Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68
The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra
Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana
महादेवाय शब्दांते धीमहि स्यात्ततः परम् । विद्या द्वितीया कथिता तन्नो रुद्रः पदं ततः ॥ ६८ ॥
mahādevāya śabdāṃte dhīmahi syāttataḥ param | vidyā dvitīyā kathitā tanno rudraḥ padaṃ tataḥ || 68 ||
Pada akhir bunyi suci (śabda), ucapkan “mahādevāya” lalu “dhīmahi”—kita bermeditasi; darinya terbit keadaan Yang Mahatinggi. Ini diajarkan sebagai Vidyā kedua; kemudian “tanno rudraḥ”—semoga Rudra menganugerahkan kepada kita pada (kedudukan) itu.
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedāṅga/śabda-vidyā sequence)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It teaches that contemplation (dhīmahi) focused at the culmination of sacred sound (śabdānta) leads one toward the Supreme (param), and that Rudra’s grace establishes the seeker in the final spiritual ‘station’ (pada).
Bhakti is expressed here as mantra-centered reverence: the devotee meditates on Mahādeva/Rudra through sacred sound, seeking not merely knowledge but the bestowed ‘pada’—a stable realization granted by divine grace.
It reflects śabda-centric discipline—how sound and its completion (śabdānta) are treated as a technical locus for mantra practice, aligning with Vedāṅga concerns such as correct phonetic/recitational focus (Śikṣā) and meaningful mantra application.