Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 166

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

प्रतिलोमस्वराढ्या च बीजं वह्निगृहे स्थितम् । रेफादिव्यंजनोल्लासिषट्कोणाभिवृतं बहिः ॥ १६६ ॥

Transliteration

pratilomasvarāḍhyā ca bījaṃ vahnigṛhe sthitam | rephādivyaṃjanollāsiṣaṭkoṇābhivṛtaṃ bahiḥ || 166 ||

Translation

ذلك البِيجا، الموشّى بحروف العِلّة المرتّبة على وجهٍ معكوس، يُوضَع في «بيت النار» أي مقام أَغْنِي. ومن الخارج يُحاط بشكلٍ سداسيّ الزوايا، يزدهي بحروفٍ ساكنة تبدأ بـ«را» (رِيفَا).

Word by Word

• pratiloma-svara-āḍhyā: endowed with reverse/contrary vowels (intonations)
• pratiloma-svara-āḍhyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratiloma (प्रातिपदिक) + svara (प्रातिपदिक) + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समासः तत्पुरुषः (pratilomaiḥ svaraiḥ āḍhyā) ‘rich in reverse/contrary vowels/tones’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• bījam: seed (mantra-seed)
• bījam: Karta/Ādhāra of description (कर्ता/आश्रय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• vahni-gṛhe: in the house/place of fire
• vahni-gṛhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (vahneḥ gṛhe)

• sthitam: situated
• sthitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthita (कृदन्त, √sthā धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); क्त (past passive participle) used adjectivally

• repha-ādi-vyañjana-ullāsi-ṣaṭkoṇa-abhivṛtam: enclosed by a hexagon shining with consonants beginning with ‘ra’
• repha-ādi-vyañjana-ullāsi-ṣaṭkoṇa-abhivṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: repha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + vyañjana (प्रातिपदिक) + ullāsin (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from √las ‘shine’) + ṣaṭkoṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + abhivṛta (कृदन्त, abhi√vṛ धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; ‘abhivṛta’ = क्त (PPP) ‘enclosed/surrounded’; ṣaṭkoṇa = द्विगु/प्रातिपदिक ‘hexagon’; overall: ‘surrounded by a hexagon that is radiant with consonants beginning with ra (repha)’

• bahiḥ: outside
• bahiḥ: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण/locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical mantra/yantra construction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Agni

FAQs

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

It encodes a method of mantra-nyāsa and yantra-formation: the bīja is energized through ordered phonemes (vowels/consonants) and stabilized by the Agni-seat and the protective geometry of the ṣaṭkoṇa.

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

While technical, it supports bhakti in a ritual mode: devotion is expressed through precise mantra placement and sacred diagram worship, treating sound (bīja) and form (ṣaṭkoṇa) as aids for focused remembrance of the deity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā/phonetics and mantra-vinyāsa: the verse emphasizes systematic arrangement of vowels and consonants, showing how sound-structure is applied in ritual diagrams and recitation practice.