Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 51

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

प्रविन्यसेद्य धापूर्व भृगुर्व्योमाग्निसंस्थितः । सद्यादिपञ्चह्रस्वाद्या बीजमेषां प्रकीर्तितम् ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

pravinyasedya dhāpūrva bhṛgurvyomāgnisaṃsthitaḥ | sadyādipañcahrasvādyā bījameṣāṃ prakīrtitam || 51 ||

Translation

‘ধা’ হইতে আরম্ভ করিয়া যথাক্রমে বিন্যাস করিবে। ‘ভৃগু-বর্গ’কে ব্যোম ও অগ্নির স্থানে ন্যাস করিবে। ইহাদের বীজ ‘সদ্য’ প্রভৃতি পাঁচ এবং হ্রস্ব স্বরাদি অক্ষর বলিয়া ঘোষিত॥

Word by Word

• प्रविन्यसेत्: should place
• प्रविन्यसेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वि-नि-√अस्/न्यस् (धातु; ‘विन्यस्’ प्रयोग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• य: which/that
• य: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun, ‘which/that’)

• धा-पूर्व: beginning with ‘dhā’
• धा-पूर्व: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धा (धातु/बीजाक्षर-रूप) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘धा’ इत्यनेन पूर्वः (beginning with dhā)

• भृगुः: Bhṛgu
• भृगुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• व्योम-अग्नि-संस्थितः: situated in sky and fire
• व्योम-अग्नि-संस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थित (कृदन्त; सम्-√स्था)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (describing भृगुः)

• सद्यः-आदि-पञ्च-ह्रस्व-आद्याः: the five (vowels) beginning with sadya-, starting with short ones
• सद्यः-आदि-पञ्च-ह्रस्व-आद्याः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + ह्रस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (बीजानि/वर्णाः इत्यर्थे)

• बीजम्: the seed-syllable
• बीजम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/उद्देश्य), एकवचन

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• प्रकीर्तितम्: has been proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘has been declared’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/technical instruction context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bhrigu
• Agni
• Vyoma

FAQs

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

It treats mantra-technology as a sacred discipline: correct sequencing and placement of syllables (with defined bīja-forms) is presented as essential for a mantra’s efficacy and purity in Vedic practice.

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

Bhakti here is supported by precision in sacred speech—devotion is not only emotion but also disciplined recitation and correct mantra-structure, aligning the practitioner with Vedic order (ṛta).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Shiksha/Vedanga phonetics: it emphasizes ordered arrangement of syllables, the use of bīja-syllables, and technical vowel classes (hrasva) connected with ritual/elemental placements such as agni and vyoma.