Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

The Exposition of the Maheśa Mantra

Mahēśa-mantra-prakāśana

Devanagari script

मनोन्मनीति संप्रोक्ताः शैवपीठस्य शक्तयः । नमो भगवते पश्चात्सकलादि वदेत्ततः ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

manonmanīti saṃproktāḥ śaivapīṭhasya śaktayaḥ | namo bhagavate paścātsakalādi vadettataḥ || 20 ||

Translation

‘منونمنی’ وغیرہ شَیو پِیٹھ کی شکتیوں کے طور پر بیان کی گئی ہیں۔ اس کے بعد ‘نمو بھگوتے’ منتر ادا کرے، پھر ‘سکل’ وغیرہ کا سلسلہ پڑھے॥۲۰॥

Word by Word

• manonmanī: Manonmanī (name)
• manonmanī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manonmanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोगः)

• saṃproktāḥ: have been declared/taught
• saṃproktāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam+√vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śaiva-pīṭhasya: of the Śaiva seat (pīṭha)
• śaiva-pīṭhasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaiva + pīṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (śaivasya pīṭham)

• śaktayaḥ: powers/energies
• śaktayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/obeisance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/नमस्-शब्दः)
• Form: Salutation particle; governs Dative (चतुर्थी)

• bhagavate: to the Lord
• bhagavate: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• sakala-ādi: (the mantra) beginning with ‘Sakala’
• sakala-ādi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakala + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः (sakalādayaḥ—“beginning with Sakala”) used as object of speech

• vadet: should recite/say
• vadet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (वद् धातु)
• Form: Optative/vidhi-lin (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tataḥ: then/from that
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical mantra/nyasa procedure)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan (the Lord)
• Śaiva-pīṭha
• Śakti
• Manonmanī
• Sakala

FAQs

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

It gives a precise ritual/meditative sequence: recognize the Śaiva pīṭha-Śaktis (starting with Manonmanī), then invoke the Lord with “namo bhagavate,” and proceed with the Sakala-based series—showing that spiritual ascent is supported by correct mantra-order and śakti-awareness.

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

Even within a technical Śaiva-Śākta framework, the instruction centers devotion through the explicit surrender-formula “namo bhagavate,” indicating that mantra-practice is meant to culminate in reverent remembrance and worship of the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied mantra-śāstra/ritual procedure—how to sequence recitations (krama), identify technical categories (pīṭha-śakti), and correctly utter mantra units—skills aligned with disciplined recitation and ritual performance.