Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 132

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

आस्यदोःसंधिषु गले स्तनहृन्नाभिमंडले । कट्यां गुह्ये पुनः पादसंधिष्वर्णान्न्यसेन्मनोः ॥ १३२ ॥

Transliteration

āsyadoḥsaṃdhiṣu gale stanahṛnnābhimaṃḍale | kaṭyāṃ guhye punaḥ pādasaṃdhiṣvarṇānnyasenmanoḥ || 132 ||

Translation

Man soll die Silben des Mantras (nyāsa) an den Gelenkstellen von Mund und Armen, an der Kehle, in der Brustgegend, am Herzen und im Nabelkreis setzen; dann an der Taille und am geheimen Ort, und wiederum an den Gelenken der Füße.

Word by Word

• āsya-doḥ-saṃdhiṣu: at the joints of the mouth and arms
• āsya-doḥ-saṃdhiṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsya (प्रातिपदिक) + doḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃdhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.) (saṃdhi), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• gale: in the throat
• gale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana (Singular)

• stana-hṛt-nābhi-maṇḍale: in the region of the breasts, heart, and navel
• stana-hṛt-nābhi-maṇḍale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stana (प्रातिपदिक) + hṛt/hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक) + nābhi (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (n.), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana (Singular)

• kaṭyām: at the waist
• kaṭyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana (Singular)

• guhye: in the genital region
• guhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (n.), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Ekavacana (Singular)

• punaḥ: again/further
• punaḥ: Krama (क्रम/Sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• pāda-saṃdhiṣu: at the joints of the feet
• pāda-saṃdhiṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃdhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.) (saṃdhi), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• arṇān: letters/syllables
• arṇān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga (n.) (letters), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/2nd), Bahuvacana (Plural)

• nyaset: should place (nyāsa)
• nyaset: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√as (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (Singular), Parasmaipada

• manoḥ: of Manu
• manoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (Genitive/6th), Ekavacana (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-nyāsa—ritually installing mantra-syllables on specific bodily locations—so the practitioner’s body is treated as a sacred seat of worship, aligning speech, breath, and awareness with the mantra’s power (śakti).

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

Though technical, nyāsa supports bhakti-upāsanā by preparing the body-mind as an instrument of reverent worship; the devotee internalizes the mantra through mindful placement, making devotion steady and embodied.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual science (kalpa/ācāra) and mantra-vidhi: precise bodily loci for varṇa-nyāsa/anga-nyāsa, a procedural discipline used in mantra-sādhana and temple/home worship.