Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 147

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

कुर्यात्करांगवक्त्राणां न्यासं प्रोक्तं यथाविधि । ऊर्द्ध्वप्राग्दक्षिणोदक्च पश्चिमाधस्नाग्नभिः ॥ १४७ ॥

Transliteration

kuryātkarāṃgavaktrāṇāṃ nyāsaṃ proktaṃ yathāvidhi | ūrddhvaprāgdakṣiṇodakca paścimādhasnāgnabhiḥ || 147 ||

Translation

Man soll den vorgeschriebenen Nyāsa (rituelle Platzierung der Mantras) auf Händen, Gliedern und Gesicht genau nach der Lehre vollziehen. Dies geschieht in der Reihenfolge der Richtungen—nach oben, Osten, Süden und Norden—sowie auch Westen, nach unten, zusammen mit den Mantras des reinigenden Bades und des heiligen Feuers (Agni).

Word by Word

• कुर्यात्: should perform / should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• कर-अङ्ग-वक्त्राणाम्: of the hands, limbs, and face
• कर-अङ्ग-वक्त्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), षष्ठीविभक्तिः (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• न्यासम्: nyāsa (ritual placement)
• न्यासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचनम् (singular)

• प्रोक्तम्: taught / prescribed
• प्रोक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; न्यासम् इति विशेषणम्

• यथा-विधि: according to rule
• यथा-विधि: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्ययम् (indeclinable adverbial)

• ऊर्द्ध्व-प्राक्-दक्षिण-उदक्-च: upwards, eastwards, southwards, northwards, and
• ऊर्द्ध्व-प्राक्-दक्षिण-उदक्-च: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Directional)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्द्ध्व (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + प्राक् (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + दक्षिण (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + उदक् (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + च (अव्यय)
• Form: दिक्प्रदर्शक-अव्ययानि (directional indeclinables) समाहाररूपेण; च = समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पश्चिम-अधस्-न-अग्नभिः: with fires (not to the west/below)
• पश्चिम-अधस्-न-अग्नभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + अधस् (अव्यय) + न (अव्यय-निषेध) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अग्नि-शब्दः पुंलिङ्गम्, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/तृतीया), बहुवचनम् (plural); पूर्वपदानि दिशासूचक-अव्ययानि; न = निषेध (negation)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

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 emphasizes yathāvidhi—performing nyāsa exactly as prescribed—so the body becomes a purified support for mantra and worship, aligning the practitioner with sacred order through disciplined ritual.

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

By insisting on careful nyāsa and purification, it frames devotion as reverent, embodied practice—preparing the hands, limbs, and face as instruments of worship so bhakti is offered with sanctity and attentiveness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical procedure: mantra-nyāsa and directional sequencing used in worship, along with purificatory elements like snāna (ablution) and agni-related rites—typical of applied Vedic discipline.