Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 146

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

त्रिवारं जप्तमेतेन पयस्तु मनुना पिबेत् । दक्षिणामूर्तिंसंध्यानाच्छास्त्रव्याख्यानकृद्भवेत् ॥ १४६ ॥

Transliteration

trivāraṃ japtametena payastu manunā pibet | dakṣiṇāmūrtiṃsaṃdhyānācchāstravyākhyānakṛdbhavet || 146 ||

Translation

Nachdem man dieses Mantra dreimal rezitiert hat, soll man Milch trinken und dabei das Mantra wiederholen. Wer während der Dämmerungsverehrung (saṁdhyā) über Dakṣiṇāmūrti meditiert, wird fähig, die Schriften auszulegen.

Word by Word

• त्रि-वारम्: three times
• त्रि-वारम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial) अर्थे ‘त्रिवारम्’ = three times

• जप्तम्: recited
• जप्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘recited’ (here: having been recited/recitation)

• एतेन: with this
• एतेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पयः: milk
• पयः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• मनुना: with the mantra (manu)
• मनुना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पिबेत्: should drink
• पिबेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दक्षिणा-मूर्तिम्: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
• दक्षिणा-मूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (दक्षिणा एव मूर्तिः / ‘Dakṣiṇāmūrti’ as proper name)

• संध्यानात्: from meditation (sandhyā)
• संध्यानात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• शास्त्र-व्याख्यान-कृत्: an expounder of scriptures
• शास्त्र-व्याख्यान-कृत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याख्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु)
• Form: उपपद-समास/तत्पुरुषः; ‘कृत्’ (कृ + क्विप्) = doer; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue with the Sanatkumara brothers, teaching a technical mantra-prayoga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣiṇāmūrti

FAQs

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

It presents a concise mantra-prayoga: japa done thrice, followed by mantra-sanctified milk, and Dakṣiṇāmūrti-dhyāna in saṁdhyā—linking purity, concentration, and guru-principle to the awakening of scriptural insight.

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

Bhakti appears here as guru-bhakti and devatā-dhyāna: meditating on Dakṣiṇāmūrti with reverence during saṁdhyā cultivates steady devotion that matures into clarity for teaching and explaining dharma and śāstra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-prayoga within daily saṁdhyā discipline—an applied, technical use of japa and dhyāna aimed at śāstra-vyākhyāna (competence in interpretation), aligning with Vedanga-style training in correct recitation and ritual timing.