Shloka 19

Kāmākṣā-māhātmya (Glory of Kāmākṣā) with Siddhanātha Account

Devanagari script

उवाच तत्त्वं सुरहस्यभूतं यद्द्वादशार्णार्थनिजस्वरूपम् । ततस्तु सा शैलसुता महेशं मारांतक यावदभिप्रणम्य ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

uvāca tattvaṃ surahasyabhūtaṃ yaddvādaśārṇārthanijasvarūpam | tatastu sā śailasutā maheśaṃ mārāṃtaka yāvadabhipraṇamya || 19 ||

Translation

随后他宣说至上真理——连诸天也秘而不宣的奥义——即十二音节圣咒之义中所含的真实自性。于是山之女（帕尔瓦蒂）向摩诃伊湿（大自在天）、诛灭魔罗（迦摩）者，至诚顶礼，继续聆听。

Word by Word

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धा. वच परिभाषणे)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• tattvam: the truth/principle
• tattvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• sura-hasya-bhūtam: (that) which was a divine secret
• sura-hasya-bhūtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक) + hasya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (कृदन्त; √bhū)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; PPP ‘become/being’ qualifying tattvam; ‘secret of the gods’

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; यत्-तत्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; relative pronoun referring to tattvam

• dvādaśa-arṇa-artha-nija-svarūpam: whose own nature is the meaning of the twelve syllables
• dvādaśa-arṇa-artha-nija-svarūpam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + nija (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; long tatpuruṣa qualifying yat/tattvam: ‘whose own form is the meaning of the twelve syllables’

• tataḥ: then/thereupon
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय/तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ablatival adverb ‘thereupon/from that’

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (contrast/emphasis)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used as subject

• śaila-sutā: the mountain’s daughter
• śaila-sutā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक) + sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘daughter of the mountain’ (Pārvatī)

• maheśam: Maheśa (Śiva)
• maheśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• mārāntaka: O slayer of Māra
• mārāntaka: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māra (प्रातिपदिक) + antaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; vocative epithet of Śiva ‘slayer of Māra (Kāma)’

• yāvat: until
• yāvat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; limitative particle ‘until/as far as’

• abhipraṇamya: having bowed (to him)
• abhipraṇamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-pra-√nam (धा. नम प्रणामे)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having bowed down’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the dialogue scene; the teaching is attributed to Maheśa/Śiva in this verse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī (Śailasutā)
• Śiva (Maheśa)
• Kāma (Māra)

FAQs

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

It frames mantra-upadeśa as a revelation of tattva—the inner reality—described as a divine secret, and links mantra-meaning (artha) to realizing one’s essential nature (nija-svarūpa).

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

Bhakti is implied through reverent surrender: Pārvatī’s full prostration to Maheśa models the disciple’s humility and receptivity, through which sacred mantra-knowledge becomes transformative rather than merely verbal.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It emphasizes artha (meaning) of mantra—pointing to disciplined mantra-interpretation supported by Vyākaraṇa (correct understanding of words) and Śikṣā (proper recitation), so the ‘twelve-syllabled’ teaching is grasped in both sound and sense.