The Teaching of the Om-kara Mantra

Verse 1 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.1)

ब्रह्मविष्णू ऊचतुः सर्गादिपञ्चकृत्यस्य लक्षणं ब्रूहि नौ प्रभो । शिव उवाच । मत्कृत्यबोधनं गुह्यं कृपया प्रब्रवीमि वाम्

brahmaviṣṇū ūcatuḥ sargādipañcakṛtyasya lakṣaṇaṁ brūhi nau prabho śiva uvāca matkṛtyabodhanaṁ guhyaṁ kṛpayā prabravīmi vām

Brahma and Vishnu said: O Lord, tell us the nature of the five acts beginning with creation. Shiva said: Out of compassion, I shall now explain to you both this secret knowledge of My acts.

Verse 2 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.2)

सृष्टिः स्थितिश्च संहारस्तिरोभावोऽप्यनुग्रहः । पञ्चैव मे जगत्कृत्यं नित्यसिद्धमजाच्युतौ

sṛṣṭiḥ sthitiśca saṁhārastirobhāvo ’pyanugrahaḥ pañcaiva me jagatkṛtyaṁ nityasiddhamajācyutau

Creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, and grace — these five alone, O Unborn One and O Achyuta, are My eternal acts for the world.

Verse 3 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.3)

सर्गः संसारसंरम्भस्तत्प्रतिष्ठा स्थितिर्मता । संहारो मर्दनं तस्य तिरोभावस्तदुत्क्रमः

sargaḥ saṁsārasaṁrambhastatpratiṣṭhā sthitirmatā saṁhāro mardanaṁ tasya tirobhāvastadutkramaḥ

Creation is the commencement of the world-process; its stability is held to be preservation. Dissolution is its destruction; concealment is its withdrawal.

Verse 4 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.4)

तन्मोक्षोऽनुग्रहस्तन्मे कृत्यमेवं हि पञ्चकम् । कृत्यमेतद्वहत्यन्यस्तूष्णीं गोपुरबिम्बवत्

tanmokṣo ’nugrahastanme kṛtyamevaṁ hi pañcakam kṛtyametadvahatyanyastūṣṇīṁ gopurabimbavat

Its liberation is grace — thus My acts are indeed fivefold. Anyone other than Me who bears this act does so silently, like a mere carved image standing at a temple gate.

Verse 5 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.5)

सर्गादि यच्चतुःकृत्यं संसारपरिजृम्भणम् । पञ्चमं मुक्तिहेतुर्वै नित्यं मयि च सुस्थिरम्

sargādi yaccatuḥkṛtyaṁ saṁsāraparijṛmbhaṇam pañcamaṁ muktiheturvai nityaṁ mayi ca susthiram

The four acts beginning with creation constitute the unfolding of the world-process; the fifth is the cause of liberation, eternally and firmly established in Me alone.

Verse 6 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.6)

तदिदं पञ्चभूतेषु दृश्यते मामकैर्जनैः । सृष्टिर्भूमौ स्थितिस्तोये संहारः पावके तथा

tadidaṁ pañcabhūteṣu dṛśyate māmakairjanaiḥ sṛṣṭirbhūmau sthitistoye saṁhāraḥ pāvake tathā

This fivefold act is seen by My devotees in the five elements: creation in earth, preservation in water, and dissolution likewise in fire.

Verse 7 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.7)

तिरोभावोऽनिले तद्वदनुग्रह इहाम्बरे । सृज्यते धरया सर्वमद्भिः सर्वं प्रवर्धते

tirobhāvo ’nile tadvadanugraha ihāmbare sṛjyate dharayā sarvamadbhiḥ sarvaṁ pravardhate

concealment in air, and likewise grace here in space. By earth everything is created; by water everything grows;

Verse 8 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.8)

अर्द्यते तेजसा सर्वं वायुना चापनीयते । व्योम्नानुगृह्यते सर्वं ज्ञेयमेवं हि सूरिभिः

ardyate tejasā sarvaṁ vāyunā cāpanīyate vyomnānugṛhyate sarvaṁ jñeyamevaṁ hi sūribhiḥ

by fire everything is consumed; by wind everything is carried away; and by space everything is graced and pervaded — thus the wise should understand it.

