Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

अतस्तदेव जानीयात्प्रणवं सर्वकारणम् । निर्विकारी मुमुक्षुर्मां निर्गुणं परमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

atastadeva jānīyātpraṇavaṃ sarvakāraṇam | nirvikārī mumukṣurmāṃ nirguṇaṃ parameśvaram

Translation

ゆえに、ただプラナヴァ（オーム）こそが万有の根本原因であると知るべきである。解脱を求める者は変化を離れ、無属性（ニルグナ）の至上主パラメーシュヴァラたる我を悟れ。

Word by Word

• atas: therefore
• atas: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverbial particle (निपात/क्रियाविशेषण): 'therefore/then'

• tat: that
• tat: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निपात): 'indeed/only'

• jānīyāt: should know
• jānīyāt: Kriyā/Predicate (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• praṇavam: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• praṇavam: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarva-kāraṇam: the cause of all
• sarva-kāraṇam: Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); used adjectivally qualifying 'praṇavam'

• nirvikārī: unchanging
• nirvikārī: Viśeṣya/Predicate complement (विशेष्य/पूरक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-vikārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective (विशेषण)

• mumukṣuḥ: one desiring liberation
• mumukṣuḥ: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mumukṣu (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative-noun from √muc)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirguṇam: without qualities
• nirguṇam: Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying 'parameśvaram'

• parameśvaram: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaram: Karma/Object (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Oṁ (Praṇava) is the supreme causal principle and that liberation arises when the mumukṣu realizes Shiva as nirguṇa Parameśvara, beyond the guṇas and mental change.

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

Linga and saguna worship support concentration and devotion, but this verse points to the culmination: realizing the same Shiva as nirguṇa—formless, attributeless—through inner knowledge grounded in Praṇava.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa and contemplation of Oṁ (Praṇava) with steadiness (nirvikāratā), using it as a meditative support to transcend fluctuations and abide in Shiva-consciousness.