Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 137

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

एकोनविंशत्यर्णाढ्यो मन्त्रो वह्निप्रियांतिमः । वराहोऽस्य मुनिश्छन्दो गायत्री निवृदादिका ॥ १३७ ॥

Transliteration

ekonaviṃśatyarṇāḍhyo mantro vahnipriyāṃtimaḥ | varāho'sya muniśchando gāyatrī nivṛdādikā || 137 ||

Translation

هذا المانترا مؤلَّف من تسعةَ عشرَ مقطعًا؛ وخاتمته محبوبةٌ للإله أغني. رِشيُّه (ṛṣi) هو فَرَاهَا (Varāha)، ووزنه (chandas) غاياتري (Gāyatrī)، مبتدئًا بترتيبٍ من نمط نِفْرِت (nivṛt) وما يتصل به من صيغ.

Word by Word

• ekona-viṃśati-arṇa-āḍhyaḥ: having nineteen syllables
• ekona-viṃśati-arṇa-āḍhyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekona (प्रातिपदिक) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); samāsa: ekona-viṃśati (19) + arṇa (syllables) → ‘having 19 syllables’

• mantraḥ: the mantra
• mantraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• vahni-priyā-antimaḥ: the final (mantra) dear to Agni
• vahni-priyā-antimaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक) + priyā (प्रातिपदिक) + antima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; samāsa: vahni-priyā (dear to Agni) + antima (last/final)

• varāhaḥ: Varāha (boar incarnation)
• varāhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• asya: of this (mantra)
• asya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी) Ekavacana; sarvanāma (pronoun)

• muniḥ: the sage (seer)
• muniḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• chandaḥ: the meter
• chandaḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chandas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter/नपुंसक), Prathamā Ekavacana

• gāyatrī: Gāyatrī (meter)
• gāyatrī: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā Ekavacana

• nivṛt-ādikā: beginning with ‘nivṛt’ (etc.)
• nivṛt-ādikā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nivṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + ādikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; samāsa: nivṛt-ādi (beginning with ‘nivṛt’) + -kā (having/characterized by)

Speaker

Narada (teaching the technical mantra-lakshana within a Vedanga-oriented section; framed in dialogue with Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Varaha

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-lakṣaṇa—how a mantra is properly identified by syllable-count, ṛṣi, and chandas—so that recitation and ritual use align with Vedic order (vidhi) rather than mere sound.

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

Indirectly: by insisting on correct mantra identity (ṛṣi/chandas), it supports disciplined worship—devotion expressed through accurate, reverent recitation rather than casual repetition.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas and mantra-śāstra basics: counting syllables (arṇa), assigning the seer (Varāha as ṛṣi), and identifying the metre (Gāyatrī), which are essential for correct Vedic chanting and ritual application.