Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 113

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

गुणलक्षं जपेन्मंत्रं तद्दशांशं हुनेत्सुधीः । अमृताशकलैः शुद्धदुग्धाज्यसमभिप्लुतैः ॥ ११३ ॥

Transliteration

guṇalakṣaṃ japenmaṃtraṃ taddaśāṃśaṃ hunetsudhīḥ | amṛtāśakalaiḥ śuddhadugdhājyasamabhiplutaiḥ || 113 ||

Translation

Le pratiquant avisé doit répéter le mantra jusqu’au compte de « guṇa-lakṣa », puis offrir dans le feu le dixième de ce nombre, avec des morceaux d’amṛtāśaka abondamment imprégnés de lait pur et de ghee.

Word by Word

• guṇa-lakṣam: a lakh (as the count)
• guṇa-lakṣam: Karma (कर्म) / Parimāṇa (परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana; ‘a lakh of times’ (count qualified by guṇa)

• japet: should recite
• japet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jap (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• mantram: the mantra
• mantram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana

• tat: that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā/Dvitīyā (Nom./Acc.), Ekavacana; used deictically ‘that’

• daśa-aṃśam: a tenth portion
• daśa-aṃśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana; ‘a tenth part’

• hunet: should offer (into fire)
• hunet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• su-dhīḥ: the wise person
• su-dhīḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1st), Ekavacana; ‘the wise one’

• amṛta-aśa-kalaiḥ: with amṛta-like portions
• amṛta-aśa-kalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + aśa (प्रातिपदिक) + kalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (Instr. 3rd), Bahuvacana; ‘with portions/digits of amṛta-food’ (i.e., amṛta-like morsels)

• śuddha-dugdha-ājya-samabhiplutaiḥ: thoroughly moistened with pure milk and ghee
• śuddha-dugdha-ājya-samabhiplutaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक) + dugdha (प्रातिपदिक) + ājya (प्रातिपदिक) + samabhipluta (कृदन्त; sam-abhi-plu-kta)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Tṛtīyā (Instr. 3rd), Bahuvacana; ‘(items) thoroughly moistened with pure milk and ghee’

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual procedure within the Vedanga/technical section; traditionally in dialogue context with Sanatkumara lineage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches a disciplined completion method for mantra-sādhana: japa is sealed and stabilized by homa, with the homa count set as one-tenth of the japa, indicating ritual completeness and purification.

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

Though technical, it supports bhakti by prescribing a focused, reverent routine—repetition (japa) and offering (homa)—that trains attention and surrender through sacred action.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual prayoga (application) is highlighted: numerical discipline for japa, the daśāṁśa (one-tenth) homa rule, and the specification of oblation materials (milk and ghee) used in fire-ritual performance.