Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 158

The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor

Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माद्यावृत्तिरूपा च परा पश्यतिका तथा । मध्यमा वैखरी शीर्षकण्ठताल्वोष्ठदन्तगा ॥ १५८ ॥

Transliteration

brahmādyāvṛttirūpā ca parā paśyatikā tathā | madhyamā vaikharī śīrṣakaṇṭhatālvoṣṭhadantagā || 158 ||

Translation

الكلام في صورته العُليا «بارا» هو من طبيعة الاهتزاز الأوّل الذي يبدأ ببراهما؛ وكذلك توجد «باشيانتي» وهي الكلمة الباطنة الرائية. ثم تأتي «مادهْيَما» و«فايخَري»، وهاتان تُنطَقان عبر الرأس والحلق والحنك والشفتين والأسنان.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मादि-आवृत्ति-रूपा: having the form of repetition beginning with Brahmā (etc.)
• ब्रह्मादि-आवृत्ति-रूपा: कर्तृ/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव (Karta/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म + आदि + आवृत्ति + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (determinative): ब्रह्मादि (brahmā etc.) + आवृत्ति (repetition/recurrence) + रूपा (having the form)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• परा: supreme; transcendent
• परा: कर्तृ/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• पश्यतिका: (called) ‘paśyatikā’
• पश्यतिका: कर्तृ/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्यतिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नामविशेषण (epithet)

• तथा: likewise; thus
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• मध्यमा: the middle (stage)
• मध्यमा: कर्तृ/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वैखरी: vaikharī (articulated speech)
• वैखरी: कर्तृ/विशेष्य (subject/predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैखरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (name of speech-stage)

• शीर्ष-कण्ठ-तालु-ओष्ठ-दन्त-गा: located in the head, throat, palate, lips and teeth
• शीर्ष-कण्ठ-तालु-ओष्ठ-दन्त-गा: कर्तृ/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीर्ष + कण्ठ + तालु + ओष्ठ + दन्त + ग (√गम् धातु-प्रत्ययान्त/प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (locative/determinative sense): ‘(she) who goes/abides in head, throat, palate, lips, teeth’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/Śikṣā context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

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

It frames mantra and Vedic sound as a graded manifestation—from the subtlest Parā to audible Vaikharī—showing that recitation is not merely physical speech but a movement from inner consciousness to articulated sound.

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

By implying that devotional mantra-japa can be practiced at multiple depths: inwardly (Paśyantī/Madhyamā) as concentrated remembrance and outwardly (Vaikharī) as spoken praise—both aiming to align speech with sacred awareness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics): it links spoken Vaikharī to precise articulation points—head, throat, palate, lips, and teeth—emphasizing correct pronunciation for accurate mantra recitation.