Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 108

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

एवं ध्यात्वा जपेदष्टलक्षहोमो दशांशतः । पूजाप्रणवपीठेऽस्य सांगावरणकैर्मता ॥ १०८ ॥

Transliteration

evaṃ dhyātvā japedaṣṭalakṣahomo daśāṃśataḥ | pūjāpraṇavapīṭhe'sya sāṃgāvaraṇakairmatā || 108 ||

Translation

Nachdem man so meditiert hat, soll man Japa bis zu achthunderttausend Wiederholungen vollziehen; und das Homa sei ein Zehntel davon. Für diese Gottheit/dieses Mantra ist die Verehrung auf dem Praṇava-Sitz (oṃ-pīṭha) vorgeschrieben, zusammen mit den Gliedern (aṅga) und den umschließenden Begleitgottheiten (āvaraṇa).

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Vidhi-kriyā (विधि-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद

• अष्टलक्षहोमः: the homa of eight lakhs (oblations)
• अष्टलक्षहोमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative 1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/संख्यापूर्वपदसमासः—‘अष्टलक्षाणां होमः’

• दशांशतः: as a tenth part
• दशांशतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), ‘-तः’ = ‘as/according to’

• पूजा-प्रणव-पीठे: on the seat/pedestal for worship and praṇava
• पूजा-प्रणव-पीठे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (locative 7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः—‘पूजायाः प्रणवस्य (वा) पीठम्’

• अस्य: of this (mantra/rite)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुं/नपुंसक (m/n), षष्ठी (genitive 6), एकवचन

• स-अङ्ग-आवरणकैः: with the (six) limbs and the coverings (auxiliaries)
• स-अङ्ग-आवरणकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आवरणक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (instrumental 3), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘अङ्गैः सह’ तथा ‘आवरणकैः सह’ (with limbs and coverings/auxiliaries)

• मता: is considered
• मता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (nominative 1), एकवचन; ‘मतम्/मता’ = ‘considered/held’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Praṇava (Oṃ)

FAQs

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

It sets a disciplined sādhana standard: meditation first, then extensive japa, with homa as a calibrated “one-tenth” confirmation, culminating in structured worship rooted in Praṇava (Oṃ) and supported by aṅga and āvaraṇa devatās.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as steady, reverent practice—dhyāna, japa, and pūjā—where devotion is stabilized by ritual order (pīṭha, aṅgas, and āvaraṇas) rather than mere emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights procedural ritual science: proportional homa (daśāṃśa) relative to japa, and the technical framework of pūjā using pīṭha, aṅga (ancillaries), and āvaraṇa (protective/enclosing deity-circles), aligning with śrauta/smārta prayoga conventions.