Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

अध्याय 91: अरिष्ट-लक्षण, मृत्यु-संस्कार, पाशुपत-धारणा तथा ओङ्कार-उपासना

Devanagari script

अकारो ह्यक्षरो ज्ञेय उकारः सहितः स्मृतः मकारसहितौंकारस् त्रिमात्र इति संज्ञितः

Transliteration

akāro hyakṣaro jñeya ukāraḥ sahitaḥ smṛtaḥ makārasahitauṃkāras trimātra iti saṃjñitaḥ

Translation

当知字母“A”为根本音节；与之相合者称为“U”；再加“M”，便成“唵”(Oṃ)之声——故名为“三摩怛罗”(trīmātrā)，即三重音量。

Word by Word

• अकारः (akāraḥ): the syllable ‘A’

• हि (hi): indeed

• अक्षरः (akṣaraḥ): imperishable syllable/letter

• ज्ञेयः (jñeyaḥ): to be known

• उकारः (ukāraḥ): the syllable ‘U’

• सहितः (sahitaḥ): joined/combined

• स्मृतः (smṛtaḥ): remembered/declared in tradition

• मकार (makāra): the syllable ‘M’

• सहित (sahita): together with

• औंकारः (auṃkāraḥ): the Pranava ‘Oṃ’

• त्रिमात्रः (trimātraḥ): having three mātrās (A-U-M)

• इति (iti): thus

• संज्ञितः (saṃjñitaḥ): is termed/defined

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching on Pranava to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It grounds Linga-puja in the Pranava: Oṃ as the seed-sound of Pati (Shiva), showing that worship begins with mantra and culminates in inner recognition of the imperishable (akṣara) reality symbolized by the Linga.

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

By defining Oṃ as the imperishable akṣara composed of three mātrās, it points to Shiva-tattva as the transcendent Pati who is approached through sound (nāda) yet remains beyond letters—revealed through the unified Pranava.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Japa and upāsanā of Oṃ (auṃkāra), contemplated as A-U-M (trimātra), used in Shaiva/Pāśupata practice to purify the pashu (soul) from pāśa (bondage) and steady awareness in the Lord.