Verse 9 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.9)

पञ्चकृत्यमिदं वोढुं ममास्ति मुखपञ्चकम् । चतुर्दिक्षु चतुर्वक्त्रं तन्मध्ये पञ्चमं मुखम्

pañcakṛtyamidaṁ voḍhuṁ mamāsti mukhapañcakam caturdikṣu caturvaktraṁ tanmadhye pañcamaṁ mukham

To bear this fivefold act, I possess five faces: four faces in the four directions, and a fifth face in their midst.

Verse 10 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.10)

युवाभ्यां तपसा लब्धमेतत्कृत्यद्वयं सुतौ । सृष्टिस्थित्यभिधं भाग्यं मत्तः प्रीतादतिप्रियम्

yuvābhyāṁ tapasā labdhametatkṛtyadvayaṁ sutau sṛṣṭisthityabhidhaṁ bhāgyaṁ mattaḥ prītādatipriyam

By your own austerities, O sons, you two have obtained this pair of acts named creation and preservation — a fortune most dear, granted by Me out of great love.

Verse 11 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.11)

तथा रुद्रमहेशाभ्यामन्यत्कृत्यद्वयं परम् । अनुग्रहाख्यं केनापि लब्धुं नैव हि शक्यते

tathā rudramaheśābhyāmanyatkṛtyadvayaṁ param anugrahākhyaṁ kenāpi labdhuṁ naiva hi śakyate

Likewise, the other supreme pair of acts belongs to Rudra and to Maheshvara Myself; but the act called grace can never be obtained by anyone at all.

Verse 12 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.12)

तत्सर्वं पौर्विकं कर्म युवाभ्यां कालविस्मृतम् । न तद् रुद्रमहेशाभ्यां विस्मृतं कर्म तादृशम्

tatsarvaṁ paurvikaṁ karma yuvābhyāṁ kālavismṛtam na tad rudramaheśābhyāṁ vismṛtaṁ karma tādṛśam

All that former arrangement has, over time, slipped from your memory; but no such matter has ever been forgotten by Rudra and Maheshvara.

Verse 13 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.13)

रूपे वेषे च कृत्ये च वाहने चासने तथा । आयुधादौ च मत्साम्यमस्माभिस्तत्कृते कृतम्

rūpe veṣe ca kṛtye ca vāhane cāsane tathā āyudhādau ca matsāmyamasmābhistatkṛte kṛtam

In form, in attire, in function, in vehicle, in seat, and in weapons and the rest — it was We who granted you that equality with Us, for that former purpose.

Verse 14 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.14)

मद्ध्यानविरहाद्वत्सौ मौढ्यं वामेवमागतम् । मज्ज्ञाने सति मैवं स्यान्मानं रूपं महेशवत्

maddhyānavirahādvatsau mauḍhyaṁ vāmevamāgatam majjñāne sati maivaṁ syānmānaṁ rūpaṁ maheśavat

O children, through lack of meditation on Me, this delusion has come upon you both. Had you possessed true knowledge of Me, such pride would never have arisen merely because your forms resemble Maheshvara's.

Verse 15 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.15)

तस्मान्मज्ज्ञानसिद्ध्यर्थं मन्त्रमोङ्कारनामकम् । इतः परं प्रजपतं मामकं मानभञ्जनम्

tasmānmajjñānasiddhyarthaṁ mantramoṅkāranāmakam itaḥ paraṁ prajapataṁ māmakaṁ mānabhañjanam

Therefore, for the attainment of true knowledge of Me, from now on recite My own mantra named Omkara, the destroyer of false pride.

Verse 16 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.16)

उपादिशं निजं मन्त्रमोङ्कारमुरुमङ्गलम् । ऊँकारो मन्मुखाज्जज्ञे प्रथमं मत्प्रबोधकः

upādiśaṁ nijaṁ mantramoṅkāramurumaṅgalam ū~kāro manmukhājjajñe prathamaṁ matprabodhakaḥ

I now impart My own mantra, the vastly auspicious Omkara. The syllable Om first arose from My mouth, as the very syllable that reveals Me.

