Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 35

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

ओकारश्च तथौकारो दन्तपंक्तिद्वयं क्रमात् । अमस्तु तालुनी तस्य देवदेवस्य शूलिनः

Transliteration

okāraśca tathaukāro dantapaṃktidvayaṃ kramāt | amastu tālunī tasya devadevasya śūlinaḥ

Translation

ക്രമമായി ‘ഓ’യും ‘ഔ’യും രണ്ട് ദന്തനിരകൾ; ‘അം’ ധ്വനി ദേവദേവനായ ശൂലധാരിയുടെ രണ്ട് താലുക്കളായി പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ओकारः: the letter/sound o
• ओकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• औकारः: the letter/sound au
• औकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• दन्तपङ्क्तिद्वयम्: the two rows of teeth
• दन्तपङ्क्तिद्वयम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त + पङ्क्ति + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दन्तानां पङ्क्तिः) + द्वय (twofold)

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन used adverbially (instrumental of manner): 'in order/ क्रमशः'

• अम्: the sound 'aṃ' (anusvāra)
• अम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् वर्णनाम; प्रथमा एकवचन (as phoneme-name)

• तु: but/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• तालुनी: in the two palates
• तालुनी: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तालु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), द्विवचन; 'in the two palates' (dual)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'देवानां देवः'

• शूलिनः: of the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलिनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara

Sthala Purana: The verse foregrounds o/au and aṃ as sacred phonemes of the Lord; by later tīrtha-theology, Oṃkāra is especially associated with Śiva’s presence as Oṃkāreśvara, where the praṇava is worshipped as liṅga.

Significance: Worship of Śiva as praṇava-svarūpa; merit through japa/abhisheka and contemplation of Oṃ as Śiva’s body.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Phonemic cosmology: o/au/aṃ as structural powers within the Lord’s manifest form (creation through śabda).

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred sound (nāda/varṇa) is not merely linguistic but a divine embodiment: specific phonemes are contemplated as parts of Śiva, helping the devotee internalize the Lord through mantra-aware meditation.

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

Just as the Liṅga is a tangible support for worship, these phonetic correspondences provide a subtle support (saguṇa-upāsanā through sound), enabling devotees to worship Śiva through mantra as a living form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa and dhyāna on Oṃ and Śiva-mantras with mindful articulation—contemplating the sounds as Śiva’s presence—supports concentration and devotion, especially when paired with traditional Śaiva disciplines like bhasma and Rudrākṣa (where practiced).