Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

Bhuvaneśī (Nidrā-Śakti) Mantra-vidhi, Nyāsa–Āvaraṇa Worship, Padma-homa Prayogas, and the Opening of Śrī-Mahālakṣmī Upāsanā

Devanagari script

रदलक्षं जपेन्मंत्रं त्रिमध्वक्तैर्हुनेत्ततः । अष्टद्रव्यैर्दशांशेन ब्रह्मवृक्षसमिद्वरैः ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

radalakṣaṃ japenmaṃtraṃ trimadhvaktairhunettataḥ | aṣṭadravyairdaśāṃśena brahmavṛkṣasamidvaraiḥ || 18 ||

Translation

Man soll das Mantra hunderttausendmal als Japa wiederholen. Danach vollziehe man das Homa, das Feueropfer, mit einer Mischung aus den drei Süßigkeiten und Ghee; unter Verwendung der acht rituellen Substanzen seien die Gaben ein Zehntel der Japa-Zahl, mit vorzüglichen Brennhölzern vom Brahma-Baum.

Word by Word

• रद-लक्षम्: a lakh (count) of ‘rada’ (recitations/units)
• रद-लक्षम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रद (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (रदानां लक्षम् = ‘one lakh of radas’/count)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• त्रि-मधु-अक्तैः: with (offerings) smeared with three sweet substances
• त्रि-मधु-अक्तैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्त (कृदन्त; √अञ्ज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (त्रिभिः मधुभिः अक्तैः = ‘smeared with three kinds of honey/sweet’)

• हुनेत्: should offer oblations
• हुनेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: काल/क्रम (Temporal/Sequential)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरबोधक (adverb: thereafter)

• अष्ट-द्रव्यैः: with eight substances
• अष्ट-द्रव्यैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—द्विगु (अष्ट द्रव्याणि)

• दश-अंशेन: by a tenth part (as dakṣiṇā/measure)
• दश-अंशेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दशमः अंशः = one-tenth portion)

• ब्रह्म-वृक्ष-समित्-वरैः: with excellent samidh-sticks of the brahma-tree
• ब्रह्म-वृक्ष-समित्-वरैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मवृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + समित् (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मवृक्षस्य समितः वराः = ‘excellent fuel-sticks of the brahma-tree’)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

FAQs

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

It teaches the classical completion-method for mantra-sādhana: sustained japa followed by homa, where the fire-offering seals, purifies, and stabilizes the fruit of the mantra practice.

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

Even when a practice is technical (japa and homa), it is framed as disciplined worship—offering sweet substances and ghee into fire as an act of reverence that supports focused remembrance of the deity through mantra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual science (Kalpa): the japa count (one lakh), the daśāṃśa principle (homa = one-tenth of japa), and prescribed dravya/samid selections for correct performance.