as the primordial, resonant revelation of the Supreme—pointing the seeker from audible sacred vibration (nāda) toward realization of Brahman/Paramashiva.

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

In Shaiva Siddhanta, Om functions as a bridge: from sound-symbol to the Lord’s presence. It supports Saguna worship (Linga, mantra-japa) while indicating the transcendent Supreme that the Linga signifies.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Praṇava-japa and nāda-anusandhāna (meditative tracing of inner sound), often as the opening of Shiva-mantra practice—beginning with Om and settling the mind for devotion and insight.