Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7

शब्दब्रह्मतनुवर्णनम् — Description of the Form of Śabda-Brahman

Devanagari script

उत्तरे पावकप्रख्यमुकारमृषि सत्तम । शीतांशुमण्डलप्रख्यं मकारं तस्य मध्यतः

Transliteration

uttare pāvakaprakhyamukāramṛṣi sattama | śītāṃśumaṇḍalaprakhyaṃ makāraṃ tasya madhyataḥ

Translation

اے بہترین رِشی! شمالی حصے میں آگ کی مانند درخشاں ‘اُ’ حرف ہے؛ اور اسی کے عین وسط میں ٹھنڈی کرنوں والے چاند کے گولے کی طرح روشن ‘م’ حرف ہے۔

Word by Word

• उत्तरे: on the northern/upper side
• उत्तरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; (उत्तरे भागे) इत्यर्थे

• पावक-प्रख्यम्: resembling fire
• पावक-प्रख्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः उपमान-तत्पुरुष (pāvaka-prakhya = ‘resembling fire’)

• उकारम्: the letter ‘ukāra’
• उकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ऋषि: O sage
• ऋषि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• सत्तम: best (of sages)
• सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; ऋषि इति विशेषण

• शीतांशु-मण्डल-प्रख्यम्: resembling the moon-disc
• शीतांशु-मण्डल-प्रख्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीतांशु (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śītāṃśu-maṇḍala = ‘moon-disc’) + उपमान-तत्पुरुष (…-prakhya = resembling)

• मकारम्: the letter ‘makāra’
• मकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तस्य: of that/of it
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• मध्यतः: in/from the middle
• मध्यतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मध्यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (from/in the middle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Contemplation of praṇava’s differentiated brilliance (fire/moon) is treated as an inner pilgrimage harmonizing tejas and soma—stabilizing the mind for higher realization.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: U (ukāra) in the northern part, fire-like; M (makāra) in the middle, moon-like.

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-dhyāna: the seeker contemplates specific syllables as luminous, purifying realities—fire-like “U” and moon-like “Ma”—so the mind becomes fit to approach Shiva (Pati) through disciplined worship.

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

By assigning radiant qualities and spatial placement to mantra-syllables, the Purana supports Saguna upāsanā—using form, direction, and light-imagery as aids—often applied in Linga-centered meditation where mantra and symbol are united.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa with visualization: repeat the mantra-syllables while meditating on “U” as fire-bright in the north and “Ma” as moon-bright in the center, integrating breath, attention, and reverence toward Shiva.