Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 60

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

गायत्र्येषार्जुन स्योक्ता प्रयोगादौ जपेत्तु ताम् । अनुष्टुभं मनुं रात्रौ जपतां चौरसंचयाः ॥ ६० ॥

Transliteration

gāyatryeṣārjuna syoktā prayogādau japettu tām | anuṣṭubhaṃ manuṃ rātrau japatāṃ caurasaṃcayāḥ || 60 ||

Translation

O Arjuna, diese Gāyatrī ist verkündet worden; zu Beginn eines Ritus soll man sie japā-mäßig rezitieren. Wer jedoch nachts das Anuṣṭubh-Mantra rezitiert, bei dem häufen sich Sünden an, gleichsam aus Diebstahl geboren.

Word by Word

• गायत्री: the Gāyatrī (meter/mantra)
• गायत्री: कर्ता/विषय (Topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एषा: this
• एषा: विशेषण/निर्देशक (Demonstrative/निर्देशक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अर्जुन: O Arjuna
• अर्जुन: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• सा: she/that (Gāyatrī)
• सा: कर्ता/विषय (Topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उक्ता: is declared/said
• उक्ता: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• प्रयोगादौ: at the beginning of the rite/application
• प्रयोगादौ: अधिकरण (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयोग + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्रयोगस्य आदौ)

• जपेत्: should recite (mentally)
• जपेत्: क्रिया (Injunctive/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तु: indeed/however
• तु: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोध (particle: indeed/however)

• ताम्: her/that (Gāyatrī)
• ताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अनुष्टुभम्: the Anuṣṭubh (meter/mantra)
• अनुष्टुभम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुष्टुभ् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; छन्दोनाम

• मनुम्: the mantra (manu)
• मनुम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: अधिकरण (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जपताम्: of those who recite
• जपताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (Present Active Participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those who recite’

• चौरसंचयाः: accumulations/bands of thieves
• चौरसंचयाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौर + संचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (चौराणां संचयाः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada; addressed here as 'Arjuna' in the received verse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri
• Anustubh

FAQs

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

It stresses mantra-discipline (niyama): Gāyatrī is prescribed as an auspicious opening recitation for rites, while improper night-recitation of a specified Anuṣṭubh mantra is said to generate a theft-like sin, highlighting the ethical power attributed to correct/incorrect ritual timing.

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

Though technical, it supports bhakti through disciplined practice: devotion is not only emotion but also faithful adherence to scriptural procedure—reciting the right mantra in the right context as an act of reverence toward Vedic order.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects prayoga (ritual application) rules and chandas-awareness (metre: Gāyatrī and Anuṣṭubh), indicating that timing and correct deployment of mantras are part of technical Vedic discipline.