Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

Hayagrīva-pūjā-vyākhyāna

Worship Procedure and Mantra-Siddhi of Hayagrīva

Devanagari script

हुत्वा रक्तोत्पलैर्मंत्री वशयेत्सकलं जगत् । अन्नाज्यैर्जुहुयान्नित्यमष्टाविंशतिसंख्यया ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

hutvā raktotpalairmaṃtrī vaśayetsakalaṃ jagat | annājyairjuhuyānnityamaṣṭāviṃśatisaṃkhyayā || 20 ||

Translation

إن المانتري، إذا قدّم زهورَ اللوتس الحمراء قربانًا في النار، استطاع أن يُخضع العالم كلَّه لتأثيره. وعليه أيضًا أن يواظب يوميًّا على الإهراق في النار من الأرزّ المطبوخ والسمن المصفّى (ghee) بعددٍ ثابتٍ هو ثمانٍ وعشرون قربانًا.

Word by Word

• hutvā: having offered
• hutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/त्वान्त)

• rakta-utpalaiḥ: with red lotuses
• rakta-utpalaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + utpala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsakaliṅga (neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (plural/बहुवचन); Karmadhāraya: raktāni utpalāni

• mantrī: the mantra-practitioner
• mantrī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन)

• vaśayet: should subdue
• vaśayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vaś (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Causative sense (णिच्) ‘to bring under control’

• sakalam: entire
• sakalam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsakaliṅga (neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन); qualifies jagat

• jagat: world
• jagat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsakaliṅga (neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (Accusative/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन)

• anna-ājyaiḥ: with food and ghee
• anna-ājyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक) + ājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsakaliṅga (neuter/नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Bahuvacana (plural/बहुवचन); itaretara-dvandva: anna ca ājyaṃ ca

• juhuyāt: should offer (into fire)
• juhuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• nityam: daily
• nityam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative used as avyaya (क्रियाविशेषण)

• aṣṭāviṃśati-saṃkhyayā: by the count of twenty-eight (i.e., 28 times)
• aṣṭāviṃśati-saṃkhyayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭāviṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Tṛtīyā vibhakti (Instrumental/तृतीया), Ekavacana (singular/एकवचन); Tatpuruṣa: aṣṭāviṃśateḥ saṃkhyā (number of 28)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a technical/ritual exposition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It presents a technical mantra-prayoga where disciplined, counted homa (daily offerings) is taught as the means to attain mantra-siddhi—ritual efficacy—expressed here as the power to influence outcomes in the world.

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

This verse is primarily ritual-technical rather than bhakti-centric; it emphasizes regulated practice (nitya-homa, fixed count). In the broader Purana framework, such discipline is ideally subordinated to dharma and devotion, not mere display of power.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights prayoga-style ritual precision: selection of oblation substances (red lotus, rice, ghee) and saṃkhyā-niyama (a fixed number of offerings—28), reflecting applied knowledge used in Vedic ritual practice.