Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 200

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

गन्धपुष्पैः समभ्यर्च्य मूलेन वैष्णवोत्तमः । षट्कोणेषु षडंगानि दिग्दलेषु क्रमाद्यजेत् ॥ २०० ॥

Transliteration

gandhapuṣpaiḥ samabhyarcya mūlena vaiṣṇavottamaḥ | ṣaṭkoṇeṣu ṣaḍaṃgāni digdaleṣu kramādyajet || 200 ||

Translation

بعد أن يعبد على الوجه اللائق بالعطور والزهور، ينبغي لأفضل الفايشنفا (Vaiṣṇava) أن يعبد، بالمولا-مَنترَ (root-mantra)، الأعضاء الستة (ṣaḍaṅga) في الزوايا الست (ṣaṭkoṇa) لليانترا/الماندالا، ثم يعبد بتسلسلٍ صحيح بتلات الجهات المعيّنة.

Word by Word

• गन्ध-पुष्पैः: with scents and flowers
• गन्ध-पुष्पैः: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: 'गन्धैः पुष्पैश्च'

• समभ्यर्च्य: having duly worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; 'having worshipped'

• मूलेन: with the root (mantra)
• मूलेन: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वैष्णव-उत्तमः: the best Vaiṣṇava
• वैष्णव-उत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: 'उत्तमो वैष्णवः'

• षट्-कोणेषु: in the six corners
• षट्-कोणेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural); द्विगु: 'षट् कोणाः'

• षड्-अङ्गानि: the six limbs (six parts)
• षड्-अङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); द्विगु: 'षड् अङ्गानि'

• दिक्-दलेषु: in the directional petals/sections
• दिक्-दलेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'दिशां दलानि' = 'petals/directions-sections'

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular); अव्ययीभावार्थे: 'in order/ क्रमशः'

• यजेत्: should worship/offer
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion to Viṣṇu is performed with both heartfelt offerings (fragrance and flowers) and precise mantra-ritual structure, aligning worship with sacred geometry (maṇḍala/yantra) and protective auxiliaries (ṣaḍaṅga).

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined Vaiṣṇava pūjā: offering simple devotional items while centering the practice on the mūla-mantra and orderly worship of the deity’s ritual components, showing devotion guided by vidhi (proper method).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights practical ritual application of mantra-viniyoga and anga-nyāsa/ṣaḍaṅga concepts—technical liturgical knowledge used to place and invoke mantra-power across a maṇḍala and its directional divisions.