Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 72

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

अघोरांते क्षमा पश्चात्तृतीया परिकीर्तिता । घोरतरेभ्यो निद्रा स्यात्सर्वेभ्यः सर्वतत्परा ॥ ७२ ॥

Transliteration

aghorāṃte kṣamā paścāttṛtīyā parikīrtitā | ghoratarebhyo nidrā syātsarvebhyaḥ sarvatatparā || 72 ||

Translation

Après Aghorā, Kṣamā (patience, pardon) est proclamée comme la troisième. Au-delà d’états plus terribles encore se tient Nidrā (le sommeil), entièrement vouée à ce Principe et souveraine sur tout.

Word by Word

• aghora-ante: at the end of Aghora
• aghora-ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-ghora (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (aghorasya ante)

• kṣamā: forbearance (Kṣamā)
• kṣamā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣamā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) अर्थः—अनन्तरं/पश्चात् (afterwards)

• tṛtīyā: third
• tṛtīyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (kalā) विशेषण

• parikīrtitā: is declared
• parikīrtitā: Kriyā (क्रिया/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√kīrt (धातु) + ta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः—परिकीर्तिता/उक्ता (is declared)

• ghora-tarebhyaḥ: from the more terrible (forms)
• ghora-tarebhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (प्रत्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), बहुवचन; तुलनात्मक-रूप (comparative: more terrible)

• nidrā: sleep (Nidrā)
• nidrā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• syāt: should be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; अर्थः—भवेत् (should be)

• sarvebhyaḥ: from all (of them)
• sarvebhyaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), बहुवचन

• sarva-tat-parā: wholly devoted to that (in all)
• sarva-tat-parā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (sarveṣu tat-para: devoted to that in all)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/technical section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It presents a graded sequence of inner conditions: after a fierce/inauspicious phase (Aghorā), the stabilizing virtue of kṣamā (forgiveness) is taught as a higher state, and then nidrā is described as a dominating condition that can overtake all—implying the need to understand and master such states on the spiritual path.

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

By highlighting kṣamā, the verse points to a core bhakti-virtue: forgiveness and forbearance. A devotee’s steadiness in kṣamā helps transcend harsh inner movements (ghora-bhāvas) and remain oriented toward the Supreme (tat).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects technical enumeration and definition of states/qualities—typical of śāstric classification used across Vedanga-style discourse (precise naming, sequencing, and distinguishing conditions like ghorā/aghorā and nidrā).