Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

पद्मासीनं समंतात्तु स्तुतं सुमनसां गणैः । व्याघ्रकृत्तिं वसानं च विश्वाद्यं विश्वरूपकम् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

padmāsīnaṃ samaṃtāttu stutaṃ sumanasāṃ gaṇaiḥ | vyāghrakṛttiṃ vasānaṃ ca viśvādyaṃ viśvarūpakam || 15 ||

Translation

Auf dem Lotus sitzend, von Scharen reinen Sinnes ringsum gepriesen, in Tigerfell gekleidet — Er ist der Ursprung des Universums und Der, dessen Gestalt das Universum selbst ist.

Word by Word

• पद्मासीनम्: seated on a lotus
• पद्मासीनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्म + आसीन (कृदन्त; √आस् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/क्त (past participle) ‘आसीन’ = seated; समासः पद्मे आसीनः

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• समन्तात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = ‘on all sides/entirely’

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/समुच्चय-व्यतिरेक (particle)

• स्तुतम्: praised
• स्तुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तुत (कृदन्त; √स्तु धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्त-क्त (past passive participle)

• सुमनसाम्: of the virtuous (good-minded)
• सुमनसाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘good-minded/virtuous (persons)’

• गणैः: by groups/assemblies
• गणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• व्याघ्रकृत्तिम्: tiger-skin
• व्याघ्रकृत्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र + कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः व्याघ्रस्य कृत्तिः (tiger-skin)

• वसानम्: wearing
• वसानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वसान (कृदन्त; √वस् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present participle) ‘wearing’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• विश्वाद्यम्: the primordial (of the universe)
• विश्वाद्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व + आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः विश्वस्य आद्यः = ‘first of the universe’

• विश्वरूपकम्: having the universal form
• विश्वरूपकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व + रूपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘विश्वं रूपं यस्य/विश्व-रूपकः’ (having the form of the universe)

Speaker

Narada (narration within the dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• (Implied) Shiva/Rudra
• Sumanasa-gana (hosts of the pure-minded)

FAQs

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

It presents the deity as both transcendent and immanent—praised by the virtuous, yet identified as the very source of the cosmos and as the cosmos itself (viśvādya, viśvarūpaka).

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

By depicting continuous praise (stuti) offered by pure-minded hosts, it models bhakti as reverent contemplation and glorification of the Lord’s cosmic sovereignty and all-pervading form.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse primarily functions as a stuti (hymnic praise) using precise epithets and compounds—useful for Vyākaraṇa (grammar) analysis of samāsa like viśvarūpaka and for understanding mantra-style descriptive theology.