Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 178

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

Devanagari script

पक्षिराजाय ठद्वंद्वं पीठमंत्रोऽयमीरितः । मूर्तिं संकल्पमूलेन तस्यामावाहयेदतः ॥ १७८ ॥

Transliteration

pakṣirājāya ṭhadvaṃdvaṃ pīṭhamaṃtro'yamīritaḥ | mūrtiṃ saṃkalpamūlena tasyāmāvāhayedataḥ || 178 ||

Translation

Für Garuḍa, den König der Vögel, wird dies als Pīṭha-Mantra verkündet. Danach soll man, gestützt auf den rituellen Saṅkalpa (feierliche Intention), durch Āvāhana die Gestalt der Gottheit in diesen Sitz herabrufen.

Word by Word

• पक्षिराजाय: to Garuḍa (king of birds)
• पक्षिराजाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिराज (प्रातिपदिक; पक्षि + राज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-सम्भवः; प्रचलित-नाम)

• ठद्वंद्वम्: the ‘ṭhadvaṃdva’ (mantric formula/name)
• ठद्वंद्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ठद्वंद्व (प्रातिपदिक; मन्त्र-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पीठमन्त्रः: the pedestal-mantra
• पीठमन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ-मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; पीठ + मन्त्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: पीठस्य मन्त्रः)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ईरितः: is declared/has been stated
• ईरितः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर्/ईरय् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मूर्तिम्: the image/form
• मूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• संकल्पमूलेन: by the basis of intention (saṅkalpa)
• संकल्पमूलेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प-मूल (प्रातिपदिक; संकल्प + मूल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• तस्याम्: in that (image/form)
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आवाहयेत्: should invoke
• आवाहयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वाह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अतः: thereafter/therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/अनन्तरार्थ-निपात (therefore/thereupon)

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual-mantra procedure within Vedanga-oriented instruction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa (Pakṣirāja)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that divine presence is ritually established through a proper seat-mantra (pīṭha-mantra) and a clear saṅkalpa, showing that worship requires both correct mantra and intentional, disciplined resolve.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent, methodical worship—invoking the deity’s mūrti into the pīṭha after saṅkalpa—highlighting devotion guided by sacred procedure rather than mere emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual science: the use of specific mantra-syllables (a bīja-like phonetic formula) and the structured sequence of saṅkalpa followed by āvāhana, aligning with technical liturgical practice taught in the Vedanga-oriented sections.