Shiva Purana — Kailasa Samhita, Shloka 15
प्रणवमहिमा — The Greatness of the Praṇava (Om) as Śiva
आद्यम्वर्णमकारं च उकारमुत्तरे ततः । मकारं मध्यतश्चैव नादांतं तस्य चोमिति
ādyamvarṇamakāraṃ ca ukāramuttare tataḥ | makāraṃ madhyataścaiva nādāṃtaṃ tasya comiti
इसका प्रथम वर्ण ‘अ’ है, फिर ‘उ’ आता है; मध्य में ‘म’ है और अंत में सूक्ष्म नाद है—इसी को ‘ॐ’ कहा जाता है।
Lord Shiva
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara
Sthala Purana: Oṃkāra is analyzed into its phonemic stages (A-U-M) culminating in nāda; this mirrors the shrine’s identity of liṅga with praṇava and supports contemplative worship as direct approach to Śiva.
Significance: Pilgrims contemplate Oṃkāra as Śiva’s subtle body; the phonemic meditation is treated as a mokṣa-sādhana and a purifier of speech and mind.
Mantra: अ-उ-म् … नादान्तम् … ॐ
Type: gayatri
Role: teaching
FAQs
It defines the Pranava “Om” as A-U-M culminating in nāda, pointing to Shiva as the inner sound-consciousness that leads the bound soul (paśu) toward liberation under the grace of Pati.
Om functions as the sonic form (śabda-liṅga) that supports Saguna worship—invocation, japa, and pūjā—while also guiding the mind inward to the subtler, formless realization beyond external marks.
Practice pranava-japa: recite Om with attentive awareness of A-U-M and then rest in the lingering nāda (inner resonance), using it as a yogic support for concentration and Shiva-remembrance.