Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 157

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

लक्षत्रयं जपेन्मंत्रं तद्दशांशं ससर्पिषा । हविषा जुहुयात्सम्यक्संस्कृते हव्यवाहने ॥ १५७ ॥

Transliteration

lakṣatrayaṃ japenmaṃtraṃ taddaśāṃśaṃ sasarpiṣā | haviṣā juhuyātsamyaksaṃskṛte havyavāhane || 157 ||

Translation

ليُكَرِّرِ المرءُ المانترا ثلاثَ لَكْشَاتٍ من المرات؛ ثم ليُقَدِّمْ على وجهٍ صحيح، وبمقدار عُشرِ ذلك العدد، السَّمْنَ المصفّى (ghee) وطعامَ القُربان (havis) في النار المُقَدَّسة حقًّا—أغني، حامِلَ القرابين.

Word by Word

• लक्ष-त्रयम्: three lakhs (300,000)
• लक्ष-त्रयम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; number/measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (Dvigu; ‘त्रीणि लक्षाणि’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्-दश-अंशम्: one-tenth of that
• तत्-दश-अंशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; measure for offering)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + दश (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative; ‘तस्य दशमः अंशः’ = one-tenth of that), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स-सर्पिषा: with ghee
• स-सर्पिषा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + सर्पिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सह-अर्थक ‘स’ (indeclinable prefix meaning ‘with’) + सर्पिस्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• हविषा: with oblation
• हविषा: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• जुहुयात्: should offer (into fire)
• जुहुयात्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• संस्कृते: in the duly prepared (fire)
• संस्कृते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्कृत (कृदन्त; सम्√कृ)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle ‘prepared/purified’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) / नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) सम्भव; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); अधिकरण-विशेषण (qualifier of place)

• हव्य-वाहने: in the fire (carrier of offerings)
• हव्य-वाहने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa; ‘हव्यं वहति’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Havyavahana)

FAQs

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

It teaches the classical prayoga principle that mantra-siddhi is stabilized by disciplined japa and then sealed through homa—offering a prescribed fraction (one-tenth) into a properly consecrated fire to sanctify the practice and its results.

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

While primarily technical, it supports bhakti by prescribing a reverent, orderly way to worship through mantra and fire-offerings, treating the mantra as a sacred means of approaching the deity via Agni as the offering-carrier.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual science (Kalpa) is emphasized: fixed japa counts, the dashamsha rule for homa, and the requirement of a saṁskṛta (properly prepared) fire for correct performance.