Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 136

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

तारो माया स्वबीजान्ते कर्णोग्रं वीरमीरयेत् । महाविष्णुं ततो ब्रूयाज्ज्वलन्तं सर्वतोमुखम् ॥ १३६ ॥

Transliteration

tāro māyā svabījānte karṇograṃ vīramīrayet | mahāviṣṇuṃ tato brūyājjvalantaṃ sarvatomukham || 136 ||

Translation

مع البرانافا (oṃ) ومع «المايا» (hrīṃ)، مختومًا ببِيجا المرء الخاصة، يهمس بمقطع «ڤيرا» برفق عند طرف الأذن؛ ثمّ ينطق (يستدعي) «مهاڤيشنو» المتلألئ اشتعالًا، ذو الوجوه المتجهة إلى جميع الجهات.

Word by Word

• तारः: (the syllable) Tāra
• तारः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन; mantra-syllable/name ‘tāra’

• माया: (the syllable) Māyā
• माया: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन; mantra-syllable/name ‘māyā’

• स्वबीजान्ते: at the end of the own seed-syllable
• स्वबीजान्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + बीज + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (अन्त-शब्द), सप्तमी (locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘at the end of one’s seed-syllable’

• कर्णोग्रम्: the tip of the ear
• कर्णोग्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘ear-tip’

• वीरम्: (the syllable/name) Vīra
• वीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; mantra-name/epithet ‘vīra’

• ईरयेत्: should utter/recite
• ईरयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• महाविष्णुम्: Mahāviṣṇu
• महाविष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाविष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘Mahā + Viṣṇu’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रम/अनन्तरवाचक (then/thereafter)

• ब्रूयात्: should say
• ब्रूयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• ज्वलन्तम्: blazing
• ज्वलन्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वल् (धातु) + शतृ (प्रत्यय)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying महाविष्णुम्

• सर्वतोमुखम्: faced in all directions
• सर्वतोमुखम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव ‘having faces on all sides’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within Vedanga/Mantra-vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Mahāviṣṇu

FAQs

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

It teaches a precise mantra-prayoga: combining praṇava, a bīja (Māyā), and one’s assigned seed-syllable, followed by visualization/invocation of Mahāviṣṇu as all-pervading, radiant, and omnifacing—signifying His presence in every direction and all beings.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as upāsanā: careful recitation and focused remembrance of Mahāviṣṇu’s universal form. The disciplined utterance (even softly near the ear) supports one-pointed devotion and continuous God-awareness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-vidhi and prayoga: the technical use of praṇava, bīja-syllables, and prescribed modes of utterance/placement (a nyāsa-like instruction), reflecting applied ritual-phonetics and disciplined recitation practice.