Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 3
प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा
The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga
तदा विभक्तमभवच्चतुर्धैकं तदक्षरम् । अ उ मेति त्रिमात्राभिः परस्ताच्चार्धमात्रया
tadā vibhaktamabhavaccaturdhaikaṃ tadakṣaram | a u meti trimātrābhiḥ parastāccārdhamātrayā
នៅពេលនោះ ព្យាង្គអក្សរអមរភាពតែមួយនោះ បានបែងចែកជាបួនភាគ៖ ជា «អ, ឧ, ម» ក្នុងបីមាត្រា ហើយលើសពីវាទាំងបី គឺអರ್ಧមាត្រា ដែលលើសសំឡេង—បង្ហាញទៅកាន់ព្រះសិវៈ ព្រះបតីអតិបរមា ដែលត្រូវបានដឹងក្នុងភាពស្ងៀមក្រោយ «ಓṃ»។
Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīyasaṃhitā teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
FAQs
It explains Oṁ (praṇava) as the imperishable sound-form divided into A-U-M, culminating in the ardhamātrā—symbolizing the transcendence of all vibration and the direct realization of Śiva beyond mind and speech.
A-U-M supports Saguna worship through audible mantra and contemplative form, while the ardhamātrā indicates the Nirguna culmination—where the devotee’s awareness rests in Śiva as pure consciousness, the inner ‘liṅga’ of realization.
Japa and dhyāna on Oṁ: mentally contemplate A, U, M in sequence, then abide in the silence after the sound (ardhamātrā) as a meditative doorway to Śiva; this can be integrated with daily Śiva-pūjā and Mahāśivarātri mantra practice.