Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 87

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

इति विन्यस्तदेहोऽसौ भवेद्गंगाधरः स्वयम् । ततः समाहितो भूत्वा ध्यायेदेवं सदाशिवम् ॥ ८७ ॥

Transliteration

iti vinyastadeho'sau bhavedgaṃgādharaḥ svayam | tataḥ samāhito bhūtvā dhyāyedevaṃ sadāśivam || 87 ||

Translation

هكذا، بعد أن رتّب جسده وثبّته على الوجه المأمور، يصير هو نفسه «غانغادَهارا» (شِيفا حامل الغانغا). ثمّ إذا استجمع ذهنه تمامًا، فليتأمّل على هذا النحو «سَدَاشِيفا».

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• विन्यस्त-देहः: the one with body properly arranged
• विन्यस्त-देहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-नि-अस्/न्यस् (धातु) → विन्यस्त (कृदन्त) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (‘one whose body is arranged/placed’), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• असौ: that (person)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• भवेत्: should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• गङ्गा-धरः: Gaṅgādhara (Śiva)
• गङ्गा-धरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘holder of Gaṅgā’), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), आत्मार्थक (reflexive adverb)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रम/हेतुवाचक (then/thereafter)

• समाहितः: composed, concentrated
• समाहितः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Prerequisite action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• एवम्: thus, in this way
• एवम्: Prakara (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• सदा-शिवम्: Sadāśiva
• सदा-शिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा (अव्यय) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (‘ever-auspicious’), पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (sg.)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the method of dhyana/nyasa-like bodily placement and meditation)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Gangadhara
• Ganga
• Sadashiva
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that correct bodily regulation and inner composure are not merely preparatory; they transform the meditator’s identity in contemplation, enabling direct meditation on Sadāśiva as Gangādhara.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as focused upāsanā: by steadying body and mind, the devotee meditates on Śiva’s sacred form (Gangādhara), cultivating single-pointed reverence that deepens into inner identification with the deity’s presence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical discipline of practice is implied—methodical bodily placement/steadiness and mental samādhāna (concentration), akin to structured ritual-mental procedure used in upāsanā and yogic training.