Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 90

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

एवं ध्यात्वा जपेन्मंत्रं पञ्चलक्षं मधुप्लुतैः । प्रसूनैः करवीरोत्थैर्जुहुयात्तद्दशांशतः ॥ ९० ॥

Transliteration

evaṃ dhyātvā japenmaṃtraṃ pañcalakṣaṃ madhuplutaiḥ | prasūnaiḥ karavīrotthairjuhuyāttaddaśāṃśataḥ || 90 ||

Translation

Après avoir ainsi médité, que l’on récite le mantra cinq cent mille fois ; puis, avec des fleurs de karavīra imprégnées de miel, que l’on verse dans le feu des oblations correspondant au dixième de ce nombre.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• पञ्चलक्षम्: five lakhs (500,000)
• पञ्चलक्षम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च-लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numerical compound), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• मधुप्लुतैः: with honey-soaked (ones)
• मधुप्लुतैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु-प्लुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (instrumental relation: ‘with honey-soaked’), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental/करण), बहुवचन (plural)

• प्रसूनैः: with flowers
• प्रसूनैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसून (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental), बहुवचन (plural)

• करवीरोत्थैः: arisen from karavīra (oleander)
• करवीरोत्थैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करवीर-उत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ablative/genitive sense: ‘arisen from karavīra’), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; प्रसूनैः इति विशेषण

• जुहुयात्: should offer into fire
• जुहुयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘दशांशतः’ इत्यस्य निर्देशक (referring to that)

• दशांशतः: as one-tenth (in proportion)
• दशांशतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्ययीभावार्थ)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablative adverb), परिमाणवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of proportion)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a technical ritual procedure within the dialogue tradition attributed to Narada’s instruction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Mantra
• Homa
• Karavira

FAQs

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

It lays down a disciplined sādhana: meditation (dhyāna) leading into extensive mantra-japa, completed by homa as a “seal” of the practice, showing how inner worship is confirmed through Vedic ritual action.

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

By insisting on dhyāna before japa and offering (homa) afterward, it frames devotion as steady remembrance of the deity through mantra, supported by reverent offerings—devotion expressed both inwardly and outwardly.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual calculation and procedure: the verse specifies a fixed japa count (five lakhs) and the homa proportion (one-tenth), reflecting technical karmakāṇḍa discipline allied to Vedāṅga-oriented practice.