Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 114

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

शैवे संपूजयेत्पीठे मूर्तिं संकल्पमूलतः । अंगावरणमाराध्यपश्चाल्लोकेश्वरान्यजेत् ॥ ११४ ॥

Transliteration

śaive saṃpūjayetpīṭhe mūrtiṃ saṃkalpamūlataḥ | aṃgāvaraṇamārādhyapaścāllokeśvarānyajet || 114 ||

Translation

Sur un pīṭha śaiva (siège/autel sacré), on doit vénérer pleinement l’image de la divinité, en commençant par un saṅkalpa (intention rituelle) correctement établi. Après avoir apaisé l’aṅgāvaraṇa—les divinités des membres et leurs enceintes d’accompagnement—on doit ensuite adorer les Lokēśvaras, Seigneurs présidant aux directions et au monde.

Word by Word

• śaive: in the Śaiva (setting)
• śaive: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative, 7th), Ekavacana; ‘in/at the Śaiva (place/altar)’

• saṃpūjayet: should worship fully
• saṃpūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-pūj (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• pīṭhe: on the pedestal/seat
• pīṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī (Loc. 7th), Ekavacana

• mūrtim: the image/form
• mūrtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana

• saṃkalpa-mūlataḥ: based on the resolve/intention
• saṃkalpa-mūlataḥ: Hetu (हेतु) / Nimitta (निमित्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saṃkalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial); tasil-anta: ‘from/based on the intention (saṃkalpa)’

• aṅga-āvaraṇam: the aṅga-āvaraṇa (attendant circle)
• aṅga-āvaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana; ‘the limb-encircling (deities)/attendant enclosure’

• ārādhya: having worshipped
• ārādhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-rādh (धातु) + lyap (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; absolutive)
• Form: Absolutive (gerund), avyaya; ‘having propitiated/worshipped’

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time

• loka-īśvarān: the lords of the worlds
• loka-īśvarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Bahuvacana; ‘lords of the worlds’

• yajet: should worship/offer to
• yajet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yaj (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Lokeshvaras

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship becomes spiritually effective when grounded in saṅkalpa (clear sacred intention) and performed in a complete order—honoring the main deity, the associated aṅgas/āvaraṇas, and finally the cosmic presiders (Lokēśvaras), integrating personal devotion with cosmic harmony.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined reverence: devotion is not only emotion but a careful, wholehearted offering—first to the chosen form (mūrti), then to the deity’s retinue (aṅgāvaraṇa), culminating in respectful worship of the world-presiding lords.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual sequencing and prayoga-vidhi: establishing saṅkalpa, performing aṅganyāsa/āvaraṇa-style worship, and concluding with offerings to presiding deities—core procedural knowledge used in temple and domestic pūjā manuals.