Shloka 21
द्वादशज्योतिर्लिङ्गावतारकथनम्
Account of the Twelve Jyotirliṅga Manifestations
प्रणवे चैव चोंकारनामासील्लिंगमुत्तमम् । परमेश्वरनामासीत्पार्थिवश्च मुनीश्वर
praṇave caiva coṃkāranāmāsīlliṃgamuttamam | parameśvaranāmāsītpārthivaśca munīśvara
മുനീശ്വരാ, പ്രണവമായ ‘ഓം’യിൽ ‘ഓങ്കാര’ എന്ന നാമത്തോടെ ഉത്തമലിംഗം നിലനിന്നിരുന്നു; പാർത്ഥിവ (പ്രകട) രൂപം ‘പരമേശ്വര’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധമായി.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Ishana
Jyotirlinga: Oṃkāreśvara
Sthala Purana: Identifies the supreme liṅga as present in the Praṇava itself, named Oṃkāra; alongside it, an earthly/manifest counterpart is named Parameśvara—echoing the tradition of Oṃkāreśvara with an associated liṅga (often paired as Oṃkāreśvara–Amareshvara/Parameśvara in local telling).
Significance: Darśana of Oṃkāra-liṅga is held to align the devotee with Praṇava-consciousness and grant both purification and liberation-oriented merit.
Mantra: Oṃ (Praṇava)
Type: gayatri
Role: teaching
FAQs
It identifies the Praṇava (Oṃ) as the supreme indicator (Liṅga) of Śiva—pointing to the transcendent (nirguṇa) reality—while also affirming Śiva’s approachable lordship as Parameśvara in manifest form for devotion and liberation.
It links Liṅga worship to two complementary levels: Oṃkāra as the subtle, formless sign of Śiva, and Parameśvara as the worshipful, manifest Lord—showing that saguna upāsanā leads the devotee toward nirguṇa realization.
Japa and contemplation of Oṃ (Praṇava) alongside Śiva-mantra practice (such as the Panchākṣarī, ‘Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya’) while worshipping the Liṅga as Parameśvara—uniting inner meditation with outer pūjā.