Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 178

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

उद्यदादित्यसंकाशमणिसिंहासनांबुजे । समासीनोऽच्युतो ध्येयो द्रुतहाटकसन्निभः ॥ १७८ ॥

Transliteration

udyadādityasaṃkāśamaṇisiṃhāsanāṃbuje | samāsīno'cyuto dhyeyo drutahāṭakasannibhaḥ || 178 ||

Translation

Man soll über den unvergänglichen Herrn Acyuta meditieren, der auf dem Lotus eines mit Edelsteinen besetzten Löwenthrons sitzt—strahlend wie die aufgehende Sonne und glänzend wie geschmolzenes Gold.

Word by Word

• udyat-āditya-saṃkāśa-maṇi-siṃhāsana-ambuje: on the jewel-throne lotus, radiant like the rising sun
• udyat-āditya-saṃkāśa-maṇi-siṃhāsana-ambuje: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udyat (कृदन्त, √ud-i) + āditya + saṃkāśa + maṇi + siṃhāsana + ambuja (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः; udyat = वर्तमानकृदन्त ‘rising’ used adjectivally; ambuje = ‘on/in the lotus’ (seat)

• samāsīnaḥ: seated
• samāsīnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-āsīna (कृदन्त, √ās with उपसर्ग sam)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; भूतकृदन्त/कृतप्रत्यय (past participial adjective): ‘seated’

• acyutaḥ: Acyuta (the infallible Lord)
• acyutaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; proper epithet of Viṣṇu

• dhyeyaḥ: worthy to be meditated upon
• dhyeyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyeya (कृदन्त, √dhyai)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; विधिलिङ्गार्थ-योग्यतायाम्: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्) ‘to be meditated upon’

• druta-hāṭaka-sannibhaḥ: resembling molten gold
• druta-hāṭaka-sannibhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: druta + hāṭaka + sannibha (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within a dhyāna/upanāsa context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Acyuta (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

It gives a precise dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditation iconography) for Vishnu: the mind is steadied by contemplating Acyuta’s radiant, golden form enthroned on a lotus-seat, turning devotion into focused upāsanā.

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

Bhakti here is practiced as loving contemplation: by repeatedly visualizing the Lord’s auspicious form (tejas like the rising sun, beauty like molten gold), the devotee’s attention becomes one-pointed and naturally gravitates toward remembrance (smṛti) and surrender.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects upāsanā methodology—using prescribed imagery and attributes (dhyāna-vidhi) to train concentration; this aligns with technical disciplines supporting ritual and recitation (e.g., correct mental visualization accompanying mantra-japa and worship).