Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 183

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

श्यामं त्रिनेत्रं सपार्ढ्यं रक्तवस्त्रांगरांगकम् । नानाशस्त्रधरं ध्यायेनदघोराख्यं सदाशिवम् ॥ १८३ ॥

Transliteration

śyāmaṃ trinetraṃ sapārḍhyaṃ raktavastrāṃgarāṃgakam | nānāśastradharaṃ dhyāyenadaghorākhyaṃ sadāśivam || 183 ||

Translation

Qu’on médite sur Sadāśiva, nommé Aghora : à la teinte sombre, aux trois yeux, paré d’ornements ; le corps oint et vêtu de rouge, portant maintes sortes d’armes.

Word by Word

• श्यामम्: dark/blue-hued
• श्यामम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• त्रिनेत्रम्: three-eyed
• त्रिनेत्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगुसमास (त्रीणि नेत्राणि यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सपार्ढ्यम्: together with (his) retinue/attendants (pārḍhya)
• सपार्ढ्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + पार्ढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सह/सहितार्थक ‘स-’ उपपद), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• रक्तवस्त्राङ्गराङ्गकम्: wearing red garments and body-ornamented/painted
• रक्तवस्त्राङ्गराङ्गकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त + वस्त्र + अङ्ग + राङ्गक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (रक्त-वस्त्र; अङ्ग-राङ्गक = body-ornament/paint), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• नानाशस्त्रधरम्: bearing various weapons
• नानाशस्त्रधरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + शस्त्र + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (नानाविधानि शस्त्राणि धरति), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate upon
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नद: roaring/booming (epithet)
• नद: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (पाठानुसार ‘नद’ = roaring/flowing; सम्भाव्य पाठभेद)

• अघोराख्यम्: named ‘Aghora’
• अघोराख्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अघोर + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (अघोर इति आख्यः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सदाशिवम्: Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (सदा शिवः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within a dhyana/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Sadashiva
• Aghora
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It prescribes a precise dhyāna (visualization) of Aghora-Sadāśiva, using iconographic markers (color, eyes, ornaments, weapons) to steady the mind and invoke the deity’s protective, fear-dispelling presence.

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

Bhakti here is practiced as focused remembrance (smaraṇa) and meditation (dhyāna): the devotee lovingly contemplates the deity’s form and attributes as a disciplined act of worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical discipline: the use of dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (formal visualization cues) commonly paired with mantra and pūjā procedures—an applied, methodical approach aligned with śikṣā/kalpa-style practice.