Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 158

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

शैवं पीठे यजेद्देवं नीलकंठं समाहितः । मृत्युं जयविधानेन विषद्वयविनाशनम् ॥ १५८ ॥

Transliteration

śaivaṃ pīṭhe yajeddevaṃ nīlakaṃṭhaṃ samāhitaḥ | mṛtyuṃ jayavidhānena viṣadvayavināśanam || 158 ||

Translation

Mit gesammelt ruhigem Geist verehre man den Herrn Nīlakaṇṭha (Śiva) auf dem śaivischen Sitz; durch das als Mṛtyuñjaya-vidhāna bekannte Verfahren wird das zweifache Gift vernichtet.

Word by Word

• शैवम्: Śaiva (pertaining to Śiva)
• शैवम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier of ‘देवम्’/ritual object)

• पीठे: on the pedestal/altar-seat
• पीठे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नील-कण्ठम्: Nīlakaṇṭha (blue-throated Śiva)
• नील-कण्ठम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; apposition to देवम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (Karmadhāraya; ‘नीलः कण्ठः यस्य/नीलकण्ठः’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समाहितः: being concentrated
• समाहितः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; the worshipper)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाहित (कृदन्त; सम्√धा)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle ‘collected/attentive’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; to be conquered)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• जय-विधानेन: by the method of victory (rite)
• जय-विधानेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative; ‘जयस्य विधानम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विष-द्वय-विनाशनम्: destroyer of the two poisons
• विष-द्वय-विनाशनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Determinative; ‘विषयोः द्वयोः विनाशनम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (of the rite/act)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the technical/ritual context of Book 1.3)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Nilakantha
• Mrityunjaya

FAQs

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

It presents focused Śaiva worship of Nīlakaṇṭha through the Mṛtyuñjaya-vidhi as a protective, life-preserving rite that overcomes deathly afflictions and purifies harmful influences.

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

Bhakti is expressed as concentrated, reverent worship (samāhita-yajana) of the deity on a consecrated seat, showing that devotion becomes effective when joined with steadiness of mind and proper ritual observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical knowledge (vidhi)—correct placement (pīṭha), disciplined mental focus (samāhita), and the specialized procedure called Mṛtyuñjaya-vidhāna, reflecting the Narada Purana’s technical (Vedanga-adjacent) orientation in Book 1.3.