Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 92

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

शक्तिं डमरुकाभीतिवरान्संदधतं करैः । ईशानं त्रीक्षणं शुभ्रमैशान्यां दिशि पूजयेत् ॥ ९२ ॥

Transliteration

śaktiṃ ḍamarukābhītivarānsaṃdadhataṃ karaiḥ | īśānaṃ trīkṣaṇaṃ śubhramaiśānyāṃ diśi pūjayet || 92 ||

Translation

พึงบูชาอีศานะผู้ผ่องสว่าง มีสามเนตร ทรงถือศักติ กลองฑมรุ ท่าประทานอภัย และหัตถ์ประทานพร ในทิศอีศานย์ (ตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือ)۔

Word by Word

• शक्तिम्: a spear/śakti weapon
• शक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन; आयुधविशेष (weapon)

• डमरुक: a ḍamaru drum
• डमरुक: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डमरुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (समाहार-निर्देशे)

• अभीति: fearlessness (gesture/boon)
• अभीति: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अभयमुद्रा/अभय’ इत्यर्थे

• वरान्: boons
• वरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• संदधतम्: holding/placing together (bearing)
• संदधतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-धा (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ईशानम् इति विशेषण

• करैः: with (his) hands
• करैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental), बहुवचन

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (a form of Śiva)
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (accusative), एकवचन; देवविशेष (Īśāna)

• त्रीक्षणम्: three-eyed
• त्रीक्षणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि-ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘यस्य त्रीणि ईक्षणानि सः’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ईशानम् इति विशेषण

• शुभ्रम्: bright/white
• शुभ्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ईशानम् इति विशेषण

• ऐशान्याम्: in the north-east
• ऐशान्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐशान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन; दिशि इति विशेषण

• दिशि: direction
• दिशि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ishana (Shiva)

FAQs

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

It teaches precise contemplative worship: visualizing Īśāna with specific attributes and honoring the sanctity of direction (Aiśānya), aligning the worshipper’s mind and ritual space with auspicious order.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through disciplined upāsanā—devotion supported by clear form-meditation (dhyāna) and reverent worship, where the deity’s symbols (abhaya and vara) reassure the devotee with protection and grace.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical knowledge: dik-viniyoga (directional assignment) and mūrti-lakṣaṇa (iconographic specification), key to correct pūjā procedure in structured worship manuals.