Shloka 1

विष्णुरुवाच—एकाक्षर-प्रणव-लिङ्ग-व्याप्ति-शिवस्तोत्रम्

Devanagari script

विष्णुर् उवाच एकाक्षराय रुद्राय अकारायात्मरूपिणे उकारायादिदेवाय विद्यादेहाय वै नमः

Transliteration

viṣṇur uvāca ekākṣarāya rudrāya akārāyātmarūpiṇe ukārāyādidevāya vidyādehāya vai namaḥ

Translation

विष्णुरुवाच—एकाक्षराय रुद्राय अकारायात्मरूपिणे। उकारायादिदेवाय विद्यादेहाय वै नमः॥

Word by Word

• viṣṇuḥ uvāca: Viṣṇu said

• ekākṣarāya: to the One-syllabled (Om/Pranava)

• rudrāya: to Rudra (Śiva as Pati)

• akārāya: to the letter ‘A’

• ātma-rūpiṇe: whose form is the Self/inner reality

• ukārāya: to the letter ‘U’

• ādi-devāya: to the primordial Lord of the gods

• vidyā-dehāya: whose body is Knowledge/Consciousness

• vai: indeed

• namaḥ: salutation

Speaker

Vishnu

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames Rudra (Śiva) as the Pranava (the one-syllabled Om), implying that Linga-worship is ultimately worship of the formless Pati as Consciousness, approached through sacred sound and its meanings.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva is identified as Ekākṣara (Om) and as Vidyā itself—Self-luminous awareness—showing Pati as the primordial source beyond pasha (bondage) and the inner Self of all beings.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Pranava-japa and contemplation on A-U (as aspects of Om) are implied as a Shaiva upāya: meditating on Śiva as ātma-rūpa and vidyā-deha to loosen pasha and orient the pashu toward liberation.