Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 164

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

वृषाद्यैर्मातृभिः पश्चाल्लोकपालैस्तदायुधैः । प्रासादाद्यं जपेन्मंत्रमयुतं रोगशांतये ॥ १६४ ॥

Transliteration

vṛṣādyairmātṛbhiḥ paścāllokapālaistadāyudhaiḥ | prāsādādyaṃ japenmaṃtramayutaṃ rogaśāṃtaye || 164 ||

Translation

เมื่อจัดให้หมู่มาตฤกาเริ่มด้วยวฤษาอยู่เบื้องหลัง และตั้งเหล่าโลกปาลพร้อมอาวุธประจำตนแล้ว พึงสวดมนตร์ที่ขึ้นต้นด้วย “ปราสาทะ-” หนึ่งหมื่นจบ เพื่อระงับโรคภัย॥๑๖๔॥

Word by Word

• वृषाद्यैः: with (those) beginning with Vṛṣa
• वृषाद्यैः: Karana (करण/Instrument/association)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘वृषादयः’ (beginning with Vṛṣa)

• मातृभिः: with the Mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातृभिः: Sahartha (सहार्थ/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रम-अव्यय (adverb of sequence): ‘thereafter’

• लोकपालैः: with the guardians of the worlds
• लोकपालैः: Sahartha (सहार्थ/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘लोकस्य पालाः’

• तदायुधैः: with their weapons
• तदायुधैः: Sahartha (सहार्थ/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘तेषां आयुधैः’ (with their weapons)

• प्रासादाद्यम्: beginning with ‘prāsāda’
• प्रासादाद्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रासाद + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘प्रासादादि’ (beginning with ‘prāsāda’) used adjectivally

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

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अयुतम्: ten thousand
• अयुतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object/measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्या-शब्द: 10,000

• रोगशान्तये: for the pacification of disease
• रोगशान्तये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोग + शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘रोगस्य शान्तिः’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Vedanga/ritual-application context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Matrikas (Mother-goddesses)
• Lokapalas (Dikpalas/Guardians of the Directions)

FAQs

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

It frames disease-pacification (roga-śānti) as a dhārmic, mantra-based remedy supported by protective deities—Mātṛkās and Lokapālas—showing that inner purification and divine guardianship are invoked together through disciplined japa.

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

Bhakti appears here as disciplined reliance on sacred mantra and divine protectors: the practitioner approaches the deity-power through repeated remembrance (japa) and reverent visualization/placement of attendant deities, expressing surrender and devotional steadiness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights practical ritual-technology: prescribed japa-saṅkhyā (10,000 repetitions) and a structured deity-association (Mātṛkās behind, Lokapālas with weapons), reflecting applied Kalpa-style procedure within the Vedanga-oriented section.