Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 124

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

अष्टलक्षं जपेन्मंत्रं तत्सहस्रं हुनेत्तिलैः । सर्वपापुविनिर्मुक्तो दीर्घमायुः स विंदति ॥ १२४ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭalakṣaṃ japenmaṃtraṃ tatsahasraṃ hunettilaiḥ | sarvapāpuvinirmukto dīrghamāyuḥ sa viṃdati || 124 ||

Translation

Man soll das Mantra achthunderttausendmal wiederholen und danach tausend Opfergaben im Homa-Feuer mit Sesamsamen darbringen. Von allen Sünden befreit, erlangt er ein langes Leben.

Word by Word

• aṣṭa-lakṣam: eight lakhs (800,000)
• aṣṭa-lakṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa + lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यासमास (द्विगु)

• japet: should recite
• japet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jap (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mantram: the mantra
• mantram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tat-sahasram: that (same) thousand
• tat-sahasram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (तत्-सहस्रम् = that thousand)

• hunet: should offer (into fire)
• hunet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tilaiḥ: with sesame seeds
• tilaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktaḥ: freed from all sins
• sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + pāpa + vinirmukta (कृदन्त; मुच्/मुक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘vinirmukta’; तत्पुरुषसमास

• dīrgha-āyuḥ: long life
• dīrgha-āyuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक) + āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (दीर्घम् आयुः)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vindati: obtains
• vindati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a Vedanga/ritual-technical discourse)

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 presents a precise prayāścitta-style remedy: large-scale mantra-japa followed by sesame-seed homa, promising pāpa-kṣaya (removal of sin) and dīrghāyu (longevity) as ritual fruits.

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

While framed as ritual discipline, sustained mantra-japa cultivates single-pointed remembrance of the deity of the mantra; the homa seals that devotion through sacrificial offering, linking inner bhakti with outer karma-kāṇḍa practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights kalpa/ritual science: fixed numerical counts for japa and homa, and the use of tilāḥ (sesame) as a standard dravya for oblations in expiatory and merit-producing rites.