Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

तावत्संख्यसहस्राणि जुहुयात्पायसैः शुभैः । ततः सिद्धो भवेन्मन्त्रः साधकाऽभीष्टसिद्धिदः ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

tāvatsaṃkhyasahasrāṇi juhuyātpāyasaiḥ śubhaiḥ | tataḥ siddho bhavenmantraḥ sādhakā'bhīṣṭasiddhidaḥ || 17 ||

Translation

Qu’on verse dans le feu ce même nombre, par milliers, en oblations de pāyasa (riz au lait) de bon augure. Alors le mantra devient accompli et accorde au sādhaka les réussites désirées.

Word by Word

• तावत्: so many
• तावत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक (quantifier) = ‘so much/that many’

• सङ्ख्या: number
• सङ्ख्या: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्ख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणभावे ‘number/count’ (here as qualifier in compound-like sequence)

• सहस्राणि: thousands (of times)
• सहस्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (also nominative/accusative same); ‘thousands’

• जुहुयात्: should offer oblations
• जुहुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष? (injunctive sense for practitioner), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should offer (into fire)’

• पायसैः: with rice-pudding (payasa)
• पायसैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण (means)

• शुभैः: auspicious/pure
• शुभैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; पायसैः इति विशेषणम्

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-सम्बन्ध/क्रम (then/thereafter)

• सिद्धः: accomplished/effective
• सिद्धः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिद्ध (कृदन्त; √सिध् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘accomplished/effective’

• भवेत्: would become/should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मन्त्रः: the mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• साधकाभीष्टसिद्धिदः: granting the practitioner desired attainments
• साधकाभीष्टसिद्धिदः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधक + अभीष्ट + सिद्धि + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः साधकस्य अभीष्टस्य सिद्धिं ददाति इति = ‘giver of desired success to the practitioner’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

FAQs

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

It states that disciplined homa using pure offerings (pāyasa) in the prescribed count leads to mantra-siddhi—mantric efficacy that can bear intended spiritual or ritual results.

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

While primarily ritual-technical, it implies that sincere, pure, and repeated offerings (a form of dedicated worship) mature a mantra into a living support for the sādhaka’s chosen devotional aim.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights yajña/homa procedure and disciplined repetition by count—practical ritual science aligned with Vedanga-oriented precision (correct materials, purity, and numerical observance).