Verse 17 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.17)

वाचकोऽयमहं वाच्यो मन्त्रोऽयं हि मदात्मकः । तदनुस्मरणं नित्यं ममानुस्मरणं भवेत्

vācako ’yamahaṁ vācyo mantro ’yaṁ hi madātmakaḥ tadanusmaraṇaṁ nityaṁ mamānusmaraṇaṁ bhavet

This is the word that names Me, and I am that which it names; this mantra is indeed one with My own self. Constant remembrance of it becomes constant remembrance of Me.

Verse 18 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.18)

अकार उत्तरात् पूर्वमुकारः पश्चिमाननात् । मकारो दक्षिणमुखाद् बिन्दुः प्राङ्मुखतस्तथा

akāra uttarāt pūrvamukāraḥ paścimānanāt makāro dakṣiṇamukhād binduḥ prāṅmukhatastathā

The letter A arose first from the northern face, U from the western face, M from the southern face, and the bindu likewise from the eastern face,

Verse 19 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.19)

नादो मध्यमुखादेवं पञ्चधासौ विजृम्भितः । एकीभूतः पुनस्तद्वदोमित्येकाक्षरोऽभवत्

nādo madhyamukhādevaṁ pañcadhāsau vijṛmbhitaḥ ekībhūtaḥ punastadvadomityekākṣaro ’bhavat

and the nada, the subtle resonance, from the middle face. Thus it expanded fivefold, and then, merging into one, it became the single syllable Om.

Verse 20 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.20)

नामरूपात्मकं सर्वं वेदभूतकुलद्वयम् । व्याप्तमेतेन मन्त्रेण शिवशक्त्योश्च बोधकः

nāmarūpātmakaṁ sarvaṁ vedabhūtakuladvayam vyāptametena mantreṇa śivaśaktyośca bodhakaḥ

All that consists of name and form — both the Vedas and the whole family of created beings — is pervaded by this one mantra, the revealer of both Shiva and Shakti.

Verse 21 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.21)

अस्मात् पञ्चाक्षरं जज्ञे बोधकं सकलस्य तत् । अकारादिक्रमेणैव नकारादि यथाक्रमम्

asmāt pañcākṣaraṁ jajñe bodhakaṁ sakalasya tat akārādikrameṇaiva nakārādi yathākramam

From this arose the five-syllabled mantra, the revealer of the manifest form of Shiva, its letters beginning with 'na' following the very order of 'a' and the rest.

Verse 22 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.22)

अस्मात् पञ्चाक्षराज्जाता मातृकाः पञ्चभेदतः । तस्माच्छिरश्चतुर्वक्त्रात्त्रिपाद्गायत्रिरेव हि

asmāt pañcākṣarājjātā mātṛkāḥ pañcabhedataḥ tasmācchiraścaturvaktrāttripādgāyatrireva hi

From this five-syllabled mantra the mother-alphabets arose, divided into five kinds; and from that four-faced Head arose the very three-footed Gayatri.

Verse 23 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.23)

वेदः सर्वस्ततो जज्ञे ततो वै मन्त्रकोटयः । तत्तन्मन्त्रेण तत्सिद्धिः सर्वसिद्धिरितो भवेत्

vedaḥ sarvastato jajñe tato vai mantrakoṭayaḥ tattanmantreṇa tatsiddhiḥ sarvasiddhirito bhavet

From that arose the entire Veda, and from that, millions upon millions of mantras. Each mantra grants its own particular attainment, but from this Om comes attainment of every kind.

Verse 24 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.24)

अनेन मन्त्रकन्देन भोगो मोक्षश्च सिद्ध्यति । सकला मन्त्रराजानः साक्षाद्भोगप्रदाः शुभाः

anena mantrakandena bhogo mokṣaśca siddhyati sakalā mantrarājānaḥ sākṣādbhogapradāḥ śubhāḥ

By this root of all mantras, both worldly enjoyment and liberation are attained. All the kings of mantras directly bestow auspicious enjoyment, and liberation besides.

