Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 51

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

प्रासादाख्यो मनुः प्रोक्तो भजतां सर्वसिद्धिदः । षड्दीर्घयुक्तबीजेन षडंगविधिरीरितः ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

prāsādākhyo manuḥ prokto bhajatāṃ sarvasiddhidaḥ | ṣaḍdīrghayuktabījena ṣaḍaṃgavidhirīritaḥ || 51 ||

Translation

Das Mantra namens „Prāsāda“ ist verkündet worden; den Verehrern in Bhakti verleiht es alle Siddhis. Mit der Bīja-Silbe, verbunden mit den sechs langen Vokalen, wird die Sechsglieder-Ordnung (ṣaḍaṅga-vidhi) gelehrt.

Word by Word

• प्रासाद-आख्यः: named ‘Prāsāda’
• प्रासाद-आख्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of मनुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त; √ख्या)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘प्रासाद इति आख्यः’ (named ‘Prāsāda’)

• मनुः: the mantra/formula (manu)
• मनुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तः: is declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• भजताम्: of worshippers
• भजताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle) ‘भजत्’ का षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) बहुवचन; ‘of those who worship’

• सर्व-सिद्धि-दः: giver of all accomplishments
• सर्व-सिद्धि-दः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of मनुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त; √दा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘सर्वाः सिद्धयः ददाति’ (giver of all attainments)

• षट्-दीर्घ-युक्त-बीजेन: by the seed (syllable) joined with six long (sounds)
• षट्-दीर्घ-युक्त-बीजेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त; √युज्) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘षड्दीर्घैः युक्तं बीजं’ (seed-syllable endowed with six long vowels/lengths)

• षट्-अङ्ग-विधिः: the six-limbed procedure
• षट्-अङ्ग-विधिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘षडङ्गानां विधिः’ (procedure of six limbs)

• ईरितः: is stated
• ईरितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर्/इर् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘stated/uttered’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It presents a specific worship-mantra (“Prāsāda”) as a means to attain completeness in practice—linking devotion with disciplined mantra-application that yields ‘siddhi’ (spiritual accomplishment).

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

Bhakti here is not only emotional reverence; it is devotion expressed through correct mantra-sevā—reciting and applying the mantra with its prescribed auxiliaries, making worship steady and effective.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical mantra-prayoga: use of bīja syllables, vowel-length (dīrgha) distinctions, and the ṣaḍaṅga (sixfold) ancillary procedure—skills tied to śikṣā (phonetics) and ritual method.