Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

त्रिनेत्रं पंचवक्त्रं च सर्वभीतिहरं शिवम् । तत्त्वलक्षं जपेन्मंत्रं दीक्षितः शैववर्त्मना ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

trinetraṃ paṃcavaktraṃ ca sarvabhītiharaṃ śivam | tattvalakṣaṃ japenmaṃtraṃ dīkṣitaḥ śaivavartmanā || 16 ||

Translation

Initié sur la voie śaiva, qu’on récite en japa le mantra qui signifie les tattva, en méditant Śiva, le Seigneur aux trois yeux et aux cinq visages, qui ôte toute crainte.

Word by Word

• त्रिनेत्रम्: three-eyed
• त्रिनेत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (three-eyed)

• पञ्चवक्त्रम्: five-faced
• पञ्चवक्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (five-faced)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• सर्वभीतिहरम्: remover of all fears
• सर्वभीतिहरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + भीति + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः सर्वासां भीतीनां हरः = remover of all fears

• शिवम्: Shiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्त्वलक्षम्: having truth as its aim/mark
• तत्त्वलक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्त्व + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्त्वं लक्ष्यं यस्य/तत्त्वलक्षः = ‘having reality as its mark/aim’

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष? (actually मध्यमपुरुष implied by injunction) एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘(he) should recite’

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दीक्षितः: the initiated (person)
• दीक्षितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षित (कृदन्त; √दिक्ष्/√दीक्ष् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (initiated)

• शैववर्त्मना: by the Shaiva path
• शैववर्त्मना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैव + वर्त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः शैवं वर्त्म = ‘Shaiva path/discipline’; करण (instrument/means)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/ritual-technical context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-japa becomes fully grounded when performed after proper dīkṣā, with focused meditation on Śiva’s iconic forms (three-eyed, five-faced) as the remover of fear, linking inner contemplation with disciplined ritual authority.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent mantra-japa and contemplative visualization of Śiva’s attributes; devotion is not only emotion but a regulated practice undertaken within the Śaiva tradition after initiation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-japa procedure within an authorized ritual framework—emphasizing dīkṣā (initiation), correct recitation practice, and tattva-oriented contemplation, which aligns with applied ritual science (Kalpa) and disciplined phonetic/recitational standards (Śikṣā).