Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

स्वबीजाद्यो दशार्णोऽसौ अन्ये नवशिवाक्षराः । आद्यबीजद्वयेनासौ द्वितीयो मन्त्र ईरितः ॥ ३९ ॥

Transliteration

svabījādyo daśārṇo'sau anye navaśivākṣarāḥ | ādyabījadvayenāsau dvitīyo mantra īritaḥ || 39 ||

Translation

ذلك المَنترَ، المبتدئ ببِيجاه الخاص، هو صيغةٌ ذاتُ عشرةِ مقاطع (دَشَارْنَ). وأما غيره فهي حروفُ شِيفا التسعة. فإذا سُبِقَ ببِيجَتَينِ أولَيَين أُعلِنَ أنه المَنترُ الثاني.

Word by Word

• स्वबीजाद्यः: beginning with one’s own seed-syllable
• स्वबीजाद्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + बीज + आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषण (adjectival)

• दशार्णः: ten-syllabled
• दशार्णः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); ‘ten-syllabled’

• असौ: this (mantra)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• नवशिवाक्षराः: nine Śiva-syllables
• नवशिवाक्षराः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव + शिव + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); ‘nine Śiva-syllables’

• आद्यबीजद्वयेन: by the pair of initial seed-syllables
• आद्यबीजद्वयेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आद्य + बीज + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• असौ: this (one)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); सर्वनाम

• द्वितीयः: second
• द्वितीयः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• मन्त्रः: mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• ईरितः: is declared/uttered
• ईरितः: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle/कृदन्त), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-power is preserved through precise structure—seed-syllables (bīja) and syllable-count (akṣara/arṇa) are not decorative but define distinct mantra-forms and their intended ritual use.

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

Even when devotion is the aim, the Purana emphasizes disciplined practice: the devotee honors the deity (here, Śiva) through accurate japa and correct mantra formation, treating sound as sacred worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights a technical rule used in mantra-śāstra and recitation practice—counting syllables (akṣara) and applying bīja prefixes to generate an alternate (second) mantra form for ritual/japa.