Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 112

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

महादंष्ट्राय चास्त्रं स्यात्पञ्चांगमिति कल्पयेत् । अथवा गिरिषट्सप्तबाणैर्वसुभिरक्षरैः ॥ ११२ ॥

Transliteration

mahādaṃṣṭrāya cāstraṃ syātpañcāṃgamiti kalpayet | athavā giriṣaṭsaptabāṇairvasubhirakṣaraiḥ || 112 ||

Translation

Für (die Gottheit) Mahādaṃṣṭrā soll das Astra — das Waffen-Mantra — als fünfgliedrige Formel gestaltet werden. Oder es kann mittels der Silben angeordnet werden, die durch die Zahlen-Codewörter bezeichnet sind: giri (7), ṣaṭ (6), sapta (7), bāṇa (5) und vasu (8).

Word by Word

• महादंष्ट्राय: to/for (the deity) Mahādaṃṣṭrā
• महादंष्ट्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक; महत्+दंष्ट्रा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; compound: कर्मधारय ‘महती दंष्ट्रा यस्य/यस्याः’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्त्रम्: weapon (mantra-weapon)
• अस्त्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पञ्चाङ्गम्: five-limbed
• पञ्चाङ्गम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च+अङ्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘पञ्च अङ्गानि यस्य’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• कल्पयेत्: one should arrange/construct
• कल्पयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप्/कल्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• गिरि-षट्-सप्त-बाणैः: with arrows (numbered as) 7, 6, 7 (etc.)
• गिरि-षट्-सप्त-बाणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि + षट् + सप्त + बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (संख्यासमास) ‘गिरि(=7) + षट् + सप्त’ संख्याभिः निर्दिष्टैः बाणैः

• वसुभिः: with the eight Vasus (i.e., eightfold)
• वसुभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• अक्षरैः: with syllables
• अक्षरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/Vedanga-mantra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mahādaṃṣṭrā

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined mantra-vidhi: even a protective ‘astra’ is not improvised, but constructed with defined limbs (pañcāṅga) and precise akṣara-structure, reflecting the Purana’s emphasis on exact sacred sound.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as careful, reverent practice—devotion guided by vidhi (method). Correct mantra-formation becomes a form of worship through precision and obedience to revealed instruction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical mantra-śāstra usage of akṣaras and bhūta-saṅkhyā (word-numeral coding), a practical tool used in ritual manuals to specify syllable counts and mantra-structure.