Verse 25 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.25)

नन्दिकेश्वर उवाच । पुनस्तयोस्तत्र तिरः पटं गुरुः प्रकल्प्य मन्त्रं च समादिशत् परम् । निधाय तच्छीर्ष्णि कराम्बुजं शनै- रुदङ्मुखं संस्थितयोः सहाम्बिकः

nandikeśvara uvāca punastayostatra tiraḥ paṭaṁ guruḥ prakalpya mantraṁ ca samādiśat param nidhāya tacchīrṣṇi karāmbujaṁ śanai- rudaṅmukhaṁ saṁsthitayoḥ sahāmbikaḥ

Nandikeshvara said: Then the Guru, together with Ambika, having set a veiling cloth between the two of them, gently placed His lotus-hand upon the head of each — as they stood facing north — and imparted to them the supreme mantra.

Verse 26 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.26)

त्रिरुच्चार्याग्रहीन्मन्त्रं यन्त्रतन्त्रोक्तिपूर्वकम् । शिष्यौ च तौ दक्षिणायामात्मानं च समार्पयत्

triruccāryāgrahīnmantraṁ yantratantroktipūrvakam śiṣyau ca tau dakṣiṇāyāmātmānaṁ ca samārpayat

Having caused it to be uttered three times, in accordance with the prescribed rites of yantra and tantra, He conferred the mantra upon them; and the two disciples offered themselves, along with the ritual gift, to Him.

Verse 27 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.27)

प्रबद्धहस्तौ किल तौ तदन्तिके तमूचतुर्देववरं जगद्गुरुम्

prabaddhahastau kila tau tadantike tamūcaturdevavaraṁ jagadgurum

With hands folded in reverence, the two of them, in His very presence, addressed that best of gods, the Guru of the universe.

Verse 28 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.28)

ब्रह्माच्युतावूचतुः नमो निष्कलरूपाय नमो निष्कलतेजसे । नमः सकलनाथाय नमस्ते सकलात्मने

brahmācyutāvūcatuḥ namo niṣkalarūpāya namo niṣkalatejase namaḥ sakalanāthāya namaste sakalātmane

Brahma and Achyuta said: Homage to the One of formless nature! Homage to the formless splendor! Homage to the Lord of the manifest world! Homage to You whose very self is the manifest world!

Verse 29 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.29)

नमः प्रणववाच्याय नमः प्रणवलिङ्गिने । नमः सृष्ट्यादिकर्त्रे च नमः पञ्चमुखाय ते

namaḥ praṇavavācyāya namaḥ praṇavaliṅgine namaḥ sṛṣṭyādikartre ca namaḥ pañcamukhāya te

Homage to You who are named by the Pranava! Homage to You who are signified by the Pranava! Homage to the Doer of creation and all else! Homage to You of the five faces!

Verse 30 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.30)

पञ्चब्रह्मस्वरूपाय पञ्चकृत्याय ते नमः । आत्मने ब्रह्मणे तुभ्यमनन्तगुणशक्तये

pañcabrahmasvarūpāya pañcakṛtyāya te namaḥ ātmane brahmaṇe tubhyamanantaguṇaśaktaye

Homage to You whose nature is the five Brahmans, to You of the fivefold act! Homage to You, the Self, the Brahman, of infinite qualities and power!

Verse 31 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.31)

सकलाकलरूपाय शम्भवे गुरवे नमः । इति स्तुत्वा गुरुं पद्यैर्ब्रह्मा विष्णुश्च नेमतुः

sakalākalarūpāya śambhave gurave namaḥ iti stutvā guruṁ padyairbrahmā viṣṇuśca nematuḥ

Homage to Shambhu, the Guru, whose form is both manifest and unmanifest! Having thus praised the Guru with these verses, Brahma and Vishnu bowed down before Him.

