Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

एवं ध्यात्वा जपेल्लक्षं दशांशं पायसैर्हुनेत् । अष्टादशार्णवत्कुर्याद्यजनं चास्य मन्त्रवित् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

evaṃ dhyātvā japellakṣaṃ daśāṃśaṃ pāyasairhunet | aṣṭādaśārṇavatkuryādyajanaṃ cāsya mantravit || 36 ||

Translation

Nachdem man so meditiert hat, soll man das Mantra ein Lakh (100.000) Mal wiederholen; dann soll man ein Zehntel dieser Zahl als Opfergaben ins Feuer darbringen, mit Milchreis (pāyasa). Ein Kundiger der Mantras soll auch seine Verehrung nach der Vorschrift für ein achtzehnsilbiges (aṣṭādaśārṇa) Mantra vollziehen.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having meditated’

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लक्षम्: a lakh (100,000 times)
• लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (100,000)

• दश-अंशम्: a tenth part
• दश-अंशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘one-tenth’)

• पायसैः: with rice-pudding (offerings)
• पायसैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• हुनेत्: should offer into fire
• हुनेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अष्टादश-अर्णवत्: as (a mantra) of eighteen syllables
• अष्टादश-अर्णवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्णवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग (वत्-प्रत्ययान्त), क्रियाविशेषणवत्; ‘like (one) of eighteen syllables’

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यजनम्: worship/sacrifice
• यजनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अस्य: of this (mantra)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मन्त्र-वित्: the mantra-knower
• मन्त्र-वित्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘knower of mantra’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It sets a complete sādhana sequence—dhyāna (meditation), lakṣa-japa (100,000 recitations), and daśāṁśa-homa (one-tenth oblations)—showing that inner recollection is to be sealed by disciplined ritual completion for steadiness and mantra-siddhi.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as sustained, reverent practice: meditating on the deity, repeating the mantra with devotion, and offering oblations as a consecration of one’s effort—turning repetition into worship (yajana) rather than mere technique.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual science and procedural precision—counting rules (lakṣa and daśāṁśa), homa performance with a specified offering (pāyasa), and following a standard mantra-vidhi model (aṣṭādaśārṇa-style worship), reflecting applied Kalpa (ritual methodology).