Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 79

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

Devanagari script

वसुलक्षं जपेन्मंत्रं तिलैः समधुरैर्हुनेत । पयोंऽधसा वा सहस्रं नवपद्मात्मके यजेत् ॥ ७९ ॥

Transliteration

vasulakṣaṃ japenmaṃtraṃ tilaiḥ samadhurairhuneta | payoṃ'dhasā vā sahasraṃ navapadmātmake yajet || 79 ||

Translation

Man soll das Mantra achthunderttausendmal im Japa wiederholen und im Homa Oblationen aus Sesam darbringen, der mit Süße vermengt ist. Oder man vollziehe tausend Darbringungen mit Milch und Dickmilch, indem man im Ritus einer Anordnung von neun Lotos verehrt.

Word by Word

• वसु-लक्षम्: one hundred thousand (times)
• वसु-लक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (संख्यापूर्वकः)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• तिलैः: with sesame (seeds)
• तिलैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• स-मधुरैः: with sweet (ones)
• स-मधुरैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वक विशेषण (स- = 'with')

• हुनेत: should offer (into fire)
• हुनेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पयः: with milk
• पयः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (पयसा इत्यर्थे वैदिक/छान्दस-रूपम्)

• अधसा: with curds (sour milk)
• अधसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (अधसा = दध्ना/दधिना इत्यर्थे छान्दस-प्रयोगः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (particle of alternative)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand (times)
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (संख्यावाचक)

• नव-पद्म-आत्मके: in the nine-lotus-formed (mandala/arrangement)
• नव-पद्म-आत्मके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + पद्म + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समासः (नवपद्मस्य आत्मा/स्वरूपं यस्य तत्)

• यजेत्: should worship/sacrifice
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration within the Vedanga/ritual section, traditionally framed in dialogue with Sanatkumara lineages)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It prescribes disciplined mantra-sadhana (japa) and purificatory fire-offering (homa) as a complete ritual method, emphasizing both inner repetition and outward sacrificial action performed in a precise sacred layout.

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

Though technical, it supports bhakti by directing the practitioner to sustained mantra repetition and reverent offerings—acts that cultivate steadiness, purity, and single-pointed worship in a structured ritual setting.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual praxis: counted japa (saṅkhyā-niyama), homa-dravya selection (sesame with sweetness; milk/curds), and a prescribed worship-configuration (nava-padma layout), reflecting applied Kalpa-style procedure.