Verse 32 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.32)

ईश्वर उवाच । वत्सकौ सर्वतत्त्वं च कथितं दर्शितं च वाम् । जपतं प्रणवं मन्त्रं देवीदिष्टं मदात्मकम्

īśvara uvāca vatsakau sarvatattvaṁ ca kathitaṁ darśitaṁ ca vām japataṁ praṇavaṁ mantraṁ devīdiṣṭaṁ madātmakam

Ishvara said: O children, the entire truth has now been told and shown to you both. Recite the Pranava mantra, taught by the Goddess, one with My own self.

Verse 33 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.33)

ज्ञानं च सुस्थिरं भाग्यं सर्वं भवति शाश्वतम् । आर्द्रायां च चतुर्दश्यां तज्जप्यं त्वक्षयं भवेत्

jñānaṁ ca susthiraṁ bhāgyaṁ sarvaṁ bhavati śāśvatam ārdrāyāṁ ca caturdaśyāṁ tajjapyaṁ tvakṣayaṁ bhavet

From it, knowledge and good fortune become firm and everlasting. Its recitation on Ardra and on the fourteenth lunar day yields imperishable fruit.

Verse 34 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.34)

सूर्यगत्या महार्द्रायामेकं कोटिगुणं भवेत् । मृगशीर्षान्तिमो भागः पुनर्वस्वादिमस्तथा

sūryagatyā mahārdrāyāmekaṁ koṭiguṇaṁ bhavet mṛgaśīrṣāntimo bhāgaḥ punarvasvādimastathā

By the solar reckoning, on the great Ardra day, its fruit becomes a hundred-million-fold. The final portion of Mrigashirsha and the first portion of Punarvasu carry the same importance.

Verse 35 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.35)

आर्द्रासमं सदा ज्ञेयं पूजाहोमादितर्पणे । दर्शनं तु प्रभाते च प्रातःसङ्गवकालयोः

ārdrāsamaṁ sadā jñeyaṁ pūjāhomāditarpaṇe darśanaṁ tu prabhāte ca prātaḥsaṅgavakālayoḥ

For purposes of worship, fire-offering, and libation, this should always be reckoned equal to Ardra; and the best time for darshan is at dawn and during the early morning hours.

Verse 36 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.36)

चतुर्दशी तथा ग्राह्या निशीथव्यापिनी भवेत् । प्रदोषव्यापिनी चैव परयुक्ता प्रशस्यते

caturdaśī tathā grāhyā niśīthavyāpinī bhavet pradoṣavyāpinī caiva parayuktā praśasyate

The fourteenth tithi should be taken as the one spanning midnight; and one that spans the evening twilight, joined with the following day, is likewise declared excellent.

Verse 37 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.37)

लिङ्गं वेरं च मे तुल्यं यजतां लिङ्गमुत्तमम् । तस्माल्लिङ्गं परं पूज्यं वेरादपि मुमुक्षुभिः

liṅgaṁ veraṁ ca me tulyaṁ yajatāṁ liṅgamuttamam tasmālliṅgaṁ paraṁ pūjyaṁ verādapi mumukṣubhiḥ

For those who worship them, the linga and the image are equal, since both are Me; yet the linga is supreme. Therefore, for those who seek liberation, the linga is to be worshipped as higher even than the image.

Verse 38 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.38)

लिङ्गमोङ्कारमन्त्रेण वेरं पञ्चाक्षरेण तु । स्वयमेव हि सद्द्रव्यैः प्रतिष्ठाप्यं परैरपि

liṅgamoṅkāramantreṇa veraṁ pañcākṣareṇa tu svayameva hi saddravyaiḥ pratiṣṭhāpyaṁ parairapi

The linga is to be installed with the Om-kara mantra, and the image with the five-syllabled mantra, using proper and pure substances — whether performed by oneself or through others.

Verse 39 (shiva.vidyeshvara.10.39)

पूजयेदुपचारैश्च मत्पदं सुलभं भवेत् । इति शास्य तथा शिष्यौ तत्रैवान्तर्हितः शिवः

pūjayedupacāraiśca matpadaṁ sulabhaṁ bhavet iti śāsya tathā śiṣyau tatraivāntarhitaḥ śivaḥ

One should worship with the sixteen ritual offerings, whereby My own state becomes easy to attain. Having thus instructed the two disciples, Shiva vanished from that very place.