Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

अष्टलक्षं जपेन्मंत्री निर्वाणमधिगच्छति । एवं जप्त्वा ततः प्राज्ञो दशांशं सरसीरुहैः ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭalakṣaṃ japenmaṃtrī nirvāṇamadhigacchati | evaṃ japtvā tataḥ prājño daśāṃśaṃ sarasīruhaiḥ || 38 ||

Translation

Wer das Mantra achthunderttausendmal wiederholt, erlangt Nirvāṇa (Befreiung). Nachdem er so die Japa vollendet hat, soll der Weise anschließend ein Zehntel als abschließenden Ritus mit Lotosblüten darbringen.

Word by Word

• aṣṭa-lakṣam: eight lakhs (800,000)
• aṣṭa-lakṣam: Karma (कर्म/Object-extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); द्विगु-समासः

• japet: should chant
• japet: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jap (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• maṃtrī: the mantra-reciter
• maṃtrī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃtrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• nirvāṇam: liberation (nirvāṇa)
• nirvāṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirvāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• adhigacchati: attains
• adhigacchati: Kriyā (क्रिया/verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi + gam (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• japtvā: having chanted
• japtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jap (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having chanted’

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), ‘then/thereafter’

• prājñaḥ: the wise person
• prājñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• daśa-aṃśam: a tenth portion (tithe)
• daśa-aṃśam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुषः: daśamaḥ aṃśaḥ (a tenth part)

• sarasīruhaiḥ: with lotuses
• sarasīruhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarasīruha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः: sarasi īruha (lotus growing in a lake)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It links disciplined mantra-japa (a fixed, large count) with nirvāṇa/mokṣa and emphasizes that spiritual practice is completed through a proper concluding offering (daśāṃśa), not merely by counting repetitions.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as steady, devoted repetition of the mantra and reverent completion through flower-offering—showing devotion as sustained practice plus ritual sincerity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects technical ritual procedure akin to prayoga/purascarana rules: a prescribed japa-saṅkhyā (count) followed by daśāṃśa as a completion rite using specific dravya (lotus-flowers).