Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

इंद्रादयस्ततः पूज्या वज्राद्यायुधसंयुताः । इत्थं संपूजयेद्देवं सहस्रं नित्यशो जपेत् ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

iṃdrādayastataḥ pūjyā vajrādyāyudhasaṃyutāḥ | itthaṃ saṃpūjayeddevaṃ sahasraṃ nityaśo japet || 31 ||

Translation

Ensuite, Indra et les autres divinités, munies d’armes telles que le vajra (foudre) et autres, doivent être honorées. Ayant ainsi dûment adoré le Seigneur, qu’on répète chaque jour (le mantra) mille fois.

Word by Word

• इन्द्र-आदयः: Indra and others
• इन्द्र-आदयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: इन्द्रः आदिः येषाम् (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रचलित-तत्पुरुष/आदि-समास); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (from that/thereafter)

• पूज्याः: worthy of worship
• पूज्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त; √पूज् धातु)
• Form: पूज्य = यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive; ‘to be worshipped’); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• वज्र-आदि-आयुध-संयुताः: armed with weapons such as the vajra
• वज्र-आदि-आयुध-संयुताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (कृदन्त; √युज् धातु)
• Form: समास: वज्रादीनि आयुधानि (तत्पुरुष) + तैः संयुताः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); संयुत = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• सम्पूजयेत्: one should worship fully
• सम्पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष? (actually 3rd person singular, parasmaipada); एकवचन; धातु: √पूज्; उपसर्ग: सम्

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सहस्रम्: a thousand (times)
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of measure)

• नित्यशः: daily/always
• नित्यशः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शस्-प्रत्ययान्त (always/daily; distributive adverb)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada (in instruction-dialogue context, typically to the Sanatkumāra tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Deva (the Lord)
• Vajra

FAQs

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

It frames worship as a complete ritual sequence: honoring attendant deities (Indra and others) and then stabilizing devotion through disciplined daily japa (1,000 repetitions), emphasizing steadiness (nityaśaḥ) as the core spiritual power.

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

Bhakti is expressed here as reverent pūjā and consistent mantra practice; devotion is not merely emotion but a daily vow-like discipline that keeps the mind anchored in the Lord through repeated remembrance (japa).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-vidhi: sequencing of worship (pūjā of associated deities) and quantified japa (sahasra), reflecting technical precision typical of Vedāṅga-informed practice (kalpa-style procedural clarity).