Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 127

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

दक्षिणामूर्तये पूर्वं तुभ्यं पदमनंतरम् । वटमूलपदस्यांते प्रवदेच्च निवासिने ॥ १२७ ॥

Transliteration

dakṣiṇāmūrtaye pūrvaṃ tubhyaṃ padamanaṃtaram | vaṭamūlapadasyāṃte pravadecca nivāsine || 127 ||

Translation

まずダクシナームールティへの敬称を唱え、ただちにその後に「汝に」と唱える。さらに「菩提樹（バニヤン）の根にて」という句の末に、そこに住まう内在者（住者）に向けたものとして宣言すべきである。

Word by Word

• दक्षिणा-मूर्तये: to Dakṣiṇāmūrti
• दक्षिणा-मूर्तये: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; कर्मधारय — 'to Dakṣiṇāmūrti'

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — 'first/before'

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

• पदम्: the word/term
• पदम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अनन्तरम्: next (immediately following)
• अनन्तरम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of पदम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पदम् इति विशेषण — 'immediately following/next'

• वट-मूल-पदस्य: of the banyan-root place
• वट-मूल-पदस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वट (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष — 'of the place at the banyan-root'

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; 'at the end'

• प्रवदेत्: should utter/declare
• प्रवदेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• निवासिने: to the indwelling one
• निवासिने: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि + वस् (धातु) + इन् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (इन्-प्रत्यय, कर्तरि), पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; 'to the dweller/abider'

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/ritual-mantra sequencing style)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣiṇāmūrti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that spiritual practice is not only devotion but also precision—right order of words (pada-krama) and clear devotional address to the deity/Indweller are treated as essential to effective upāsanā.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through direct address—“to you”—and through locating the deity as the ‘Dweller’ associated with the sacred seat (the banyan root), showing devotion as attentive, reverent, and personally directed worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a Vedāṅga-like concern for correct verbal formulation and recitation order—how specific words are placed and concluded—akin to disciplined pāṭha/recitation practice used in ritual and mantra application.