Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

नमोस्त्वनंतरूपाय ज्योतिर्लिंगामृतात्मने । चतुर्मूर्तिवपुश्छायाभासितांगाय शंभवे ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

namostvanaṃtarūpāya jyotirliṃgāmṛtātmane | caturmūrtivapuśchāyābhāsitāṃgāya śaṃbhave || 12 ||

Translation

അനന്തരൂപനായ, ജ്യോതിര്ലിംഗ-അമൃതാത്മനായ, ചതുര്മൂർത്തി ദേഹത്തിന്റെ ഛായാ-പ്രഭയിൽ ദീപ്തമായ അംഗങ്ങളുള്ള ശംഭുവേ, നമസ്കാരം।

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayoga (सम्बोधन/प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/interjection) — नमः ‘salutation’ (used as indeclinable in prayers)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle) — emphasis/contrast; here emphatic ‘indeed’

• अनन्त-रूपाय: to the infinite-formed one
• अनन्त-रूपाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः — ‘to the one of endless forms’

• ज्योतिः-लिङ्ग-अमृत-आत्मने: to him whose essence is the nectar of the Jyotirliṅga
• ज्योतिः-लिङ्ग-अमृत-आत्मने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; बहु-तत्पुरुष-समासः — ‘to him whose essence is the nectar of the Jyotir-liṅga’

• चतुर्-मूर्ति-वपुः-छाया-भासित-अङ्गाय: to him whose limbs are made radiant by the (radiance) of the four-formed body
• चतुर्-मूर्ति-वपुः-छाया-भासित-अङ्गाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + छाया (प्रातिपदिक) + भासित (कृदन्त; √भास्) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; बहु-तत्पुरुषः — ‘to him whose limbs are illumined by the radiance/shadow of the body of four forms’

• शम्भवे: to Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (stotra-style praise within the teaching narrative attributed to Narada’s transmission)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Jyotirlinga
• Shambhu

FAQs

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

The verse frames Śiva as the infinite (anantarūpa) and as the Jyotirliṅga whose essence is amṛta (immortal, nectar-like), teaching that contemplation of the luminous Liṅga leads the devotee toward inner illumination and liberation-oriented devotion.

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

It models bhakti through direct salutation (namas) and divine name-invocation (Śambhu), emphasizing a personal, reverential approach where the devotee meditates on God’s limitless forms and concentrated presence as the Jyotirliṅga.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While primarily a stotra, it reflects Vedāṅga-style precision in mantra diction and theological definition—useful for correct recitation (śikṣā) and interpretive clarity (vyākaraṇa/semantic parsing) in ritual praise of the Jyotirliṅga.