Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 114

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

शैवे संपूजयेत्पीठे मूर्तिं संकल्पमूलतः । अंगावरणमाराध्यपश्चाल्लोकेश्वरान्यजेत् ॥ ११४ ॥

Transliteration

śaive saṃpūjayetpīṭhe mūrtiṃ saṃkalpamūlataḥ | aṃgāvaraṇamārādhyapaścāllokeśvarānyajet || 114 ||

Translation

ശൈവ പീഠത്തിൽ സംकल्पത്തെ അടിസ്ഥാനമാക്കി മൂർത്തിയെ സമ്പൂർണ്ണമായി പൂജിക്കണം. തുടർന്ന് അങ്ങ്-ആവരണം ആരാധിച്ച്, പിന്നെ ലോകേശ്വരന്മാരെ പൂജിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• śaive: in the Śaiva (setting)
• śaive: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative, 7th), Ekavacana; ‘in/at the Śaiva (place/altar)’

• saṃpūjayet: should worship fully
• saṃpūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-pūj (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

• pīṭhe: on the pedestal/seat
• pīṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī (Loc. 7th), Ekavacana

• mūrtim: the image/form
• mūrtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana

• saṃkalpa-mūlataḥ: based on the resolve/intention
• saṃkalpa-mūlataḥ: Hetu (हेतु) / Nimitta (निमित्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saṃkalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल् अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial); tasil-anta: ‘from/based on the intention (saṃkalpa)’

• aṅga-āvaraṇam: the aṅga-āvaraṇa (attendant circle)
• aṅga-āvaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Ekavacana; ‘the limb-encircling (deities)/attendant enclosure’

• ārādhya: having worshipped
• ārādhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-rādh (धातु) + lyap (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; absolutive)
• Form: Absolutive (gerund), avyaya; ‘having propitiated/worshipped’

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time

• loka-īśvarān: the lords of the worlds
• loka-īśvarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2nd), Bahuvacana; ‘lords of the worlds’

• yajet: should worship/offer to
• yajet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yaj (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Prathama puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; Parasmaipada

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Lokeshvaras

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship becomes spiritually effective when grounded in saṅkalpa (clear sacred intention) and performed in a complete order—honoring the main deity, the associated aṅgas/āvaraṇas, and finally the cosmic presiders (Lokēśvaras), integrating personal devotion with cosmic harmony.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined reverence: devotion is not only emotion but a careful, wholehearted offering—first to the chosen form (mūrti), then to the deity’s retinue (aṅgāvaraṇa), culminating in respectful worship of the world-presiding lords.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual sequencing and prayoga-vidhi: establishing saṅkalpa, performing aṅganyāsa/āvaraṇa-style worship, and concluding with offerings to presiding deities—core procedural knowledge used in temple and domestic pūjā manuals.