Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

कर्णिकायां यजेन्मूर्तिरीशमीशानदिग्गजम् । शुद्धस्फटिकसंकाशं दिक्षु तत्पुरुषादिका ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

karṇikāyāṃ yajenmūrtirīśamīśānadiggajam | śuddhasphaṭikasaṃkāśaṃ dikṣu tatpuruṣādikā || 23 ||

Translation

Im Perikarp des Lotos (karnikā) soll man die Gottgestalt als Īśa, den Herrn, verehren, zusammen mit dem Richtungs-Elefanten des Īśāna (Nordosten). Man betrachte Ihn leuchtend wie reiner Kristall; und in den übrigen Richtungen setze man Tatpuruṣa und die weiteren Gestalten des Herrn.

Word by Word

• karṇikāyām: in the pericarp (of the lotus)
• karṇikāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yajet: should worship
• yajet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yaj (यज् धातु)
• Form: Optative/vidhi-lin (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• mūrtim: the form/icon
• mūrtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• īśam: the Lord
• īśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• īśāna-dik-gajam: the directional elephant of Īśāna (NE)
• īśāna-dik-gajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna + dik + gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (īśānasya dikgajaḥ / īśāna-dik-gajaḥ)

• śuddha-sphaṭika-saṃkāśam: resembling pure crystal
• śuddha-sphaṭika-saṃkāśam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha + sphaṭika + saṃkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः (śuddhaḥ sphaṭika iva saṃkāśaḥ) qualifying īśāna-dik-gajam

• dikṣu: in the directions
• dikṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tatpuruṣa-ādikāḥ: (the forms) beginning with Tatpuruṣa
• tatpuruṣa-ādikāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tatpuruṣa + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः (tatpuruṣādayaḥ—beginning with Tatpuruṣa)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a ritual-technical teaching section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Isha (Īśa)
• Ishana (Īśāna)
• Tatpurusha (Tatpuruṣa)

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined visualization: the Lord is worshipped in the “center” (karṇikā) as a crystal-pure presence, while His aspects are arranged by directions—training the mind to see divinity as ordered, all-pervading, and luminous.

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

Bhakti here takes a structured form: devotion is expressed through precise upāsanā—contemplating the Lord’s central sovereignty (Īśa) and honoring His manifestations in every direction, making worship continuous and all-encompassing.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical mapping used in upāsanā (dik-nyāsa/mandala placement) and correct conceptual alignment of deity-forms with directions—an applied, methodical aspect of Vedic ritual science.