Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 149

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

ताररुद्धैः स्वरैर्दीर्घैः षड्भिरंगानि कल्पयेत् । पदैर्मंत्रभवैर्वापिध्यानाद्यं पूर्ववन्मतम् ॥ १४९ ॥

Transliteration

tāraruddhaiḥ svarairdīrghaiḥ ṣaḍbhiraṃgāni kalpayet | padairmaṃtrabhavairvāpidhyānādyaṃ pūrvavanmatam || 149 ||

Translation

بستة أنغامٍ ممدودة، مضبوطة في الطبقة العالية (tāra)، يُرتَّب بها الأعضاء الستة (aṅga) للممارسة؛ أو باستعمال الألفاظ (pada) المولودة من المانترا، فإن الترتيب الذي يبدأ بالتأمل (dhyāna) يُعدّ كما قيل سابقًا.

Word by Word

• तार-रुद्धैः: restrained by the tāra (Oṃ)
• तार-रुद्धैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्ध (रुध् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तारेण रुद्धाः)

• स्वरैः: with vowels/tones
• स्वरैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• दीर्घैः: long (protracted)
• दीर्घैः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies ‘स्वरैः’)

• षड्भिः: with six
• षड्भिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, बहुवचन; संख्या

• अङ्गानि: limbs/parts (ancillaries)
• अङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• कल्पयेत्: should arrange/construct
• कल्पयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पदैः: with words/quarters
• पदैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• मन्त्र-भवैः: arising from the mantra
• मन्त्र-भवैः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भव (भू धातु, क्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मन्त्रात् भवाः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• ध्यान-आद्यम्: beginning with meditation
• ध्यान-आद्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ध्यानम् आदिः यस्य / beginning with meditation)

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/रीतिवाचक (adverb: as before)

• मतम्: is held/considered
• मतम्: Samanadhikarana (समानाधिकरण/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle) ‘मत’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘considered/held’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/Śikṣā context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It links correct mantra-phonetics (prolonged, properly placed tones) with the successful formation of the practice’s “six aṅgas,” showing that spiritual efficacy depends on disciplined sound and a structured inner sequence beginning with meditation.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While technical, it supports Bhakti by insisting that mantra-recitation and contemplation must be performed correctly—devotion is strengthened when sound (śabda) and meditation (dhyāna) are aligned in the prescribed order.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics): it emphasizes svara control, dīrgha (prolongation), and tāra register discipline, and indicates how mantra-derived padas are applied within a structured practice sequence.