Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 191

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

वर्णान्तिमो बिन्दुयुतः क्षेत्रपालाय हृन्मनुः ॥ १९१ ॥

Transliteration

varṇāntimo binduyutaḥ kṣetrapālāya hṛnmanuḥ || 191 ||

Translation

വർണമാലയിലെ അവസാന അക്ഷരത്തിൽ ബിന്ദു ചേർത്ത് രൂപപ്പെടുന്ന ഹൃദയമന്ത്രം ക്ഷേത്രപാലനുവേണ്ടി നിർദ്ദേശിച്ചതാണ്।

Word by Word

• वर्ण-अन्तिमः: the last letter
• वर्ण-अन्तिमः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वर्णानाम् अन्तिमः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विशेषण

• बिन्दु-युतः: joined with a bindu (nasal dot)
• बिन्दु-युतः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (धातु √युज्, क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सह/युक्त-अर्थ: बिन्दुना युतः), कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• क्षेत्रपालाय: to Kṣetrapāla
• क्षेत्रपालाय: सम्प्रदान (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (क्षेत्रस्य पालः), पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान/4th case), एकवचन

• हृत्-मनुः: the Hṛnmanu (mantra)
• हृत्-मनुः: कर्ता/विधेय (Predicate nominative/प्रथमा-विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत्/हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: हृदि स्थितः मनुः/हृन्मनुः—नामरूप), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मन्त्र-नाम (mantra-name)

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (teaching Nārada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrapāla

FAQs

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

It teaches a technical method of mantra-formation: a concise hṛnmantra for Kṣetrapāla is created by taking the final syllable and adding the bindu, emphasizing guarded sanctity and protection of sacred space.

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

By prescribing a Kṣetrapāla heart-mantra, it supports bhakti in practice—devotion is safeguarded through ritual protection of the worship area so that japa and pūjā proceed without obstacles.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-śāstra style phonetic construction—using a specific syllable and the bindu (anusvāra)—reflects applied śikṣā (phonetics) and technical ritual procedure within the text’s Vedāṅga-oriented section.