Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

अनंतं सुखनामानं शिवोत्तममनंतरम् । एकनेत्रमेकरुद्रं त्रिमूर्तिं तदनंतरम् ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

anaṃtaṃ sukhanāmānaṃ śivottamamanaṃtaram | ekanetramekarudraṃ trimūrtiṃ tadanaṃtaram || 26 ||

Translation

Dia ialah Ananta, Yang Tak Terhingga—nama itu sendiri adalah kebahagiaan; Tuhan Yang Maha Utama lagi membawa keberkatan, tanpa penghujung. Dia Yang Bermata Satu, Rudra Yang Esa, dan Tuhan Bertiga-Rupa; dan selepas itu, pujian kepada-Nya berlanjut tanpa batas.

Word by Word

• अनन्तम्: Ananta (the infinite one)
• अनन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (यजेत् इत्यध्याहारः)

• सुख-नामानम्: having the name ‘Sukha’
• सुख-नामानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सुखं नाम यस्य (named ‘Sukha’)

• शिव-उत्तमम्: the most auspicious/excellent
• शिव-उत्तमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवः एव उत्तमः (the best, auspicious)

• अनन्तरम्: the next one
• अनन्तरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘next/without interval’ (as epithet)

• एक-नेत्रम्: one-eyed
• एक-नेत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; एकं नेत्रं यस्य (one-eyed)

• एक-रुद्रम्: the one Rudra
• एक-रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; एकः रुद्रः (the single Rudra)

• त्रि-मूर्तिम्: the three-formed (Trimūrti)
• त्रि-मूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; त्रयः मूर्तयः यस्य/त्रिमूर्तिः

• तत्: then/that
• तत्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अनन्तरम्: thereafter
• अनन्तरम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial accusative: ‘thereafter/next’)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue framed around Sanatkumara lineage teachings)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Trimurti

FAQs

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

It presents key Śaiva epithets—Ananta, Śiva-uttama, Ekanetra, Ekarudra, Trimūrti—to contemplate the Lord as limitless, auspicious consciousness whose forms are many yet whose reality is one.

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

By repeating and meditating on divine names and attributes, devotion is stabilized: the mind fixes on the Lord’s auspiciousness (Śiva) and infinitude (Ananta), which is a core bhakti practice in Purāṇic teaching.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse models nāma-recitation and epithet-usage—useful for chandas-aware stotra/paṭha practice and for vyākaraṇa-based understanding of compounds like ekanetra and trimūrti in ritual recitation contexts.