Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

अर्द्धमात्रा महेशानि बिन्दुनादस्वरूपिणी । वर्णनीया न वै चाद्धा ज्ञेया ज्ञानिभिरेव सा

Transliteration

arddhamātrā maheśāni bindunādasvarūpiṇī | varṇanīyā na vai cāddhā jñeyā jñānibhireva sā

Translation

Ôi Maheshānī, nửa‑mātrā chính là tự tánh của nāda và bindu. Nàng không thể được diễn tả trọn vẹn bằng lời; chỉ bậc trí giả mới biết được qua chứng ngộ trực tiếp.

Word by Word

• अर्द्धमात्रा: the half-mātrā
• अर्द्धमात्रा: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्द्ध + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अर्द्धा एव मात्रा)

• महेशानि: O Maheśānī (Pārvatī)
• महेशानि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• बिन्दुनादस्वरूपिणी: having the form of bindu and nāda
• बिन्दुनादस्वरूपिणी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिन्दु + नाद + स्वरूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (बिन्दु-नाद-स्वरूपा = having the nature of bindu and nāda)

• वर्णनीया: is to be described
• वर्णनीया: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वर्ण् (वर्ण्) (कृदन्त)
• Form: अनियत-कर्तृक-भविष्यत्/विधेय-भावार्थे -अनीय-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (to be described)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Prayojaka-nipāta (प्रयोजक-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अद्धा: clearly; directly
• अद्धा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्धा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: clearly/manifestly)

• ज्ञेया: is to be known
• ज्ञेया: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (ज्ञा) (कृदन्त)
• Form: -य-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: to be known), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ज्ञानिभिः: by the knowers; by the wise
• ज्ञानिभिः: Karaṇa (करण/instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• एव: only; indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (restrictive particle: only/indeed)

• सा: she/that (half-mātrā)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching Parvati in the Kailasha Samhita’s yogic-philosophical context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It states that the subtlest truth of Śakti—expressed as nāda and bindu and hinted by the ‘ardhamātrā’—cannot be captured by speech; it is realized inwardly by jñānins through direct yogic knowledge.

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

Linga worship begins with form and symbol (saguṇa support), but its aim is to lead the devotee to the formless depth where nāda-bindu and the ardhamātrā indicate the transcendent reality of Śiva–Śakti beyond description.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-japa with inward listening (nāda-anusandhāna) is implied: repeat a Śaiva mantra with steady attention until the mind settles into subtle vibration (nāda) and seed-awareness (bindu), where the truth is ‘known’ rather than spoken.