Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 181

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

वसुवर्णैः स्मृतं नेत्रं दशार्णैरस्त्रमीरितम् । मूर्ध्नि नेत्रास्यकंठेषु हृन्नाभ्यामूरुषु क्रमात् ॥ १८१ ॥

Transliteration

vasuvarṇaiḥ smṛtaṃ netraṃ daśārṇairastramīritam | mūrdhni netrāsyakaṃṭheṣu hṛnnābhyāmūruṣu kramāt || 181 ||

Translation

Das „Auge“ (Netra) wird als achtsilbig erinnert, und die „Waffe“ (Astra) wird als zehnsilbig verkündet. Sie sind der Reihe nach zu setzen: auf den Kopf; auf Augen, Mund und Kehle; auf Herz und Nabel; und auf die Schenkel.

Word by Word

• वसुवर्णैः: by the ‘vasu’ syllables/letters
• वसुवर्णैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वसु + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (वसूनां वर्णैः/वसु-संबद्ध-वर्णैः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• स्मृतम्: is remembered/said
• स्मृतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object) (in passive construction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय

• नेत्रम्: the eye
• नेत्रम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दशार्णैः: by the ten-syllabled (letters)
• दशार्णैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (दश अर्णानि/दश-अक्षर-समूहः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अस्त्रम्: the weapon (mantra-weapon)
• अस्त्रम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ईरितम्: is proclaimed/uttered
• ईरितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object) (in passive construction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर्/ईरय् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• नेत्रास्यकण्ठेषु: in/at the eye, mouth, and throat
• नेत्रास्यकण्ठेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र + आस्य + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (नेत्रं च आस्यं च कण्ठश्च), पुं/नपुंसक-समाहारार्थे, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• हृत्: in the heart
• हृत्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत्/हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (वैकल्पिक-रूप; हृदि अपेक्षित)

• नाभ्याम्: in the navel
• नाभ्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (वैकल्पिक-रूप; नाभ्याम् सामान्यतः तृतीया/सप्तमी द्विवचन)

• ऊरुषु: in the thighs
• ऊरुषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• क्रमात्: in order, successively
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/ritual-technical context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-nyasa: sanctifying the body as a vessel of mantra by placing specific mantra-limbs (netra and astra) on prescribed body-points, aligning the practitioner’s senses and vital centers with sacred sound.

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

Bhakti here is supported by disciplined upasana: the devotee prepares the body-mind through nyasa so that worship and remembrance become steady, reverent, and focused rather than casual or distracted.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A practical mantra-prayoga rule: identifying mantras by syllable-count (eight-syllabled ‘netra’, ten-syllabled ‘astra’) and applying them in a fixed sequence of bodily locations—an applied, technical aspect of ritual procedure.