Shloka 27

प्रणवमहिमा — The Greatness of the Praṇava (Om) as Śiva

Devanagari script

अष्टौ कलास्समाख्याता अकारे सद्यजाश्शिवे । उकारे वामरूपिण्यस्त्रयोदश समीरिताः

Transliteration

aṣṭau kalāssamākhyātā akāre sadyajāśśive | ukāre vāmarūpiṇyastrayodaśa samīritāḥ

Translation

Sa pantig na “A”, walong kalā (banal na kapangyarihan) ang ipinahayag—na ukol kay Śiva sa Kanyang anyong Sadyajāta. Sa pantig na “U”, labintatlong kalā ang itinuro—na ukol sa anyong Vāma (mapagpala at mapag-aruga).

Word by Word

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; numeral agreeing with कलाः

• कलाः: kalās (parts/emanations)
• कलाः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• समाख्याताः: are named/declared
• समाख्याताः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘are called/declared’

• अकारे: in ‘a’ (a-kāra)
• अकारे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• सद्यजाः: the Sadyajā(s)
• सद्यजाः: Karta (कर्ता/subject, in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद्यज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; name of a set/aspect

• शिवे: in Śiva
• शिवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in Śiva’/‘with reference to Śiva’

• उकारे: in ‘u’ (u-kāra)
• उकारे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• वाम-रूपिण्यः: the Vāma-formed (ones)
• वाम-रूपिण्यः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक) (समास)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; कर्मधारय: ‘those having a Vāma-form’

• त्रयोदश: thirteen
• त्रयोदश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral (13), used with plural subject; nominative plural sense

• समीरिताः: are stated/mentioned
• समीरिताः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ईर् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/PPP), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘are uttered/mentioned’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva mantra-tattva as taught in the Kailasa Samhita)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: अष्टौ कलास्समाख्याता अकारे सद्यजाश्शिवे । उकारे वामरूपिण्यस्त्रयोदश समीरिताः

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred sound (the mantra’s syllables) is not merely phonetic: each syllable embodies specific kalās—Śiva’s operative powers—so mantra-japa becomes a direct approach to Pati (Śiva) through His revealed aspects like Sadyajāta and Vāma.

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

Sadyajāta and Vāma are Saguna revelations of Śiva (accessible forms/aspects). Understanding their kalās supports Linga worship by giving the devotee a precise contemplative map: the Linga is worshipped outwardly, while the mantra’s syllables are contemplated inwardly as Śiva’s living powers.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa with bhāvanā (contemplation): while repeating Śiva-mantra (especially in Panchākṣarī practice), meditate on the syllables as Śiva’s aspects and their kalās; this steadies attention, purifies bonds (pāśa), and supports yoga leading toward Śiva’s grace.