Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

द्विनवत्येकहीनो वा शतत्रयमथापि वा । ये मंत्रा वर्णसंख्याका निःस्नेहास्ते प्रकीर्तिताः ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

dvinavatyekahīno vā śatatrayamathāpi vā | ye maṃtrā varṇasaṃkhyākā niḥsnehāste prakīrtitāḥ || 56 ||

Translation

Mantras, die nur nach der Silbenzahl bemessen werden—seien es einundneunzig (eins weniger als zweiundneunzig) oder gar dreihundert—werden als «ohne Salbung» bezeichnet, das heißt: ohne innere Kraft und ohne wirksame Hingabe (bhakti).

Word by Word

• द्वि-नवति-एक-हीनः: one less than ninety-two (91)
• द्वि-नवति-एक-हीनः: परिमाण-विशेषण (numeric qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक) + नवति (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (numerical-determinative): ‘one less than ninety-two’; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; numeric qualifier), एकवचन (singular)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध-बोधक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• शत-त्रयम्: three hundred
• शत-त्रयम्: परिमाण (measure/number)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु समास: ‘three hundreds’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: सम्बन्ध-बोधक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), sequence

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध-बोधक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध-बोधक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• ये: which/those
• ये: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वर्ण-संख्यकाः: having (only) letter-count
• वर्ण-संख्यकाः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास: ‘having a count of letters’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• निः-स्नेहाः: devoid of essence/affection
• निः-स्नेहाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (नञ्/निः-प्रयोग): ‘without affection/essence’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: कर्ता (Karta; resumptive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रकीर्तिताः: have been proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तिताः: विधेय (predicate; passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भाव: ‘have been proclaimed’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical Vedanga-style discussion on mantra characteristics)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

FAQs

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

It warns that mantra-power is not produced by numerical syllable-count alone; without living bhāva (sneha/rasa) and right method, the mantra becomes ‘dry’ and spiritually unfruitful.

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

By calling such mantras niḥsneha (“without affection/unction”), it implies that devotion and heartfelt orientation are essential for mantra to mature into a transformative practice, not just technical recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a Śikṣā/Chandas-oriented concern with akṣara (syllable/letter) counts, while simultaneously teaching the limitation of purely mechanical metrics in mantra-vidhi.