Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

ईशानाख्यं तत्पुरुषमघोरं तदनंतरम् । वामदेवाह्वयं सद्योजातबीजं क्रमाद्विदुः ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

īśānākhyaṃ tatpuruṣamaghoraṃ tadanaṃtaram | vāmadevāhvayaṃ sadyojātabījaṃ kramādviduḥ || 53 ||

Translation

In rechter Reihenfolge erkennen sie: zuerst Īśāna, dann Tatpuruṣa, danach Aghora, sodann den sogenannten Vāmadeva, und schließlich die Bīja-Mantra des Sadyojāta.

Word by Word

• ईशान-आख्यम्: (the one) called Īśāna
• ईशान-आख्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; item known)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (कृदन्त; √ख्या)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘ईशान इति आख्यम्’ (called Īśāna)

• तत्-पुरुषम्: Tatpuruṣa (form/name)
• तत्-पुरुषम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास-रूप ‘तत्पुरुष’ (name of a form)

• अघोरम्: Aghora (form/name)
• अघोरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object; ‘that’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग; अव्यय (adverbial use)

• वामदेव-आह्वयम्: (the one) named Vāmadeva
• वामदेव-आह्वयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वामदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + आह्वय (कृदन्त; √ह्वे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘वामदेव इति आह्वयम्’ (named Vāmadeva)

• सद्योजात-बीजम्: the Sadyojāta seed (syllable)
• सद्योजात-बीजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद्योजात (प्रातिपदिक) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘सद्योजातस्य बीजम्’ (seed-syllable of Sadyojāta)

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘in order/ क्रमशः’

• विदुः: they know/recognize
• विदुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/mantra-vidya sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Ishana
• Tatpurusha
• Aghora
• Vamadeva
• Sadyojata

FAQs

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

It preserves the correct ritual-meditative sequence of the five Śaiva faces (Pañcabrahma), emphasizing that mantra-knowledge is not random but transmitted in an exact, traditional order.

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

By naming and ordering the divine aspects used in worship, it guides focused upāsanā—devotion expressed through precise remembrance and recitation aligned to a recognized form of the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-prayoga and correct krama (sequence) in recitation—skills supported by Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (clear word-forms), ensuring accurate utterance and placement of names/bījas in ritual.