Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4
प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा
The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga
तत्राकारः श्रितो भागे ज्वलल्लिंगस्य दक्षिणे । उकारश्चोत्तरे तद्वन्मकारस्तस्य मध्यतः
tatrākāraḥ śrito bhāge jvalalliṃgasya dakṣiṇe | ukāraścottare tadvanmakārastasya madhyataḥ
Là, la syllabe « A » demeure au flanc sud du Liṅga flamboyant ; de même, la syllabe « U » se tient au flanc nord, et la syllabe « M » réside en son milieu.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava
Sthala Purana: The mapping of A-U-M onto the blazing liṅga evokes the liṅga as cosmic axis (liṅgodbhava motif), though not tied here to a named Jyotirliṅga shrine.
Significance: Meditative visualization (bhāvanā) of Praṇava on the liṅga’s directions is treated as a support for concentration and for piercing concealment (tirodhāna) through right knowledge.
Type: panchakshara
FAQs
It maps the sacred sound A-U-M onto the blazing Liṅga, teaching that Śiva as Pati is realized through mantra-awareness and inner contemplation of the Liṅga as living consciousness.
By assigning A, U, and M to regions of the Liṅga, the text gives a concrete (saguṇa) meditative support: worship is not only external offering but also sonic contemplation where Om is unified with the Liṅga-form of Śiva.
A simple upāsanā is to meditate on the Liṅga as radiant (jyoti), mentally placing “A” to the south, “U” to the north, and “M” in the center, culminating in silent absorption (nāda-to-niḥśabda) as a mantra-based dhyāna.