Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

कोणेष्वर्चेन्निवृत्त्याद्यास्तेजोरूपाः कलाः क्रमात् । अङ्गानि केसरस्थानि विघ्नेशान्पन्नगान्यजेत् ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

koṇeṣvarcennivṛttyādyāstejorūpāḥ kalāḥ kramāt | aṅgāni kesarasthāni vighneśānpannagānyajet || 25 ||

Translation

曼荼羅／祭壇図の四隅には、ニヴリッティ（Nivṛtti）に始まる光輝ある神的エネルギー（カラー）を順次に礼拝すべきである。さらに花弁の位置に置かれた諸肢をも供養し、障碍を除く主ヴィグネーシャ（Vighneśa）とナーガ（蛇神）にも礼拝を捧げよ。

Word by Word

• कोणेषु: in the corners
• कोणेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; अधिकरण (स्थान)

• अर्चेत्: should worship
• अर्चेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निवृत्ति-आद्याः: beginning with Nivṛtti
• निवृत्ति-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘निवृत्ति’ आदि यस्याः/याः (beginning with Nivṛtti)

• तेजः-रूपाः: having the form of radiance
• तेजः-रूपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तेजः-रूप (of the nature of radiance)

• कलाः: parts/emanations (kalās)
• कलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial use of ablative: ‘in order/ क्रमशः’)

• अङ्गानि: limbs/parts
• अङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• केसर-स्थानि: situated at the filaments (of the lotus)
• केसर-स्थानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केसर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; केसरस्य स्थानानि (located at the filaments)

• विघ्नेशान्: Vighneśas (Gaṇeśa-forms)
• विघ्नेशान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्नेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• पन्नगान्: serpents
• पन्नगान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/ritual context within Book 1.3)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Nivṛtti
• Vighneśa (Gaṇeśa)
• Pannaga (Nāgas/serpent-deities)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes ordered, complete worship: honoring the directional/corner powers (kalās), the structural parts (aṅgas) of the worship-diagram, and invoking obstacle-removal (Vighneśa) and protective serpent powers (Nāgas) so the rite becomes uninterrupted and spiritually effective.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined reverence—devotion that becomes precise and holistic, worshipping the divine powers in their proper stations and honoring guardians like Vighneśa so devotion proceeds without hindrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects procedural ritual science: spatial placement (corners/petals), sequencing (kramāt), and the integration of subsidiary deities for rite-completion—an applied, technical side of Vedic practice aligned with Vedāṅga-style ritual organization.