Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 184

Devanagari script

तमःप्रकाशक पुरमथनान्ते तु सर्व च । मन्त्रे राजेश्वरपदाद्विहायसगतिप्रद ॥ १८४ ॥

Transliteration

tamaḥprakāśaka puramathanānte tu sarva ca | mantre rājeśvarapadādvihāyasagatiprada || 184 ||

Translation

Dies ist das, was die Finsternis erhellt und vertreibt; und am Abschluss des Ritus des «Stadtzerstörers» soll es in jeder Hinsicht angewandt werden. Im Mantra verleiht der Abschnitt, der mit dem Wort «rājeśvara» beginnt, den himmlischen Gang (eine erhabene Erlangung).

Word by Word

• तमः-प्रकाशक: (the term) ‘darkness-dispeller’
• तमः-प्रकाशक: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमः (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकाशक (कृदन्त; √काश् ‘to shine’ with प्र-; ण्वुल्/क-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (मन्त्रपद-रूपेण); तत्पुरुष: ‘तमसः प्रकाशकः’ = dispeller/illuminator of darkness

• पुर-मथन-अन्ते: at the end of ‘destroyer of the cities’
• पुर-मथन-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक) + मथन (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √मथ् ‘to churn/destroy’) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘पुरमथनस्य अन्ते’ = at the end of (the word) ‘puramathana’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• सर्व: all/entire
• सर्व: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सामान्य-रूप); विशेषण-प्रयोग

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• मन्त्रे: in the mantra
• मन्त्रे: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• राज-ईश्वर-पदात्: from (the term) ‘Lord of kings’
• राज-ईश्वर-पदात्: अपादान (Apadana/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘राजेश्वरस्य पदात्’ = from the word/term ‘rājeśvara’

• विहायस-गति-प्रद: (the term) ‘giver of passage in the sky’
• विहायस-गति-प्रद: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहायस (प्रातिपदिक) + गति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (कृदन्त; √दा ‘to give’ with प्र-; ‘giver’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (मन्त्रपद-रूपेण); तत्पुरुष: ‘विहायसः गतिं प्रददाति’ = giver of movement/way in the sky

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a Vedanga/Mantra-vidya passage, traditionally framed in Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Rajeśvara

FAQs

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

It presents mantra as a ‘dispeller of darkness’ (tamaḥprakāśaka), emphasizing that correct placement and recitation—especially at a rite’s conclusion—yields a defined spiritual result, here described as an elevated heavenly attainment (vihāyasa-gati).

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

By highlighting a divine epithet (rājeśvara) within mantra, the verse implies that devotion expressed through sacred names and prescribed ritual sequencing becomes a vehicle for spiritual ascent and divine grace.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-prayoga (applied mantra science): the verse points to the importance of mantra-pada selection and ritual placement (especially ‘at the end’ of a rite) to obtain the stated phala, reflecting technical discipline akin to Vedanga-linked ritual procedure.