Shloka 6
प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः
The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava
प्रणवार्थश्शिवः साक्षात्प्राधान्येन प्रकीर्त्तितः । श्रुतिषु स्मृतिशास्त्रेषु पुराणेष्वागमेषु च
praṇavārthaśśivaḥ sākṣātprādhānyena prakīrttitaḥ | śrutiṣu smṛtiśāstreṣu purāṇeṣvāgameṣu ca
“普罗那瓦”（Oṁ）之义，实即湿婆本身；此被宣说为最为根本与首要者，见于诸《闻传》（Śruti）、《忆传》诸论（Smṛti-śāstra）、诸《往世书》（Purāṇa）及诸《阿伽摩》（Āgama）之中。
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Sadāśiva
Mantra: ॐ (Praṇava)
FAQs
It establishes that Oṁ is not merely a sound-symbol but directly signifies Pati—Lord Śiva—who is the supreme principle taught consistently across Vedic (Śruti), Smṛti, Purāṇa, and Śaiva Āgamic authorities.
Praṇava functions as the seed (bīja) that points to Śiva’s supreme reality; in practice it supports Saguna worship (Linga, mantra, pūjā) while also indicating the transcendent Śiva beyond form, harmonizing external Linga-upāsanā with inner contemplation.
Japa and dhyāna on Praṇava (Oṁ)—often joined with Śiva-mantras such as the Pañcākṣarī (Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya)—as a direct contemplative means to orient the mind toward Śiva as the highest truth.