Shloka 29

प्रणवमहिमा — The Greatness of the Praṇava (Om) as Śiva

Devanagari script

नादे पंच समाख्याताः कला ईशानसंभवाः । षड्विधैक्यानुसंधानात्प्रपंचात्मकतोच्यते

Transliteration

nāde paṃca samākhyātāḥ kalā īśānasaṃbhavāḥ | ṣaḍvidhaikyānusaṃdhānātprapaṃcātmakatocyate

Translation

ナーダ（Nāda）のうちに、イーシャーナ（Śiva）より生じた五つのカーラー（Kalā）が説き明かされる。さらに六種の一体性を観想することにより、顕現する多様性の基盤となるがゆえに、これをプラパンチャ（prapañca）すなわち宇宙の性質を具えるものと称する。

Word by Word

• nāde: in the nāda (mystic sound)
• nāde: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of location)

• paṃca: five
• paṃca: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; यहाँ ‘कलाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• samākhyātāḥ: are declared / are called
• samākhyātāḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa / Vidheya (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√khyā (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; ‘कलाः’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative)

• kalāḥ: parts/kalās
• kalāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• īśāna-saṃbhavāḥ: arising from Īśāna
• īśāna-saṃbhavāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (īśānasya saṃbhavāḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘कलाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ṣaḍ-vidha-aikya-anusaṃdhānāt: from the contemplation of sixfold unity
• ṣaḍ-vidha-aikya-anusaṃdhānāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक) + aikya (प्रातिपदिक) + anusaṃdhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष); पुँ/नपुं, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादान/हेतु (ablative of cause)

• prapaṃca-ātmaka-taḥ: therefore/as being of the nature of manifestation
• prapaṃca-ātmaka-taḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prapaṃca (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्)
• Form: तसिलन्त-अव्यय (ablative adverb) ‘-तः’; ‘प्रपञ्चात्मक’ इत्यस्य तसिल्; कारणार्थे (because/therefore)

• ucyate: is said / is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Īśāna), teaching in the Kailāsa Saṃhitā context

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmogony through nāda: five kalās arise from Īśāna; ‘sixfold unity’ contemplation yields prapañca-appearance (manifest diversity).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Īśāna)
• Nāda
• Kalā

FAQs

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

It teaches that Nāda—Śiva’s subtle vibration—contains divine powers (kalās) and, when understood through unity-consciousness, reveals how the many arise from the One, guiding the seeker from multiplicity to Śiva-realization.

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

In Shaiva tradition, the Liṅga is a saguna support for the nirguna reality; Nāda and Kalā describe the inner, subtle process by which Śiva’s power appears as forms—so worship moves from form (Liṅga) to the recognition of Śiva as the source of all manifestation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Nāda-anusandhāna (meditation on inner sound) and contemplation of oneness (aikya) are implied—practices aligned with japa of Śiva-mantra and inward absorption, leading the mind from prapañca to Śiva.