Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

अत्रावाह्य च मूलेन मूर्तिं संकल्प्य साधकः । षट् कोणेषु षडंगानि दक्षिणे तु गजाननम् ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

atrāvāhya ca mūlena mūrtiṃ saṃkalpya sādhakaḥ | ṣaṭ koṇeṣu ṣaḍaṃgāni dakṣiṇe tu gajānanam || 56 ||

Translation

هنا، بعد استحضار (الإله) بالمانترا الجذرية (mūla-mantra) وتشكيل الصورة الإلهية في النية، يضع السالك الأعضاء الستة (ṣaḍaṅga) في الزوايا الست؛ وعلى الجهة الجنوبية يضع «غَجَانَنَ» (Gaṇeśa).

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + वह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (indeclinable verbal), पूर्वकाले (having done first)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• मूलेन: by the root (mantra)
• मूलेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचनम्; करणवाचक

• मूर्तिम्: the form (deity-form)
• मूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• संकल्प्य: having conceived/visualized
• संकल्प्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग; पूर्वकाले

• साधकः: the practitioner
• साधकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्

• षट्: six
• षट्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम् (numeral adjective), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनम् (agreeing with ‘अङ्गानि’)

• कोणेषु: in the corners/angles
• कोणेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचनम्

• षड्-अङ्गानि: the six limbs (auxiliaries)
• षड्-अङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (कर्मधारयः; ‘षड् अङ्गानि’ = six limbs), नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्

• दक्षिणे: in the southern (side/corner)
• दक्षिणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचनम् (elliptic: ‘दक्षिणे (कोणे)’ )

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (contrastive particle)

• गजाननम्: Gajānana (Gaṇeśa)
• गजाननम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; ‘गजस्य आननम्’), पुंलिङ्गः (देवनाम), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Gajānana (Gaṇeśa)

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship begins with inner formation of the deity (saṅkalpa) and disciplined mantra-installation (ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa), making the practitioner’s body-mind and the ritual space fit to hold divine presence.

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

Bhakti here is shown as focused, reverent approach: invoking through the mūla-mantra, visualizing the form, and arranging protective/empowering nyāsa—devotion expressed through precision and one-pointed remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-technical knowledge is emphasized: āvāhana (invocation), saṅkalpa (ritual resolve), ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa (mantra-limb installation), and directional placement—core procedures used in mantra-śāstra and āgamic-style worship.