Śabda-Brahma Revelation: Oṃ and the Alphabet

The Śiva Purāṇa tells what happened after Brahmā and Vishṇu failed to find the ends of the great blazing liṅga. They had worshipped it for 100 years. Then Bhagavān Śiva showed himself from the liṅga as the first sound, “Oṃ Oṃ”. Brahmā and Vishṇu saw Oṃ divide into its three parts, A, U and Ma, for Brahmā, Vishṇu and Śiva. They then saw the whole body of Śiva as the Sanskrit alphabet, and they received the great mantras.

The sound of Oṃ

Brahmā and Vishṇu stood humbly before the endless blazing liṅga. Their quarrel was over and their pride was gone. Bhagavān Śiva felt compassion for them. From the liṅga rose a great, clear, long sound: “Oṃ Oṃ”. It did not come from one direction. It filled all space at once.

Vishṇu no longer felt enmity for Brahmā. He stood with Brahmā and listened in wonder. They both asked: what is this great sound?

As they thought about the Oṃkāra (the sound Oṃ), they saw how it is built. Around the liṅga four shining presences appeared:

To the south: the A-kāra, the first and original letter, shining like the disc of the sun.
To the north: the U-kāra, bright like the sacred fire of the agnihotra.
In the middle: the Ma-kāra, glowing like the full moon.
As the whole: the Oṃ, the nāda (sound) that arises when these three join.

The meaning of the three letters

The three letters were shown to match the three cosmic works:

A-kāra is Brahmā, also called Hiraṇyagarbha. He is the creator (sṛshṭi-kartā). The south is the direction of coming into being.
U-kāra is Vishṇu, the highest cause (parama kāraṇa) and the keeper of the world (sthiti-kartā). The north is the direction of keeping.
Ma-kāra is Śiva, whose throat is blue (nīlakaṇṭha) and whose body is otherwise red (nīlalohita). He is the one who dissolves the world (laya-kartā). The middle is the place of the centre and of dissolution.

The Śiva Purāṇa goes on to say:

The A-kāra is the bīja (seed). The U-kāra is the yoni (womb). The Ma-kāra is the one who holds both, the bījī (the one who has the seed).
In Mahāmaheśvara, the Parabrahman, the bījī, the bīja and the yoni are all one. He is of the nature of nāda (sound).
The bījī alone, by his own will, divided himself. The A-kāra (the seed) joined the U-kāra (the womb) and became the golden egg of the universe (suvarṇāṇḍa). After 1,000 years the egg split into two. The upper half became dyuloka (heaven). The lower half, with five qualities, became pṛthivī (earth). Brahmā was born again from this egg, and his name is “ka-kāra”.

So Śiva is the Oṃkāra in its fullness, and the single letters match the three cosmic works. The Yajur Veda mantras declare this. The Ṛg and Sāma mantras then agreed:

“O Vishṇu! O Brahmā! What the Yajur Veda declares is true.”

Śiva’s body as the alphabet

Brahmā and Vishṇu then saw the whole body of Bhagavān Śiva as the complete Sanskrit alphabet (varṇamālā). Each letter stood for a part of the body:

Vowels (svaras): A is the head. Ā is the forehead. I is the right eye and Ī is the left eye. U is the right ear and Ū is the left ear. Ṛ is the right cheek and Ḷ is the left cheek. The two nostrils and the lower lip have their own vowels. E is the upper lip. O is the upper row of teeth. Aṃ and Aḥ are the palate (tālu).
Ka-varga (ka, kha, ga, gha, ṅa): the five right hands.
Ca-varga (ca, cha, ja, jha, ña): the five left hands.
Ṭa-varga and Ta-varga (ten letters): the ten toes of both feet.
Pa-kāra: the belly (udara). Pha-kāra: the right side (dakshiṇa pārśva).
Ba-kāra: the left side. Bha-kāra: the shoulder (skandha).
Ma-kāra: the heart (hṛdaya). This is fitting, because the Ma-kāra is Śiva and the heart of Śiva is Śiva himself.
Ya to Sa (seven letters: ya, ra, la, va, śa, sha, sa): the seven dhātus, the parts of the body such as marrow and flesh.
Ha-kāra: the navel (nābhi). Ksha-kāra: the organ of smell (ghrāṇendriya).

Brahmā and Vishṇu saw Sadāśiva in this form, filled with sound (śabda-maya). He has no qualities (nirguṇa) and yet appeared with qualities (saguṇa). They were filled with the deepest joy.

The mantras received

After the vision of the Oṃkāra and of Śiva as sound, Brahmā and Vishṇu found a series of holy mantras and texts rising from the Oṃkāra above them:

A mantra with 5 kalās (parts) and 38 letters, pure as crystal. It arose from the Oṃkāra.
A mantra with 4 kalās and 24 letters. This is the Gāyatrī. It is of the highest wisdom, brings about all dharma and the aims of life (purushārthas), and gives victory over the senses.
A mantra with 8 kalās and 30 letters, from the Yajur Veda. It destroys enemies. It is auspicious and white in colour.
A mantra with 8 kalās and 25 letters, linked with the Yajur Veda. It gives peace and is extremely white.
A mantra with 13 kalās and 61 letters, the mantra of creation, keeping and dissolution (sṛshṭi-sthiti-laya). It is dear even to children.
The Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra, the conqueror of death.
The Pañcāksharī, the five-syllable mantra “Namaḥ Śivāya”.
The Cintāmaṇi Mantra, the mantra that gives every wish.
The Dākshiṇāmūrti Mantra, the mantra of Śiva as the Guru.
The Tattvamasi Mahāvākya, “Thou art That”, the highest great saying (mahāvākya) of the Śaiva path.

Bhagavān Vishṇu chanted these mantras and then offered hymns of praise to Sadāśiva.

Śiva appears in full

After the mantras and hymns, the kind Mahāmaheśvara was pleased. He showed himself to Brahmā and Vishṇu in his full form as Sadāśiva:

He has five faces, each with three eyes.
The moon is on his forehead, and his hair is matted (jaṭā).
His body is white like camphor, and his eyes are bright and long.
He has ten hands. He is smeared with bhasma (sacred ash) and wears every ornament.
The three lines of bhasma (tripuṇḍra) are on his forehead.
Umā sits at his left side.

Vishṇu and Brahmā saw this highest darśana and were filled with devotion. They praised Sadāśiva with loving words (priya-vacanāni). Vishṇu asked:

“What is the way to please you? How should we worship and meditate on you? What task should we do by your command?”

This question leads to Śiva’s teaching on Śiva-tattva (the truth of Śiva) and the great teaching about creation that follows.

In this chapter, then, Śiva is shown as the Śabda-Brahman, the Absolute as first sound. All holy speech comes from his body. The Oṃkāra holds the Trimūrti and all creation within itself. The great mantras, among them the Gāyatrī, the Mṛtyuñjaya and the Pañcāksharī, were first given in this setting to Vishṇu and Brahmā.

Sources

Śiva Purāṇa, Rudra Saṃhitā, Sṛshṭi Khaṇḍa, Chapter 8