Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 184

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

Devanagari script

ध्वजमादाय मन्त्रज्ञः संस्पर्शान्मोक्षणावधि । मातृकां जापयेत्पश्चाद्दशांशेन च होमयेत् ॥ १८४ ॥

Transliteration

dhvajamādāya mantrajñaḥ saṃsparśānmokṣaṇāvadhi | mātṛkāṃ jāpayetpaścāddaśāṃśena ca homayet || 184 ||

Translation

Der Mantra-Kundige soll das Ritualbanner ergreifen und den Ritus vom weihenden Berühren bis zu seiner Freigabe fortführen. Danach soll er die Mātṛkā-Mantra (die Göttin der Silben) als Japa rezitieren und ein Homa-Opfer ins Feuer darbringen, im Umfang eines Zehntels der Japa-Zahl.

Word by Word

• ध्वजम्: the banner/flag
• ध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + दा (धातु) → आदाय (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/त्वान्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालक्रिया

• मन्त्रज्ञः: the knower of mantras
• मन्त्रज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘मन्त्राणां ज्ञः’

• संस्पर्शात्: from the touch
• संस्पर्शात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• मोक्षण-अवधि: up to (the point of) release
• मोक्षण-अवधि: Desha-kala-parimana (देशकालपरिमाण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मोक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + अवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्ययार्थे—‘मोक्षणावधि’ = ‘मोक्षणपर्यन्तम्’ (up to release)

• मातृकाम्: the Mātrikā (letters/ मातृका-mantra)
• मातृकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• जापयेत्: should cause (someone) to recite / should have (it) recited
• जापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: णिच् (causative) + विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• दशांशेन: with a tenth part (as offering share)
• दशांशेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

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

• होमयेत्: should offer oblations / should perform homa
• होमयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: णिच् (causative) + विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a technical-ritual exposition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Mātṛkā
• Dhvajā (ritual banner)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined ritual continuity (from consecration-touch to release) and the completion of mantra practice by sealing it with homa, showing that mantra-sādhana is perfected through both recitation and sacrificial offering.

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

While primarily a technical vidhi, it supports bhakti by prescribing reverent, rule-based worship—japa focused on sacred syllables (Mātṛkā) and an offering (homa) that expresses surrender and completion of the vow-like rite.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and mantra-application: the verse gives a concrete prayoga rule—perform japa, then do homa in the proportion of one-tenth (daśāṃśa), a standard technical guideline used in many mantra rites.