Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

अकारश्चाप्युकारोयं मकाराश्च त्रयं क्रमात् । तिस्रो मात्रास्समाख्याता अर्द्धमात्रा ततः परम्

Transliteration

akāraścāpyukāroyaṃ makārāśca trayaṃ kramāt | tisro mātrāssamākhyātā arddhamātrā tataḥ param

Translation

依次为‘a’、‘u’、‘m’——此三者被宣说为“唵”（Oṃ）的三种音量（mātrā）；其后更有半音量（ardhamātrā），乃微妙超越之境。

Word by Word

• अकारः: the letter ‘a’
• अकारः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Prayojaka-nipāta (प्रयोजक-निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; also/even)

• उकारः: the letter ‘u’
• उकारः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (this)

• मकाराः: the letter(s) ‘ma’
• मकाराः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• त्रयम्: a set of three
• त्रयम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject, appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (a triad/three as a set)

• क्रमात्: in sequence; step by step
• क्रमात्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव (ablative used adverbially: in order/stepwise)

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (three)

• मात्राः: measures; mātrās
• मात्राः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समाख्याताः: are called; are designated
• समाख्याताः: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate, passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+√ख्या (ख्या) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि (are called/are named)

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

• ततः: thereafter; then
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thereafter/from that)

• परम्: beyond; subsequent
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (subsequent/supreme)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching in the Kailāsa Saṃhitā, a philosophical discourse context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ = a + u + m (+ arddhamātrā)

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines Oṃ as three articulated mātrās—A, U, M—culminating in the arddha-mātrā, indicating the move from expressed sound to the silent, subtle awareness where Pati (Śiva) is realized beyond pasha and pashu.

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

In Śaiva practice, Oṃ supports saguna upāsanā (worship with form) by steadying mind and breath; the half-mātrā points to the linga’s deeper import—Śiva as the formless ground (nirguṇa) transcending the manifested syllables while still being approached through them.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa and dhyāna on Oṃ: contemplate A–U–M in sequence, then rest attention in the arddha-mātrā (the quiet after sound), aligning breath and mind before or alongside Panchākṣarī (Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya) recitation.