Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

कर्णिकायां यजेन्मूर्तिरीशमीशानदिग्गजम् । शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशं दिक्षु तत्पुरुषादिका ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

karṇikāyāṃ yajenmūrtirīśamīśānadiggajam | śuddhasphaṭikasaṃkāśaṃ dikṣu tatpuruṣādikā || 23 ||

Translation

في قلب اللوتس (الكَرْنِكا) تُعبَدُ الصورةُ الإلهيةُ بوصفها «إيشا» الربّ، مع فيلِ حارسِ جهة «إيشانا» (الشمال الشرقي). ويُتأمَّلُ متلألئًا كالكريستال النقي؛ وفي الجهات الأخرى تُوضَع «تَتْبُرُوشا» وسائرُ تجلّيات الربّ.

Word by Word

• karṇikāyām: in the pericarp (of the lotus)
• karṇikāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yajet: should worship
• yajet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yaj (यज् धातु)
• Form: Optative/vidhi-lin (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• mūrtim: the form/icon
• mūrtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• īśam: the Lord
• īśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• īśāna-dik-gajam: the directional elephant of Īśāna (NE)
• īśāna-dik-gajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna + dik + gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (īśānasya dikgajaḥ / īśāna-dik-gajaḥ)

• śuddha-sphaṭika-saṃkāśam: resembling pure crystal
• śuddha-sphaṭika-saṃkāśam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha + sphaṭika + saṃkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः (śuddhaḥ sphaṭika iva saṃkāśaḥ) qualifying īśāna-dik-gajam

• dikṣu: in the directions
• dikṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tatpuruṣa-ādikāḥ: (the forms) beginning with Tatpuruṣa
• tatpuruṣa-ādikāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tatpuruṣa + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः (tatpuruṣādayaḥ—beginning with Tatpuruṣa)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a ritual-technical teaching section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Isha (Īśa)
• Ishana (Īśāna)
• Tatpurusha (Tatpuruṣa)

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined visualization: the Lord is worshipped in the “center” (karṇikā) as a crystal-pure presence, while His aspects are arranged by directions—training the mind to see divinity as ordered, all-pervading, and luminous.

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

Bhakti here takes a structured form: devotion is expressed through precise upāsanā—contemplating the Lord’s central sovereignty (Īśa) and honoring His manifestations in every direction, making worship continuous and all-encompassing.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical mapping used in upāsanā (dik-nyāsa/mandala placement) and correct conceptual alignment of deity-forms with directions—an applied, methodical aspect of Vedic ritual science.