Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

वहंतं चारुभूपाढ्यं वामोरुस्थाद्रिकन्यया । भुजेनाश्लिष्टदेहं तं चिंतयेन्मनसा हृदि ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

vahaṃtaṃ cārubhūpāḍhyaṃ vāmorusthādrikanyayā | bhujenāśliṣṭadehaṃ taṃ ciṃtayenmanasā hṛdi || 38 ||

Translation

Man soll im Herzen jenen schönen Herrn betrachten, reich geschmückt mit königlicher Pracht, der seine Geliebte trägt; während die berggeborene Jungfrau (Pārvatī), auf seinem linken Schenkel sitzend, seinen Leib mit ihrem Arm umschlingt.

Word by Word

• वहन्तम्: bearing/carrying
• वहन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (शतृ-प्रत्ययः), द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; कर्तरि

• चारुभूपाढ्यम्: richly adorned with beautiful ornaments
• चारुभूपाढ्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु-भूषा-आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (चारुभिः भूषाभिः आढ्यः = richly adorned with beautiful ornaments)

• वामोरुस्था: seated on the left thigh
• वामोरुस्था: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम-ऊरु-स्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वामे ऊरौ स्थिता)

• अद्रिकन्यया: with the mountain’s daughter (Pārvatī)
• अद्रिकन्यया: Saha (सह/साकम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रि-कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अद्रेः कन्या = पर्वतपुत्री)

• भुजेन: with (his) arm
• भुजेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• आश्लिष्टदेहम्: whose body is embraced (by the arm)
• आश्लिष्टदेहम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-श्लिष् (धातु) + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (आश्लिष्ट), तत्पुरुष-समासः (आश्लिष्टः देहः यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चिन्तयेत्: one should meditate
• चिन्तयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada a dhyāna/mental contemplation)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches inner upāsanā: the deity is to be installed in the heart through vivid contemplation, emphasizing divine auspiciousness, beauty, and the inseparable union of Śiva with Śakti.

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

Bhakti here is practiced as loving remembrance (smaraṇa) and meditation (dhyāna), focusing the mind on the compassionate, ornamented Lord together with the embracing Goddess, making devotion intimate and continuous.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights practical upāsanā methodology—how to form a precise dhyāna-image (dhyāna-śloka style) for mental worship, aiding mantra-japa and ritual visualization even when external rites are not being performed.