Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 172

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

Devanagari script

दिव्यसिंहासने विप्र समासीनं स्मरेद्विभुम् । शंखपाशेषु चापानि मुसलं नंदकं गदाम् ॥ १७२ ॥

Transliteration

divyasiṃhāsane vipra samāsīnaṃ smaredvibhum | śaṃkhapāśeṣu cāpāni musalaṃ naṃdakaṃ gadām || 172 ||

Translation

O Brāhmane, man soll des allgegenwärtigen Herrn gedenken, wie Er auf einem göttlichen Thron sitzt—die Muschel und das Fangseil, die Bögen, den Stößel (musala), Nandaka (Sein Schwert) und die Keule (gadā) tragend.

Word by Word

• दिव्य-सिंहासने: on the divine throne
• दिव्य-सिंहासने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सिंहासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• विप्र: O brāhmaṇa
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• समासीनम्: seated
• समासीनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आस् (धातु) → समासीन (कृदन्त, क्त/क्तवत्-भाव)
• Form: वर्तमान/स्थितिवाचक कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• स्मरेत्: should remember/meditate on
• स्मरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• विभुम्: the all-pervading Lord
• विभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• शंख-पाशेषु: in/at the conch and noose (hands/places)
• शंख-पाशेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक) + पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

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

• आपानि: waters
• आपानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• मुसलम्: a pestle/club
• मुसलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुसल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• नन्दकम्: Nandaka (sword)
• नन्दकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन; (विष्णोः खड्गनाम)

• गदाम्: a mace
• गदाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in an upasana/dhyana context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Nandaka

FAQs

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

It prescribes a focused dhyāna (contemplative visualization) of the Supreme Lord as the all-pervading Viṣṇu, using specific divine attributes to stabilize the mind and deepen bhakti through sacred remembrance (smaraṇa).

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

Bhakti here is practiced as smaraṇa—loving recollection through a concrete form (āsana and āyudha). Visualizing the Lord enthroned and armed trains attention, reverence, and surrender, which are core devotional disciplines.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects the applied side of ritual and mantra practice: dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditation markers) and deity-iconography used as an aid to pūjā and japa—supportive of Kalpa (ritual procedure) and traditional upāsanā methods.