Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 186

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

Devanagari script

अंकुशं मुसलं पाशं स्वमुद्रामनुभिः पृथक् । महाजलचरा यांते वर्मास्त्रं वह्निवल्लभा ॥ १८६ ॥

Transliteration

aṃkuśaṃ musalaṃ pāśaṃ svamudrāmanubhiḥ pṛthak | mahājalacarā yāṃte varmāstraṃ vahnivallabhā || 186 ||

Translation

Getrennt, begleitet von ihren eigenen Mudrās, tragen sie Aṅkuśa (Treibhaken), Musala (Stößel) und Pāśa (Schlinge). Sie schreiten inmitten der großen Wesen der Wasser und führen das Varmāstra, die schützende Rüstungswaffe. Sie sind Agni, dem Feuer, lieb und teuer.

Word by Word

• अङ्कुशम्: goad
• अङ्कुशम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मुसलम्: pestle/club
• मुसलम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुसल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पाशम्: noose
• पाशम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्व-मुद्राम्: one’s own hand-gesture (mudrā)
• स्व-मुद्राम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (स्वा मुद्रा)

• अनुभिः: along with/with
• अनुभिः: सहकारक (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय) + भिस्-प्रत्यय (instrumental plural marker)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः; 'अनु' = सह/अनुगत (along with), 'भिः' इव प्रयोगः—सहकारक-सूचक (with)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; भेदार्थक (separately)

• महा-जला-चराः: great water-dwellers (aquatic ones)
• महा-जला-चराः: कर्ता/विशेष्य (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महाजले चरन्ति)

• यान्ते: go/approach
• यान्ते: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन/बहुवचन-रूपसदृशं; पाठभेदसम्भवः (यान्ति इति अपेक्षितम्)

• वर्म-अस्त्रम्: armor and weapon
• वर्म-अस्त्रम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (वर्म च अस्त्रं च)

• वह्नि-वल्लभाः: beloved of Agni (fire)
• वह्नि-वल्लभाः: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वह्नेः वल्लभाः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a technical/ritual-vidya enumeration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Agni

FAQs

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

The verse emphasizes mantra-ritual protection: specific implements (goad, pestle, noose) are paired with distinct mudrās, indicating that spiritual power is applied through disciplined, rule-based ritual action (prayoga) and protective invocations (varmāstra).

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

Indirectly, it supports Bhakti by presenting ritual safeguards and disciplined practice as aids that protect and stabilize the practitioner, allowing devotion and remembrance to proceed without obstruction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights prayoga-style ritual technique—linking mudrā (gesture/nyāsa-like application) with specific astras/varma protections—reflecting applied Vedic ritual knowledge rather than grammar or astrology.