Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Kṛṣṇādi-mantra-varga-varṇana

Classification of Krishna and Related Mantras

Devanagari script

लक्षं जपो दशांशेन जुहुयात्तिलतण्डुलैः । त्रिमध्वक्तैस्ततोऽभ्यर्चेदंगं दिक्पालहेतिभिः ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

lakṣaṃ japo daśāṃśena juhuyāttilataṇḍulaiḥ | trimadhvaktaistato'bhyarcedaṃgaṃ dikpālahetibhiḥ || 56 ||

Translation

Man vollziehe hunderttausend (ein lakh) Mantra-Wiederholungen; dann bringe man als ein Zehntel davon Feueropfer mit Sesam und Reiskörnern dar. Danach, mit den drei Honigen gesalbt, verehre man die Hilfsglieder (aṅga) des Mantras, zusammen mit den Hütern der Himmelsrichtungen (Dikpāla) und ihren Waffen.

Word by Word

• लक्षम्: a lakh (100,000)
• लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; संख्या-नाम

• जपः: japa (repetition)
• जपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दशांशेन: with one-tenth (as portion)
• दशांशेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशांश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• जुहुयात्: should offer (as oblation)
• जुहुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; होम-विधान (should offer in fire)

• तिल-तण्डुलैः: with sesame and rice grains
• तिल-तण्डुलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + तण्डुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः — ‘with sesame and rice-grains’

• त्रि-मधु-अक्तैः: smeared with honey (threefold)
• त्रि-मधु-अक्तैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः — ‘smeared with (honey) thrice/threefold’ (instrumental plural; qualifies तिलतण्डुलैः)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘then/thereafter’

• अभ्यर्चेत्: should worship
• अभ्यर्चेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should worship’

• अङ्गम्: the limb/part (aṅga)
• अङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दिक्पाल-हेतिभिः: with the weapons of the Dikpālas
• दिक्पाल-हेतिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक्पाल (प्रातिपदिक) + हेति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (हेतिः), तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः — ‘with the weapons of the guardians of directions’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Dikpalas (Guardians of the Directions)

FAQs

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

It prescribes a complete mantra-sādhana cycle—japa followed by proportionate homa and protective worship—so that the practice becomes both inward (japa) and outwardly consecrated (homa and dikpāla-aṅga worship).

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

By emphasizing disciplined repetition and reverential worship, it frames devotion as steady practice supported by ritual purity and honoring cosmic guardians, aligning personal bhakti with sacred order (ṛta).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual science (kalpa) is highlighted through the rule of daśāṃśa (one-tenth) homa after japa, along with specific dravyas (sesame, rice) and the procedural worship of aṅgas and dikpālas.