Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

वक्त्रांसहृत्सपादोरुजठरेषु क्रमान्न्यसेत् । मूलमन्त्रस्य षड वर्णान्यथावद्देशिकोत्तमः ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

vaktrāṃsahṛtsapādorujaṭhareṣu kramānnyaset | mūlamantrasya ṣaḍa varṇānyathāvaddeśikottamaḥ || 10 ||

Translation

Der vortreffliche Lehrer soll der rechten Ordnung gemäß die sechs Silben des Wurzel-Mantras als Nyāsa auf Mund, Schultern, Herz sowie auf Füße, Schenkel und Bauch setzen, genau wie vorgeschrieben.

Word by Word

• वक्त्र-अंस-हृत्-स-पाद-ऊरु-जठरेषु: in the face, shoulders, heart, feet, thighs, and belly
• वक्त्र-अंस-हृत्-स-पाद-ऊरु-जठरेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अंस (प्रातिपदिक) + हृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक) + जठर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (collective dvandva) — ‘in/at the (set of) face, shoulders, heart, feet, thighs, belly’

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त ‘क्रमात्’ = ‘in order/stepwise’

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् — ‘he should place/assign’

• मूल-मन्त्रस्य: of the root mantra
• मूल-मन्त्रस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — ‘of the root-mantra’

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक विशेषण; (here) नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनस्य विशेषणम् — ‘six’

• वर्णान्: syllables/letters
• वर्णान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• यथावत्: properly
• यथावत्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — ‘properly/as prescribed’

• देशिक-उत्तमः: the excellent preceptor
• देशिक-उत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देशिक (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः — ‘the best teacher/preceptor’

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches nyāsa—sanctifying the practitioner’s body by installing the mantra’s syllables in specific loci—so the body becomes a fit vessel for mantra-japa and ritual worship.

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

By prescribing disciplined mantra-ritual (nyāsa) under a qualified teacher, it supports bhakti through embodied, reverent practice—preparing the devotee for focused remembrance and worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects technical ritual method (prayoga) tied to mantra-science—precise sequencing, correct syllabic placement (varṇa), and adherence to injunctions (yathāvat), consistent with śikṣā-style attention to sound and procedure.