O Goddess, listen. I shall explain what you have asked for. Merely by hearing this the individual soul becomes Śiva himself.
To understand the meaning of Praṇava is to understand me. Praṇava is the seed of all the lores.
It shall be understood as very subtle but possessed of great meaning even as the seed of the Banyan tree though very small contains a huge tree. It is the initial mantra and the essence of the Vedas. Particularly it has Me for its form.
I am the Lord far beyond the attributes, the omniscient and the omnipotent. I am Śiva pervading all but stationed in the single-syllabled mantra Om.
They say that whatever object there is whether hypothesised into one or analysed in pieces is the meaning of Praṇava, thanks to the combination and importance of the attributes.
It is the imperishable Brahman, the means of attaining all objects. Śiva creates universe at the outset saying “Om”.
Since there is not much difference between the sense and the sound Om, this is explained thus. Śiva is Praṇava or Praṇava is Śiva.
The brahminical sages, the scholars who realize the identity between the sense and the sound know Me as the single-syllabled Om.
Hence he who aspires for salvation and is free from aberration shall understand Praṇava as the cause of all and Me as the Nirguṇa Parameśvara.
O Goddess, I shall give this crest-jewel of mantras at Kāśī for the liberation of all Individual souls.
O Ambā, there at the outset I shall explain Praṇavoddhāra, the knowledge of which imparts the greatest achievement.
Firstly the devotee shall extricate Nivṛtti, then the fuel, time, staff, and the Lord.
Thus the Praṇava of five syllables is explained by extricating the three Mātrās, Bindu and Nāda. It yields liberation to those who perform the Japa in this manner.
Praṇava is the vital breath of all living beings from Brahmā to immobile beings. Being the Prāṇa thus, it is called Praṇava.
It consists of A, U and M in the middle, Bindu and Nāda at the end. That is Om.
The first letter (A) is like water in the south, the second letter (U) is in the north; the letter M is like fire in the middle, before Nāda and Bindu.
The three Mātrās are thus mentioned in order: A. U. M. Half a mātrā is beyond it.
O Goddess, this half mātrā is in the form of Bindu and Nāda. This cannot be described directly. It is known only by the wise.
O beloved, the Vedic texts beginning with “Īśānaḥ Sarvavidyānām” issue from Me. The Vedas indeed speak the truth.
I am the source of the Vedas. Praṇava expresses Me. Since it expresses Me the Praṇava too is mentioned as Vedādi.
‘A’ is the great Bīja, Rajas, the four-faced creator. ‘U’ is the Prakṛti, source, Sattva, the protector Viṣṇu.
‘M’ is the Puruṣa, the Bījin, Tamas, the annihilator Rudra. Bindu is Maheśvara the Lord, the disappearance.
Nāda is Sadāśiva the bestower of blessings on all. Beyond Nāda there is Śiva who is greater than the greatest.
He is Omniscient, the Creator, the Lord, Free from dirt, the Imperishable, the Inexpressible, the great Brahman, beyond the existent and the nonexistent.
Shiva Purana, Kailasa Samhita III.1-24
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