Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 145

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

भिक्षाहारो जपेन्मासं मनुमेनं जितेंद्रियः । नित्यं सहस्रमष्टार्द्धं परां विंदति वाक्छ्रियम् ॥ १४५ ॥

Transliteration

bhikṣāhāro japenmāsaṃ manumenaṃ jiteṃdriyaḥ | nityaṃ sahasramaṣṭārddhaṃ parāṃ viṃdati vākchriyam || 145 ||

Translation

Vivant d’aumônes et ayant dompté les sens, qu’on récite ce mantra pendant un mois. En le répétant chaque jour mille huit fois, on obtient la splendeur suprême de la parole (vāk-śrī).

Word by Word

• भिक्षा-आहारः: one whose food is alms
• भिक्षा-आहारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भिक्षायाः आहारः)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मासम्: for a month
• मासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; काल-अवधि (duration)

• मनुम्: the mantra (manu)
• मनुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एनम्: this (one)
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जित-इन्द्रियः: self-controlled (having conquered the senses)
• जित-इन्द्रियः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जि (धातु) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्यय: क्त (past participle) ‘जित’; बहुव्रीहिः (जितानि इन्द्रियाणि यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: daily/always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्या/परिमाण

• अष्ट-अर्धम्: half of eight (i.e., four)
• अष्ट-अर्धम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अष्टानाम् अर्धम् = half of eight = four)

• पराम्: supreme
• पराम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• विन्दति: attains/finds
• विन्दति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वाक्-श्रियम्: splendour/fortune of speech (eloquence)
• वाक्-श्रियम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वाचः श्रीः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in an instructional context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-power matures through restraint: living simply (bhikṣāhāra), mastering the senses, and sustained japa for a fixed period yields vāk-śrī—purified, effective, and spiritually potent speech.

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

Although framed as a technical japa rule, it aligns with bhakti by emphasizing disciplined repetition and self-control—making speech a vehicle for sacred remembrance and praise rather than distraction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied mantra-śāstra practice: a prescribed count (1008), a fixed observance period (one month), and ascetic discipline—core features of ritual procedure and correct recitation standards associated with Vedanga-oriented training.