Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

Gaṇeśa Mantra-vidhi: Mahāgaṇapati Gāyatrī, Vakratuṇḍa Mantra, Nyāsa, Homa, Āvaraṇa-pūjā, and Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

कृत्वा तस्यां समावाह्य प्राणस्थापनपूर्वकम् । अभ्यर्च्य विधिवन्मन्त्री राहुग्रस्ते निशाकरे ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

kṛtvā tasyāṃ samāvāhya prāṇasthāpanapūrvakam | abhyarcya vidhivanmantrī rāhugraste niśākare || 57 ||

Translation

بعد إعداد ذلك، على الكاهن العارف بالمانترا أن يستدعي الإله ليحلّ فيه، بعد أن يسبق ذلك بطقس تثبيت البرانا (نَفَس الحياة)؛ ثم حين يُمسَك القمر براهُو (وقت الخسوف) فليقم بالعبادة على الوجه المقرر وفق الـڤِدهي.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), from √कृ; ‘having done’

• तस्याम्: in that (place/thing)
• तस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in that (female/it)’

• समावाह्य: having invoked
• समावाह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√वह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), from समावहति; ‘having invoked/brought in’

• प्राणस्थापनपूर्वकम्: with prāṇa-establishment as the prior step
• प्राणस्थापनपूर्वकम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राण-स्थापन-पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक); components: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थापन (कृदन्त, √स्था/स्थाप्) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय प्रयोगः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग एकवचन रूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत्; ‘with the prior act of establishing the life-breath’

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), from अभ्यर्चति; ‘having worshipped’

• विधिवत्: according to the prescribed rite
• विधिवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि + वत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण); ‘according to rule’

• मन्त्री: the mantra-reciter (priest)
• मन्त्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘the one who recites mantras’

• राहुग्रस्ते: in the Rāhu-grasped (eclipsed)
• राहुग्रस्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राहु-ग्रस्त (प्रातिपदिक); components: राहु (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रस्त (कृदन्त, √ग्रस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in/at (the moon) seized by Rāhu’

• निशाकरे: in the moon
• निशाकरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in the moon’ (lit. night-maker)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a Vedanga/ritual-technical context, traditionally within Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framing)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Rahu
• Chandra (Moon)

FAQs

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

It teaches that eclipse-time worship should be disciplined and consecrated—invocation and prāṇa-sthāpana sanctify the seat or image so the rite becomes a focused act of sacred presence rather than a mere external observance.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent, rule-guided worship (vidhivat arcana) performed at a potent sacred time (grahaṇa), using mantra and invocation to keep devotion attentive and concentrated.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa and Kalpa are implied: recognizing the eclipse condition (Rāhu-grasta niśākara) and performing the correct ritual sequence—āvāhana and prāṇa-sthāpana—before formal worship.