Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

अतिसूक्ष्मं महार्थं च ज्ञेयं तद्वटबीजवत् । वेदादि वेदसारं च मद्रूपं च विशेषतः

Transliteration

atisūkṣmaṃ mahārthaṃ ca jñeyaṃ tadvaṭabījavat | vedādi vedasāraṃ ca madrūpaṃ ca viśeṣataḥ

Translation

それ（至上の実在）は、バニヤンの種子のごとく、きわめて微細でありながら大いなる意義を宿すと知れ。それはヴェーダの始まりであり、またヴェーダの精髄でもある。とりわけそれは、我が本性であり我が姿そのものである。

Word by Word

• अतिसूक्ष्मम्: extremely subtle
• अतिसूक्ष्मम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अति सूक्ष्मम् = extremely subtle)

• महार्थम्: of great meaning
• महार्थम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् अर्थः यस्य/महान् अर्थः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• ज्ञेयम्: to be known
• ज्ञेयम्: Pradhāna (प्रधान; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be known’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म; object of knowing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (refers to praṇava/mantra)

• वटबीजवत्: like a banyan seed
• वटबीजवत्: Upamāna (उपमान; simile adjunct)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वट + बीज + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रत्ययान्त तद्धितान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान-निर्देश (like the seed of a banyan)

• वेदादि: beginning with the Veda, etc.
• वेदादि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘वेदः आदिः यस्य’/‘वेदादि = beginning with the Veda’ (आदि-तत्पुरुष)

• वेदसारम्: the essence of the Veda
• वेदसारम्: Pradhāna (प्रधान; predicate/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य सारः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• मद्रूपम्: of my form
• मद्रूपम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद् + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मम रूपम्/मद्रूप = of my form)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• विशेषतः: especially, in particular
• विशेषतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: ॐ (प्रणवः)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vedas

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva—the Pati (Lord)—is simultaneously subtle (beyond sense and thought) and infinitely meaningful, containing the whole universe in potential, like a banyan seed. This points to Shiva as the inner essence behind scripture and experience, to be realized rather than merely debated.

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

By describing the Supreme as extremely subtle yet the Vedic essence, the verse supports Linga worship as a sacred focus for the subtle, formless truth. The Linga functions as a Saguna support through which the seeker approaches the Nirguna depth of Shiva’s reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the Veda-sāra (essence of all sacred knowledge) through japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and steady contemplation on the subtle presence symbolized by the Linga, cultivating inwardness and discrimination (viveka).