Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 163

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

Devanagari script

वस्त्रं चैवाष्टगुणितं ततः साधकसत्तमः । शकलं वंशजं तस्योपरि मुंचेत्कपिं स्मरेत् ॥ १६३ ॥

Transliteration

vastraṃ caivāṣṭaguṇitaṃ tataḥ sādhakasattamaḥ | śakalaṃ vaṃśajaṃ tasyopari muṃcetkapiṃ smaret || 163 ||

Translation

Dann soll der beste der Übenden ein Tuch achtfach gefaltet nehmen; darauf lege er ein Stück Bambus und meditiere über Kapi, den heiligen Affen (Āñjaneya/Hanumān).

Word by Word

• वस्त्रम्: cloth/garment
• वस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अष्टगुणितम्: multiplied eightfold
• अष्टगुणितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + गुणित (कृदन्त; √गुण्/गुणय् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; past passive participle used adjectivally; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमसूचक (then/from that)

• साधकसत्तमः: the best practitioner
• साधकसत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शकलम्: a piece/fragment
• शकलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वंशजम्: made of bamboo (born of bamboo)
• वंशजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वंशज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective agreeing with शकलम्; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of it/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive, Singular

• उपरि: upon/on top of
• उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb/postposition)

• मुंचेत्: should place/let fall
• मुंचेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; should release/let fall

• कपिम्: Hanuman/monkey
• कपिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स्मरेत्: should remember/visualize
• स्मरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; should remember/meditate

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a vidhi/technical teaching section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kapi (Hanuman)

FAQs

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

It gives a precise ritual cue (vidhi): preparing a sanctified base (eightfold cloth), placing a bamboo piece, and stabilizing the mind through remembrance of Kapi—showing that inner meditation is supported by disciplined external procedure.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as smaraṇa (remembrance): after arranging the ritual supports, the practitioner is instructed to hold Kapi (Hanuman) in mind, emphasizing devotion as focused contemplation rather than mere external action.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical know-how—selection and placement of materials (dravya-viniyoga) and prescribed procedure (vidhi-krama), a practical aspect aligned with Kalpa-style instruction used in Purāṇic ritual teaching.