Shloka 23

The Greatness of Puruṣottama

Aṣṭākṣarī Maṇḍala-Pūjā and Nyāsa

Devanagari script

कर्णिकायां समासीनं ज्योतीरूपं सनातनम् । अष्टाक्षरं ततो मंत्रं न्यसेच्चैव यथाक्रमम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

karṇikāyāṃ samāsīnaṃ jyotīrūpaṃ sanātanam | aṣṭākṣaraṃ tato maṃtraṃ nyaseccaiva yathākramam || 23 ||

Translation

Auf dem Fruchtknoten des Lotos (karṇikā) sitzt der Ewige, dessen Gestalt reines Licht ist. Danach soll man die Nyāsa des acht-silbigen Mantras (aṣṭākṣara) der rechten Reihenfolge gemäß vollziehen.

Word by Word

• कर्णिकायाम्: in the pericarp (lotus-center)
• कर्णिकायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• समासीनम्: seated
• समासीनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-√आस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भावे कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘उपविष्टम्’ (seated)

• ज्योतीरूपम्: of the form of light
• ज्योतीरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्योतिस्-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; ज्योतिस् + रूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘ज्योतिः एव रूपं यस्य’ (having the form of light)

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘नित्यं/पुरातनम्’

• अष्टाक्षरम्: eight-syllabled
• अष्टाक्षरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट-अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक; अष्ट + अक्षर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास—‘अष्टौ अक्षराणि यस्य’ (eight-syllabled)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—क्रमवाचक (then/thereafter)

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

• न्यसेत्: should place/install
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/√न्यस् (धातु; न्यासे)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction: and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—अवधारणार्थक (particle: indeed/only)

• यथाक्रमम्: in proper sequence
• यथाक्रमम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा-क्रम (प्रातिपदिक; यथा + क्रम)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः—क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: in due order)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It frames inner worship as a luminous vision of the eternal Lord within the lotus-heart, followed by disciplined mantra-nyāsa—showing that devotion is stabilized through ordered, contemplative ritual.

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

Bhakti is expressed here as intimate inner presence: the devotee visualizes Vishnu as pure light seated at the lotus center and then sanctifies body-and-mind through the aṣṭākṣarī mantra’s nyāsa, making devotion steady and embodied.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual sequencing and correct application (yathākramam) reflect kalpa-style procedural discipline; the verse emphasizes precise mantra deployment (nyāsa) as a technical component of sādhana.