Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 183

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

Devanagari script

सहस्रभुज सम्प्रोच्य सहस्रजिह्व संवदेत् । सहस्रान्ते ललाटेति सहस्रायुधतोधरात् ॥ १८३ ॥

Transliteration

sahasrabhuja samprocya sahasrajihva saṃvadet | sahasrānte lalāṭeti sahasrāyudhatodharāt || 183 ||

Translation

Nachdem man zuerst «der Tausendarmige» gesprochen hat, soll man dann «der Tausendzüngige» sagen. Am Ende spreche man «dessen Stirn tausendfach ist» und schaue Ihn als Träger von tausend Waffen.

Word by Word

• सहस्र-भुज: (the term) ‘thousand-armed’
• सहस्र-भुज: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (मन्त्रपद-रूपेण); तत्पुरुष: ‘सहस्रं भुजं यस्य’

• सम्-प्रोच्य: having uttered
• सम्-प्रोच्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + प्र + √वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/क्त्वा): ‘सम्प्रोच्य’ = having uttered/after saying

• सहस्र-जिह्व: (the term) ‘thousand-tongued’
• सहस्र-जिह्व: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (मन्त्रपद-रूपेण); तत्पुरुष: ‘सहस्रं जिह्वां यस्य’

• संवदेत्: should say/recite
• संवदेत्: क्रिया (Kriya/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सहस्र-अन्ते: at the end of ‘sahasra’
• सहस्र-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘सहस्रस्य अन्ते’ = at the end of (the word) ‘sahasra’

• ललाट-इति: “lalāṭa” thus
• ललाट-इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक) + इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-प्रयोग (quotative particle); ‘ललाट’ शब्दस्य उद्धरणम्

• सहस्र-आयुध-तः: from/after (the word) ‘thousand-weaponed’
• सहस्र-आयुध-तः: अपादान (Apadana/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त ‘-तः’; तत्पुरुष-समासपूर्वक: ‘सहस्रायुध’ + तः = from/after ‘thousand-weaponed’

• उधरात्: from ‘udhara’/from the belly (term)
• उधरात्: अपादान (Apadana/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (in instruction-mode within a Vedanga/technical recitation context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It prescribes an ordered contemplation of Vishnu through escalating epithets—many arms, many tongues, a vast forehead, and many weapons—training the mind to perceive the Lord’s all-pervading power and protective sovereignty.

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

Bhakti here is practiced as focused remembrance (smaraṇa) through structured recitation: repeating divine attributes in sequence steadies attention, deepens reverence, and turns worship into continuous contemplation of Vishnu’s greatness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a technical discipline of recitation—ordered utterance of specific terms and epithets—aligned with Vedanga concerns like correct verbal formulation and ritualized speech (especially the precision expected in mantra/stotra usage).