Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 101

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

प्रणीयेन्नृत्यगीताद्यैः स्तोत्रमैर्त्रीं मनोहरैः । तारो मायावियद्बिंदुमनुस्वरसमन्वितः ॥ १०१ ॥

Transliteration

praṇīyennṛtyagītādyaiḥ stotramairtrīṃ manoharaiḥ | tāro māyāviyadbiṃdumanusvarasamanvitaḥ || 101 ||

Translation

Man soll es mit Tanz, Gesang und dergleichen vollziehen, mit lieblichen Hymnen, die Freundschaft erwecken. Und die heilige Silbe «Tāra» (Oṁ) ist zusammen mit den Elementen māyā, viyat und bindu zu verwenden, begleitet vom nasalen Nachklang (anusvāra).

Word by Word

• प्र-णीयेत्: should lead/should perform (bring forth)
• प्र-णीयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नृत्य-गीत-आद्यैः: with dance, song, etc.
• नृत्य-गीत-आद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य + गीत + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समाहार/बहुवचनार्थ, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = ‘etc.’

• स्तोत्र-मैत्रीम्: the hymn called ‘Maitrī’
• स्तोत्र-मैत्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोत्र + मैत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘स्तोत्रमैत्री’ = स्तोत्ररूपा मैत्री/स्तोत्र-सम्बद्धा मैत्री

• मनोहरैः: with charming (means/qualities)
• मनोहरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; साधनभावे—‘(गुणैः) मनोहरैः’

• तारः: the syllable ‘tāra’ (oṃ)
• तारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• माया-वियत्-बिन्दु-मनुस्वर-समन्वितः: endowed with māyā, ‘viyat’, bindu, and anusvāra
• माया-वियत्-बिन्दु-मनुस्वर-समन्वितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया + वियत् + बिन्दु + मनुस्वर + समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; ‘समन्वित’ (क्त) = युक्तः

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/Śikṣā context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Om (Tara)

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred recitation is not merely mechanical—when joined with uplifting stotra, music, and a benevolent (maitrī) mood, the mantra becomes a refined vehicle for devotion and inner harmony, grounded in correct sonic elements like Oṁ and its phonetic markers.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as heartfelt praise (stotra) that generates friendliness and sweetness of mind, supported by devotional arts (gīta, nṛtya). The verse implies that devotion becomes more potent when emotion (maitrī) and correct sacred sound (tāra/Oṁ) are united.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Śikṣā (phonetics): the use of anusvāra (nasal resonance) and bindu as technical features of mantra pronunciation/structure, emphasizing that accurate sound-production is integral to ritual and mantra efficacy.