Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 121

Śeṣoditya-Sūrya-nyāsa, Soma-sādhana, Graha-pūjā, and Bhauma-vrata-vidhi

Devanagari script

भौमोपासनमेतद्धि बुधमन्त्रमथोच्यते । फांतः कर्णेंदुसंयुक्तो बुधो ङेंते हदंतिमः ॥ १२१ ॥

Transliteration

bhaumopāsanametaddhi budhamantramathocyate | phāṃtaḥ karṇeṃdusaṃyukto budho ṅeṃte hadaṃtimaḥ || 121 ||

Translation

Dies ist wahrlich die Weise der Verehrung Bхаumas (Mars). Nun wird das Mantra des Budha (Merkur) dargelegt: Es wird aus „phāṃ“ gebildet, verbunden mit den Zeichen von Ohr und Mond, zusammen mit „Budha“; es endet mit „ṅeṃte“, und „ha“ ist der letzte Konsonant.

Word by Word

• भौम-उपासनम्: the worship of Bhāuma (Mars)
• भौम-उपासनम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भौम (प्रातिपदिक) + उपासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: कर्ता/निर्देश (Subject/Deictic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/कारण (emphatic/causal particle)

• बुध-मन्त्रम्: the Budha (Mercury) mantra
• बुध-मन्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तर (sequencing particle)

• उच्यते: is said/declared
• उच्यते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• फान्तः: ending with ‘pha’
• फान्तः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वर्ण-निर्देशः (phonetic descriptor: ending with ‘pha’)

• कर्ण-इन्दु-संयुक्तः: combined with ‘karṇendu’ (phonetic element)
• कर्ण-इन्दु-संयुक्तः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘कर्णेन्दुना संयुक्तः’

• बुधः: Budha (Mercury)
• बुधः: कर्ता/निर्देश (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ङे-अन्ते: at the end with ‘ṅe’
• ङे-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ङे (अव्यय/प्रत्याहार-रूप) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; वर्ण-स्थान-निर्देशः (at the end with ‘ṅe’)

• ह-अन्तिमः: having ‘ha’ as the final (sound)
• ह-अन्तिमः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ह (वर्ण) + अन्तिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वर्ण-निर्देशः (having ‘ha’ as final)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on Vedāṅga/technical mantra formation for graha-upāsanā)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Bhauma (Mars)
• Budha (Mercury)

FAQs

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

It frames graha-upāsanā as a disciplined, rule-based practice: worship is not improvised but transmitted with precise mantra-formation, linking devotion with correct Vedic technical method.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through ordered upāsanā—reverence to cosmic intelligences (grahas) via correctly transmitted mantras—showing devotion aligned with śāstra and tradition.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Vedāṅga-style technical instruction—especially mantra-prayoga and phonetic/marker-based construction used in Jyotiṣa-linked graha rituals (how specific syllables/endings are prescribed).