Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

प्राक्प्रोक्ते पूजयेत्पीठे गंधपुष्पैरुमापतिम् । अंगावृतैर्बहिः पूज्या हृल्लेखाद्या यथापुरा ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

prākprokte pūjayetpīṭhe gaṃdhapuṣpairumāpatim | aṃgāvṛtairbahiḥ pūjyā hṛllekhādyā yathāpurā || 40 ||

Translation

No pīṭha descrito anteriormente, deve-se adorar Umāpati (Śiva) com fragrâncias e flores. Fora do assento principal, devem ser veneradas as divindades que começam por Hṛllekhā e as demais, envoltas por seus respectivos invólucros de ‘membros’, conforme foi ensinado antes.

Word by Word

• prāk-prokte: in the previously stated (manner/rite)
• prāk-prokte: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāk (अव्यय) + prokta (कृदन्त; √vac/वच्)
• Form: prokte: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग); past passive participle (क्त) of √vac (वच्) with prefix pra-; prāk: indeclinable adverb (पूर्वकालवाचक अव्यय) used as qualifier

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• pīṭhe: on the pedestal/seat
• pīṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• gandha-puṣpaiḥ: with fragrances and flowers
• gandha-puṣpaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); itaretara-dvandva ‘fragrances and flowers’

• umā-patim: Umā’s lord (Śiva)
• umā-patim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: umā (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: ‘Umāyāḥ patiḥ’

• aṅga-āvṛtaiḥ: with (items) arranged around the limbs/parts
• aṅga-āvṛtaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + āvṛta (कृदन्त; √vṛ/वृ with ā-)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) agreeing with implied ‘upacāraiḥ/dravyaḥ’; tatpuruṣa: ‘aṅgaiḥ āvṛtaiḥ’ = ‘covered/encircled with limbs/parts’

• bahiḥ: outside
• bahiḥ: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (स्थानवाचक अव्यय)

• pūjyā: should be worshipped
• pūjyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjya (कृदन्त; √pūj/पूज्)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); gerundive (तव्यत्/यत्) sense ‘to be worshipped’; agrees with hṛllekhādyā

• hṛt-lekhā-ādyāḥ: Hṛllekhā and others (attendant deities)
• hṛt-lekhā-ādyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + lekhā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘hṛllekhā’ (name/class) + ādyāḥ ‘and others beginning with’

• yathā: as/according to
• yathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable (उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय)

• purā: formerly/earlier
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Umāpati (Śiva)
• Umā (Pārvatī)
• Hṛllekhā

FAQs

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

It emphasizes orderly, reverential worship: first honoring the principal deity on the properly prepared seat, then completing the rite by worshipping the surrounding/attendant deities according to the earlier injunctions—reflecting completeness (pūrṇatā) in ritual.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through careful upacāra (offerings like fragrance and flowers) and faithful adherence to prescribed sequence—devotion that becomes disciplined service rather than mere emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and sequencing—how a pīṭha is used, how upacāras are offered, and how āvaraṇa/bahiḥ-pūjā (worship of associated deities around the main deity) is performed—reflecting technical liturgical knowledge aligned with Kalpa-style practice.