Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 96

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

प्रतिमासंयुतं मासं यवनं हृदयं ततः । एकाधशार्णः प्रथमो महाशंखार्चने मनुः ॥ ९६ ॥

Transliteration

pratimāsaṃyutaṃ māsaṃ yavanaṃ hṛdayaṃ tataḥ | ekādhaśārṇaḥ prathamo mahāśaṃkhārcane manuḥ || 96 ||

Translation

Dann verwende man die Folge „māsa“, verbunden mit „pratimāsa“, darauf „yavana“ und dann „hṛdaya“. Dies ist das erste elfsilbige Mantra, das für die Verehrung der Großen Muschel (Mahāśaṅkha) vorgeschrieben ist.

Word by Word

• pratimā-saṃyutam: joined with ‘pratimā’
• pratimā-saṃyutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratimā + saṃyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्रतिमया संयुक्तम्)

• māsam: (the syllable/mantra) ‘māsa’
• māsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yavanam: ‘yavana’
• yavanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• hṛdayam: heart (hṛdaya-mantra)
• hṛdayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक

• ekādaśa-arṇaḥ: having eleven syllables
• ekādaśa-arṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekādaśa + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु (एकादश अर्णाः/अक्षराणि यस्य)

• prathamaḥ: the first
• prathamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mahā-śaṃkha-arcane: in the worship of the great conch
• mahā-śaṃkha-arcane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + śaṃkha + arcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (महाशङ्खस्य अर्चने)

• manuḥ: the mantra-formula (manu)
• manuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Mahashankha

FAQs

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

It codifies a precise mantra-structure for Mahāśaṅkha worship, showing that devotion (upāsanā) is supported by exact mantra-sequencing and syllable discipline (arṇa-count) in the Purāṇic-Vedic ritual tradition.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as regulated worship: the devotee honors the sacred emblem (Mahāśaṅkha) through a defined mantra, indicating that heartfelt devotion is strengthened by correct ritual method rather than left to improvisation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-śāstra style precision—especially syllable-counting (ekādaśārṇa) and ordered mantra-components—reflecting Vedāṅga concerns such as śikṣā (phonetics) and vyākaraṇa (form/combination of terms).