Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

अष्टषष्ट्यक्षरः प्रोक्तो यंत्रसंवेष्टने त्वयम् । तारो हृद्भगवान् ङेंतो ङेंतो हि रघुनन्दनः ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭaṣaṣṭyakṣaraḥ prokto yaṃtrasaṃveṣṭane tvayam | tāro hṛdbhagavān ṅeṃto ṅeṃto hi raghunandanaḥ || 50 ||

Translation

Zum Umhüllen und Umschließen der Yantra ist eine Formel von achtundsechzig Silben gelehrt worden. Das Praṇava „oṃ“ ist der Bhagavān im Herzen; und „ṅeṃto, ṅeṃto“ — wahrlich — bezieht sich auf Raghunandana (Śrī Rāma).

Word by Word

• अष्ट-षष्टि-अक्षरः: (the mantra) of sixty-eight syllables
• अष्ट-षष्टि-अक्षरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); द्विगु: अष्टषष्टिः संख्या यस्य (having 68 syllables)

• प्रोक्तः: is declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, √वच् धातु with प्र- उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle: 'said/declared'

• यन्त्र-संवेष्टने: in the yantra-wrapping (procedure)
• यन्त्र-संवेष्टने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संवेष्टन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: यन्त्रस्य संवेष्टनम् (wrapping/enclosure of the yantra)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात): contrast/emphasis

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun (सर्वनाम)

• तारः: the praṇava “oṃ”
• तारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); in mantra-context: 'tāra' = praṇava/ॐ

• हृत्-भगवान्: the Lord as/within the heart
• हृत्-भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत्/हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + भगवान् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय: हृदि स्थितः भगवान् / हृद्-रूपः भगवान् (the Lord in/ as the heart)

• ङेंतो: “ṅeṃto” (seed-syllable)
• ङेंतो: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ङेंतो (बीज/मन्त्र-शब्द, अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Mantric seed-syllable (बीजाक्षर), treated as indeclinable utterance

• ङेंतो: “ṅeṃto” (repeated)
• ङेंतो: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ङेंतो (बीज/मन्त्र-शब्द, अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Mantric seed-syllable repeated (द्विरुक्ति)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात): emphasis/causal nuance

• रघु-नन्दनः: Raghunandana (Rāma)
• रघु-नन्दनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: रघोः नन्दनः (descendant/son of Raghu; epithet of Rāma)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Raghunandana (Rama)
• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

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

It links ritual technique (yantra-saṃveṣṭana) to inner theology: the praṇava ‘oṃ’ is identified as the indwelling Lord, and the encoded utterance is oriented to Raghunandana (Rāma), making the procedure devotional rather than merely mechanical.

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

By declaring ‘oṃ’ as the Bhagavān in the heart and associating the operative mantra-sound with Rāma, the verse frames mantra/yantra practice as remembrance and worship of the personal Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects technical mantra-śāstra usage—counting syllables (akṣara), prescribing ritual application (yantra-saṃveṣṭana), and employing coded seed-like utterances—topics allied to śikṣā (phonetics) and ritual procedure within the Vedāṅga-oriented material of Book 1.3.