Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

पीतांजनश्वेतरक्ताः प्रधानसदृशायुधाः । चतुर्वक्त्रसमायुक्ता यथावत्ताः प्रपूजयेत् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

pītāṃjanaśvetaraktāḥ pradhānasadṛśāyudhāḥ | caturvaktrasamāyuktā yathāvattāḥ prapūjayet || 24 ||

Translation

Man soll sie ordnungsgemäß verehren: mit Gelb (Gewand/Salbung), Weiß und Rot; Waffen tragend, die denen der Hauptgottheit gleichen; und mit vier Gesichtern ausgestattet.

Word by Word

• pīta-añjana-śveta-raktāḥ: yellow, black, white, and red
• pīta-añjana-śveta-raktāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīta + añjana + śveta + rakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); द्वन्द्व-समासः (colors: yellow/collyrium-black/white/red) qualifying the deities/forms

• pradhāna-sadṛśa-āyudhāḥ: having weapons like those of Pradhāna
• pradhāna-sadṛśa-āyudhāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pradhāna + sadṛśa + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः (pradhānasya sadṛśāni āyudhāni yeṣām)

• catur-vaktra-samāyuktāḥ: endowed with four faces
• catur-vaktra-samāyuktāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur + vaktra + samāyukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः (caturṇāṃ vaktrāṇāṃ samāyuktāḥ)

• yathāvat: properly
• yathāvat: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning ‘properly/according to rule’

• tāḥ: them
• tāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); pronoun referring to the (mūrtayaḥ/śaktayaḥ)

• prapūjayet: should worship reverently
• prapūjayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+√pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: Optative/vidhi-lin (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes yathāvat (rule-based) worship—inner devotion expressed through precise ritual form, where colors, weapons, and faces symbolize specific divine functions and cosmic powers aligned to the principal deity.

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

Bhakti here is shown as reverent, careful service: devotion is strengthened by honoring the deity’s prescribed form and attributes rather than treating worship as casual or improvised.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa (ritual procedure) and allied iconographic conventions—how to perform puja correctly by following prescribed visual markers (colors), attributes (weapons), and form (four faces).