Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 181

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

विद्यावृतस्त्रयस्त्रिंशद्देवताकोटिशब्दतः । नमितान्ते पदपदात्पङ्कजान्वित ईरयेत् ॥ १८१ ॥

Transliteration

vidyāvṛtastrayastriṃśaddevatākoṭiśabdataḥ | namitānte padapadātpaṅkajānvita īrayet || 181 ||

Translation

Von heiliger Erkenntnis umhüllt, soll man es in Worten sprechen, die die dreiunddreißig Koṭis der Gottheiten anrufen; und am Ende — nach der Verneigung — Wort für Wort rezitieren, geschmückt mit der Bildsprache des Lotus.

Word by Word

• विद्या-आवृतः: covered/encircled by knowledge
• विद्या-आवृतः: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त; √वृ ‘to cover’ with आ-; भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘आवृत’; तत्पुरुष (तृतीया/षष्ठी-भाव): ‘विद्यया आवृतः’ = covered by knowledge

• त्रयः-त्रिंशत्-देवता-कोटि-शब्दतः: from/according to the expression ‘thirty-three crore deities’
• त्रयः-त्रिंशत्-देवता-कोटि-शब्दतः: अपादान (Apadana/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रयः (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त ‘-तः’ = ‘from/according to’; समास-समूह: ‘त्रयस्त्रिंशद्देवताकोटिशब्द’ (determinative) + तः

• नमित-अन्ते: at the end of (the word) ‘namita’
• नमित-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमित (कृदन्त; √नम् ‘to bow’ भूतकृदन्त) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘नमितस्य अन्ते’ = at the end of (the word) ‘namita’

• पद-पदात्: from (the word) ‘pada’
• पद-पदात्: अपादान (Apadana/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; पुनरुक्त-तत्पुरुष: ‘पदस्य पदात्’ = from the word ‘pada’ (as a base/step)

• पङ्कज-अन्वितः: accompanied by (the word) ‘paṅkaja’/lotus
• पङ्कज-अन्वितः: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त; √इ ‘to go’ with अनु; ‘endowed/connected’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त ‘अन्वित’; तत्पुरुष: ‘पङ्कजेन अन्वितः’ = accompanied by lotus

• ईरयेत्: should utter/recite
• ईरयेत्: क्रिया (Kriya/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ईर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within Vedanga/recitation procedure context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that mantra-recitation should be grounded in vidyā (sacred knowledge), concluded with humility (bowing), and performed carefully word-by-word—treating sound as a sacred vehicle of divine presence.

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

Bhakti is expressed through reverent conduct: invoking the divine through sound, and ending with namana (bowing). The lotus imagery reinforces purity and auspiciousness in devotional recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Śikṣā and related recitation disciplines: precise padapāṭha-style (word-by-word) utterance, careful use of sound (śabda), and ritual etiquette such as concluding with a respectful bow.