Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 137

Hanumān-mantra-kathana: Mantra-bheda, Nyāsa, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

जिताहारो जितश्वासो जितवाक्च जितेंद्रियः । दिग्बन्ध नादिकं कृत्वा न्यासध्यानादिपूर्वकम् ॥ १३७ ॥

Transliteration

jitāhāro jitaśvāso jitavākca jiteṃdriyaḥ | digbandha nādikaṃ kṛtvā nyāsadhyānādipūrvakam || 137 ||

Translation

Nachdem man Nahrung, Atem, Rede und Sinne bezwungen hat, soll man zuerst die Richtungsversiegelung (digbandha) und das nāḍikā-Ritual vollziehen und dann mit Vorbereitungen wie nyāsa und Meditation fortfahren.

Word by Word

• जित-आहारः: one who has conquered diet
• जित-आहारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (प्रातिपदिक; √जि क्त) + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य आहारः जितः सः)

• जित-श्वासः: one who has controlled breath
• जित-श्वासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (प्रातिपदिक) + श्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य श्वासः जितः सः)

• जित-वाक्: one who has restrained speech
• जित-वाक्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (प्रातिपदिक) + वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य वाक् जिताः/निगृहीता सः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• जित-इन्द्रियः: one who has conquered the senses
• जित-इन्द्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य इन्द्रियाणि जितानि सः)

• दिक्-बन्धम्: directional sealing (digbandha)
• दिक्-बन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दिशां बन्धः = sealing the directions)

• नादिकम्: nāḍikā rite etc.
• नादिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नादिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; ‘आदि’-अर्थे समुच्चय (etc.)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) = कृत्वा (having done)

• न्यास-ध्यान-आदि-पूर्वकम्: preceded by nyāsa and meditation, etc.
• न्यास-ध्यान-आदि-पूर्वकम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverb) = न्यासध्यानादि पूर्वं कृत्वा/पूर्वकं (preceded by nyāsa, meditation, etc.)

Speaker

Sage Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical sadhana/ritual procedure)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-practice must rest on self-mastery—regulated diet, breath, speech, and senses—before undertaking protective rites and the internalizing acts of nyāsa and dhyāna.

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

Though technical, it supports Bhakti by insisting on purity and steadiness: controlled speech and senses protect mantra-japa and meditation from distraction, making devotion focused and reverent.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical procedure (prayoga): digbandha (directional sealing) and nyāsa (mantra-installation), along with yogic discipline of breath-control used to stabilize recitation and meditation.