Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 177

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

अयुतद्वितयात्पश्चाद्भूतादिग्रहणे क्षमः । माया स्फुरद्वयं भूयः प्रस्फुरद्वितयं पुनः ॥ १७७ ॥

Transliteration

ayutadvitayātpaścādbhūtādigrahaṇe kṣamaḥ | māyā sphuradvayaṃ bhūyaḥ prasphuradvitayaṃ punaḥ || 177 ||

Translation

หลังจากคู่แห่ง “อายุุตะ” (สองหมื่น) แล้ว ย่อมมีตัตตวะที่สามารถหยั่งรู้ภูตะและสิ่งอื่น ๆ ได้ ต่อจากนั้น มายาปรากฏเป็นคู่แห่งการสั่นไหว และยังขยายออกอีกครั้งเป็นคู่แห่งการสั่นไหวถัดไป

Word by Word

• अयुतद्वितयात्: after two ayutas (i.e., after 20,000)
• अयुतद्वितयात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत + द्वितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (अयुतयोः द्वितयम् = 20000)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kala (काल/Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• भूतादिग्रहणे: in the taking/recitation of ‘bhūta’ etc.
• भूतादिग्रहणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + आदि + ग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भूत-आदि-ग्रहणम्)

• क्षमः: capable/competent
• क्षमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• माया: ‘māyā’ (mantric syllable/word)
• माया: Karma (कर्म/Object—mantra element)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्फुरद्वयम्: ‘sphurat’ twice
• स्फुरद्वयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—mantra element)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फुरत् (कृदन्त) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्फुरत्-द्वयम् = ‘sphurat’ twice)

• भूयः: again; further
• भूयः: Avyaya (अव्यय/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again/more)

• प्रस्फुरद्वयम्: ‘prasphurat’ twice
• प्रस्फुरद्वयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object—mantra element)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + स्फुरत् (कृदन्त) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (प्रस्फुरत्-द्वयम् = ‘prasphurat’ twice)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Avyaya (अव्यय/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical-cosmological sequence)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Maya
• Bhuta (elements)

FAQs

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

It frames creation as a graded unfolding: a higher principle gains the capacity to cognize the elements, and Māyā operates through rhythmic ‘pulsations,’ implying that manifested reality is a structured appearance rather than the absolute Self.

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

By highlighting Māyā’s role in producing the perceivable world, the verse supports Bhakti’s inner discipline: devotion steadies the mind beyond fluctuating appearances and turns it toward the unchanging Lord behind manifestation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects technical, enumerative thinking used in Vedanga-style study—systematizing principles of manifestation (useful for interpreting cosmological sections that inform ritual timing, sacred order, and doctrinal clarity).