Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3
The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras
प्रतिष्ठाप्य शिवा फट् च स्वाहांतोऽत्यष्टिवर्णवान् । भैरवोऽस्य मुनिः सम्राट् छन्दो मन्त्रस्य देवता ॥ ३ ॥
pratiṣṭhāpya śivā phaṭ ca svāhāṃto'tyaṣṭivarṇavān | bhairavo'sya muniḥ samrāṭ chando mantrasya devatā || 3 ||
Nachdem (das Mantra) eingesetzt ist, füge man „śivā“ hinzu und dann „phaṭ“; es endet mit „svāhā“ und umfasst mehr als achtzig Silben. Für dieses Mantra ist Bhairava der ṛṣi (Seher), Samrāṭ das chandas (Metrum), und die devatā (Gottheit) wird entsprechend verkündet.
Narada (teaching in a technical Vedanga/mantra-vidhi context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It codifies mantra-identification rules—ṛṣi, chandas, and devatā—showing that mantra practice is not random but must be aligned with its seer, metre, and presiding deity for correct ritual efficacy.
Indirectly: it teaches disciplined, scripture-aligned worship. In the Narada Purana’s framework, devotion becomes steady when supported by correct vidhi (procedure) and proper mantra-lakṣaṇa (mantric definition).
Chandas (metre) and mantra-lakṣaṇa: the verse explicitly names the chandas (Samrāṭ), specifies mantra endings like “svāhā,” and notes syllable/varṇa count—core technical markers used in ritual recitation.