Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 187

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

नानाशस्त्रं चतुर्वक्त्रं स्मरेत्पशुपतिं हरम् । वर्णलक्षं जपेन्मन्त्रं जुहुयात्तद्दशांशतः ॥ १८७ ॥

Transliteration

nānāśastraṃ caturvaktraṃ smaretpaśupatiṃ haram | varṇalakṣaṃ japenmantraṃ juhuyāttaddaśāṃśataḥ || 187 ||

Translation

Hendaklah diingati Hara, Paśupati—berwajah empat dan memegang pelbagai senjata. Hendaklah diulang mantra hingga genap seratus ribu (huruf/suku kata), lalu persembahkan oblation ke dalam api sebanyak sepersepuluh daripada jumlah itu.

Word by Word

• नाना-शस्त्रम्: having various weapons
• नाना-शस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/Avyaya) + शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः — नानाविधं शस्त्रं यस्य (many-weaponed)

• चतुर्-वक्त्रम्: four-faced
• चतुर्-वक्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः — चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य

• स्मरेत्: should remember/meditate on
• स्मरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• पशुपतिम्: Paśupati (Lord of beings)
• पशुपतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हरम्: Hara (Śiva)
• हरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; पशुपतिम् इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन्

• वर्ण-लक्षम्: a hundred-thousand (in syllables/letters)
• वर्ण-लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — वर्णानां लक्षं (one hundred thousand syllables/letters)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• जुहुयात्: should offer (into fire)
• जुहुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• तत्: that (mantra)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; मन्त्रं इत्यस्य निर्देश (that)

• दशांशतः: as one-tenth (of it)
• दशांशतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्धितान्त-प्रयोगः ‘-तः’ (ablatival adverb) — proportionally ‘as a tenth part’

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical-ritual context within Purva Bhaga, Third Pada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Hara
• Paśupati (Śiva)

FAQs

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

It links inner practice (dhyāna on Paśupati) with disciplined outer practice (measured japa and homa), presenting a complete sādhana where concentration, repetition, and sacrificial offering reinforce each other.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as sustained remembrance of the deity’s form and qualities (smaraṇa/dhyāna) supported by mantra-japa; devotion becomes steady through regulated repetition and a concluding offering (homa) as an act of surrender.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual numerics and procedure—counting syllables/recitations (varṇa-lakṣa) and applying the daśāṃśa (one-tenth) rule for homa—typical of technical disciplines governing correct performance of rites.