Chapter 14 of 23 · Kailasa Samhita · Overall chapter 379 of 464
Pranava as Shiva's Form
Vamadeva asks for the systematic breakdown of 'six kinds of subjects' within supreme jnana (mantra, yantra, divinity, prapancha/the manifest universe, guru, and disciple); Skanda explains each in turn, mapping Pranava's five components directly onto Shiva's five faces and explaining the lingam as Pranava's own visual yantra-form.
Vamadeva said
Bhagavan Shanmukha, this unbroken flow of knowledge is like amrita. Son of the lord of all the immortals, destroyer of the afflictions of those who bow, what is the perfect knowledge of six kinds of subjects that grants what is desired? Lord, what are the six kinds of supreme knowledge in these subjects, what is explained there and what are its fruits? Guha, tell me all I have asked; not knowing these meanings I am like a deluded animal that does not know the texts. Mahasena, by Shiva's maya I am still whirling round. From Shiva's two feet I will drink the knowledge that is the path to the essence of amrita and, whatever happens, be free of delusion. Your eyes are wet with the amrita of compassion; quickly glance at me with them. Since I have taken refuge at your illustrious lotus feet it is your duty to pity me.
Suta said
The lord who wielded the spear of knowledge heard the Indra among sages and answered in words that would frighten any other school of thought.
Subrahmanya replied
Tiger among sages, listen lovingly to what you ask: supreme knowledge about Mahesha, collective and individual. I will tell you in detail of the supreme knowledge concerning Pranava's meaning, and of the six kinds of subjects in it. The first takes the form of mantra, the second is what is used to think on a mantra, the third is the meaning of the divinity, the fourth the meaning of the world display, the fifth the form of the guru who shows the path, and the sixth the form of the disciple's self. These are the six subjects. Supreme sage, let me tell the nature of the mantra, knowing which a man gains great knowledge. The Vedas speak of five components: the first vowel as first, the fifth vowel and the fifth letter of the fifth consonant group, with bindu and nada. This is the collective form, called the beginning of the Vedas. With bindu there are four and nada brings them all together. Pranava, which expresses Shiva's form, succeeds in this collective form. Wise one, hear the form of the yantra, which is Shiva's linga. The pedestal is drawn at the bottom, the first letter A written above it, the second, U, above that and the third, M, above that. Bindu is drawn on the head and nada written above. When the yantra is complete every desire is accomplished. Drawn so, it is surrounded by Pranava; nada arises from this and is known to reside there. Sage, I will tell the meaning of the divinity, always secret; out of affection I will tell what Shankara said. The shruti plainly says, "I take refuge in Sadyojata and reach Sadashiva." These are called the five forms of brahman, the five divinities known as the subtle form of brahman, expanded in the form of Shiva's image. The mantra that speaks of Shiva also speaks of Shiva's image, since there is no difference between the original subject and the image that depicts him. I have told you one starts with Ishana at the head. Now Shiva's image with five faces: one starts with Sadyojata, the fifth, and proceeds upward ending with Ishana; these are the five faces. For the divinity Ishana there is a fourfold form: one starts with Purusha and ends with Sadyojata, the forms of the four brahmanas. When the five brahmanas are brought together they make the composite Ishana, the brahman. Individually one starts with Purusha and ends with Sadyojata. The wheel made of the five causes is full of compassion, the same as the supreme brahman, subtle, unchanging and free of ailments. There are two kinds of compassion, appearance and disappearance, and another lord who gives liberation to higher and lower beings; these are called the two functions Sadashiva carries out. In his five forms the lord shows compassion and does the tasks, creation and the rest, and that is why Sadyojata and the others are called divinities. These five forms always give what is auspicious and are forms of the supreme brahman. The wheel full of compassion is beyond tranquillity. Sadashiva presides over its parts, and it is called the supreme destination. Mendicants who have cleansed their selves reach it, as do those who worship Sadashiva with minds attached to Pranava. When they reach it, lords among sages enjoy all pleasures with the divinity who is a form of brahman, and until the great destruction they enjoy themselves in a position of equality with Shiva. Such people do not fall again into the ocean of samsara. The eternal shruti speaks of them as going to Brahma's world. Shiva's prosperity is the composite form, and the Atharvashiras Upanishad says he has every kind of prosperity and that only he can give it. There is no destination higher than this radiant region. The world display is seen to be an extension of the five brahmanas; renunciation and the kalas are said to arise from them. Their nature is subtle and they are called causes, but in gross form they are the world display; existing in five forms the brahmanas are called its cause. Supreme sage, Purusha, ears, speech, sound and space, these five are pervaded by brahman in his form as Ishana. Prakriti, skin, hands, touch and wind as fifth are pervaded by brahman as Ishvara. Ego, eyes, feet, form and fire are thought of as pervaded by brahman as Aghora. Intellect, tongue, anus, taste and water as fifth are always pervaded by brahman as Vamadeva. Mind, nose, genital organs, smell and earth as fifth are always pervaded by brahman as Sadyojata. The whole universe is full of the five brahmanas. Pranava speaks of Shiva and is taught in the form of a yantra. The collective entity has five components, four of them, bindu and the others, thought of as a form of yantra for those who follow the path Shiva taught. Pranava is supreme, an emperor of mantras, Shiva's form.
Retold in our own words from Bibek Debroy's English translation of the Shiva Purana (Penguin Classics). Names, numbers and the order of events follow the source.