Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 52
The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra
Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana
षडर्णवत्तु मुन्याद्याः प्रोक्ताश्चास्यापि नारद । ईशानाद्या न्यसेन्मूर्तीरंगुष्ठादिषु देशिकः ॥ ५२ ॥
ṣaḍarṇavattu munyādyāḥ proktāścāsyāpi nārada | īśānādyā nyasenmūrtīraṃguṣṭhādiṣu deśikaḥ || 52 ||
O Nārada, the sages and the rest are taught here as in the six-syllabled practice as well. Likewise, the teacher (deśika) should perform nyāsa, placing the divine forms beginning with Īśāna upon the thumb and the other fingers.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It teaches nyāsa—internalizing the deity by ritually placing divine forms on the body—so the practitioner’s limbs become consecrated and aligned with the mantra’s sacred power.
By assigning Īśāna and other forms onto the fingers, devotion becomes embodied: worship is not only external but also an inward identification with the Lord’s presence through disciplined ritual remembrance.
It highlights technical ritual procedure (prayoga) connected with mantra-science—specifically kara-nyāsa/aṅga-nyāsa style placements—showing how precise recitation and placement are used in applied Vedic practice.