Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 42

प्रणवविभागः—वेदस्वरूपत्वं लिङ्गे च प्रतिष्ठा

The Division of Oṃ, Its Vedic Forms, and Its Placement in the Liṅga

Devanagari script

समस्तं व्यस्तमपि च प्रणवार्थं प्रचक्षते । सवार्थवाचकं तस्मादेकं ब्रह्मैतदक्षरम्

Transliteration

samastaṃ vyastamapi ca praṇavārthaṃ pracakṣate | savārthavācakaṃ tasmādekaṃ brahmaitadakṣaram

Translation

അവർ പ്രണവം (ഓം) എന്നതിന്റെ അർത്ഥം സമസ്തരൂപത്തിലും വ്യസ്ത (വിഭക്ത) വിശകലനത്തിലും പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു. അതുകൊണ്ട് സർവാർത്ഥവാചകമായ ഈ അക്ഷരം ഏക ബ്രഹ്മം തന്നെയാണ്.

Word by Word

• समस्तम्: the collective/whole
• समस्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण

• व्यस्तम्: the separate/individual
• व्यस्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: also / even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

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

• प्रणव-अर्थम्: the meaning of Praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणव-अर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: प्रणवस्य अर्थः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रचक्षते: they declare / they describe
• प्रचक्षते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सर्व-अर्थ-वाचकम्: denoting all meanings
• सर्व-अर्थ-वाचकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + वाचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वेषाम् अर्थानां वाचकम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा-समर्थः (predicate adjective)

• तस्मात्: therefore / from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• अक्षरम्: the imperishable syllable
• अक्षरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; ब्रह्मणः विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: ॐ (Praṇava)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This verse elevates Oṁ (Praṇava) as the imperishable sound-symbol of the Supreme Reality; in Shaiva understanding, meditating on Oṁ leads the bound soul (paśu) toward recognition of the Supreme Lord (Pati) beyond all limiting bonds (pāśa).

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

Oṁ is treated as a universal indicator of the Supreme, and in Linga-worship it functions as the seed-sound that sanctifies mantra and pūjā—supporting Saguna devotion while pointing the mind toward the transcendent (nirguṇa) Shiva-Brahman.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice japa and contemplation of Oṁ—either as a single unified sound (samasta) or by reflective analysis of its components (vyasta)—as a means to internalize its all-signifying nature and steady the mind in Shiva-oriented yoga.