Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

स मनुः सिद्धिहीनः स्यान्मंदः पंक्त्यक्षरो मनुः । कूट एकाक्षरो मंत्रः स एवोक्तो निरंशकः ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

sa manuḥ siddhihīnaḥ syānmaṃdaḥ paṃktyakṣaro manuḥ | kūṭa ekākṣaro maṃtraḥ sa evokto niraṃśakaḥ || 44 ||

Translation

المانترا (manu) الخالية من السِّدهي (siddhi) تُعَدّ ضعيفة. والمانترا المؤلَّفة من سِلْسلة من المقاطع تُسمّى «مانو». أمّا «كوطا» فهو مانترا ذو مقطع واحد؛ وهو وحده يُقال له «نِرَمشَكَ» (بلا أجزاء).

Word by Word

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मनुः: manu (mantra-formula)
• मनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सिद्धि-हीनः: devoid of accomplishment (siddhi)
• सिद्धि-हीनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मन्दः: weak/ineffective
• मन्दः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पंक्ति-अक्षरः: having letters in a sequence
• पंक्ति-अक्षरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पंक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative; ‘having letters in a row/series’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मनुः: manu
• मनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कूटः: crooked/obscure/‘kūṭa’
• कूटः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एक-अक्षरः: single-syllabled
• एक-अक्षरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु (numerical compound), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मन्त्रः: mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis ‘indeed/only’)

• उक्तः: is said/called
• उक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is said/called’

• निर्-अंशकः: without parts
• निर्-अंशकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + अंशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘without parts/portionless’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical Vedanga/mantra-śāstra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

FAQs

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

It distinguishes mantras by functional potency: a mantra lacking siddhi is ‘weak,’ while the most condensed one-syllable form (kūṭa) is described as ‘partless,’ implying concentrated power when properly received and applied.

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

Indirectly, it supports bhakti practice by emphasizing that devotional recitation should be grounded in an efficacious mantra—especially a concentrated seed-form—received through proper tradition, rather than mere mechanical repetition.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-śāstra/Śikṣā-oriented technical knowledge: the verse classifies mantras by syllabic structure (paṅkti-akṣara vs ekākṣara) and links structure to siddhi (practical efficacy in japa and ritual).