Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

Gaṇeśa Mantra-vidhi: Mahāgaṇapati Gāyatrī, Vakratuṇḍa Mantra, Nyāsa, Homa, Āvaraṇa-pūjā, and Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

कृत्वा तस्यां समावाह्य प्राणस्थापनपूर्वकम् । अभ्यर्च्य विधिवन्मन्त्री राहुग्रस्ते निशाकरे ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

kṛtvā tasyāṃ samāvāhya prāṇasthāpanapūrvakam | abhyarcya vidhivanmantrī rāhugraste niśākare || 57 ||

Translation

Nachdem es bereitet ist, soll der mantra-kundige Priester die Gottheit darin herabrufen und zuvor den Ritus der Einsetzung des prāṇa (Lebenshauchs) vollziehen; und wenn der Mond von Rāhu ergriffen ist (bei der Finsternis), soll er nach dem vorgeschriebenen vidhi in rechter Weise verehren.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), from √कृ; ‘having done’

• तस्याम्: in that (place/thing)
• तस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in that (female/it)’

• समावाह्य: having invoked
• समावाह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√वह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), from समावहति; ‘having invoked/brought in’

• प्राणस्थापनपूर्वकम्: with prāṇa-establishment as the prior step
• प्राणस्थापनपूर्वकम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राण-स्थापन-पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक); components: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थापन (कृदन्त, √स्था/स्थाप्) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय प्रयोगः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग एकवचन रूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत्; ‘with the prior act of establishing the life-breath’

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), from अभ्यर्चति; ‘having worshipped’

• विधिवत्: according to the prescribed rite
• विधिवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि + वत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण); ‘according to rule’

• मन्त्री: the mantra-reciter (priest)
• मन्त्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘the one who recites mantras’

• राहुग्रस्ते: in the Rāhu-grasped (eclipsed)
• राहुग्रस्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राहु-ग्रस्त (प्रातिपदिक); components: राहु (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रस्त (कृदन्त, √ग्रस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in/at (the moon) seized by Rāhu’

• निशाकरे: in the moon
• निशाकरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in the moon’ (lit. night-maker)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a Vedanga/ritual-technical context, traditionally within Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framing)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Rahu
• Chandra (Moon)

FAQs

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

It teaches that eclipse-time worship should be disciplined and consecrated—invocation and prāṇa-sthāpana sanctify the seat or image so the rite becomes a focused act of sacred presence rather than a mere external observance.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent, rule-guided worship (vidhivat arcana) performed at a potent sacred time (grahaṇa), using mantra and invocation to keep devotion attentive and concentrated.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa and Kalpa are implied: recognizing the eclipse condition (Rāhu-grasta niśākara) and performing the correct ritual sequence—āvāhana and prāṇa-sthāpana—before formal worship.