Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

वामदेवी मुनीश्छन्दः पंक्तिरीशोऽस्य देवता । षड्भिर्वर्णैः षडङ्गानि कुर्यान्मंत्रेण देशिकः ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

vāmadevī munīśchandaḥ paṃktirīśo'sya devatā | ṣaḍbhirvarṇaiḥ ṣaḍaṅgāni kuryānmaṃtreṇa deśikaḥ || 3 ||

Translation

Für dieses Mantra ist Vāmadevī die ṛṣi (Seherin), Munīś das Versmaß (chandas) und Paṅkti die präsidierende Gottheit. Mit den sechs Buchstaben/Silben des Mantras soll der eingeweihte Lehrer die Ṣaḍaṅga-Nyāsa (ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa), die Setzung der sechs Glieder, vollziehen.

Word by Word

• vāmadevī: Vāmadevī
• vāmadevī: Karta (कर्ता/subject—designation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāmadevī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; mantra-śakti/name

• muniḥ: sage (ṛṣi)
• muniḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject—designation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; (ṛṣi)

• chandaḥ: meter (chandas)
• chandaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject—designation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chandas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• paṃktiḥ: Paṅkti (meter)
• paṃktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject—designation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃkti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; name of meter

• īśaḥ: Īśa (Lord)
• īśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject—designation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/of it)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; refers to mantra

• devatā: deity
• devatā: Karta (कर्ता/subject—designation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; presiding deity

• ṣaḍbhiḥ: with six
• ṣaḍbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (Number adjective) Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; used with varṇaiḥ

• varṇaiḥ: letters/syllables
• varṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• ṣaṭ-aṅgāni: six limbs (nyāsa-aṅgas)
• ṣaṭ-aṅgāni: Karma (कर्म/object of kuryāt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; dvigu ‘six limbs (aṅgas)’

• kuryāt: should perform/make
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• mantreṇa: by/with the mantra
• mantreṇa: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• deśikaḥ: the teacher (guru)
• deśikaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deśika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘teacher/initiator’

Speaker

Narada (in instructional discourse on mantra-vidhi within Vedanga/ritual-technical teaching)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vāmadevī
• Munīś
• Paṅkti

FAQs

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

It teaches the disciplined, tradition-bound way of approaching mantra: identifying ṛṣi, chandas, and devatā, and then applying the mantra through ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa so recitation becomes embodied, protected, and ritually empowered.

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

While technical, it supports bhakti by prescribing correct mantra-practice under a qualified teacher (deśika), so devotion is expressed through proper Vedic-ritual conduct rather than mere sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (Vedic metre) and mantra-lakṣaṇa (ṛṣi–chandas–devatā identification) are highlighted, along with the applied ritual method of ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa based on the mantra’s six varṇas.