Shloka 26

The Greatness of Puruṣottama

Aṣṭākṣarī Maṇḍala-Pūjā and Nyāsa

Devanagari script

चिंतयित्वा महायोगं ततश्चावाहयेत्क्रमात् । मीनरूपावहश्चैव नरसिंहश्च वामनः ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

ciṃtayitvā mahāyogaṃ tataścāvāhayetkramāt | mīnarūpāvahaścaiva narasiṃhaśca vāmanaḥ || 26 ||

Translation

Nachdem man den Höchsten als Mahāyoga betrachtet hat, soll man Ihn sodann der rechten Reihenfolge nach anrufen: als Den, der die Gestalt des Fisches annimmt, sowie als Narasiṃha und Vāmana.

Word by Word

• चिन्तयित्वा: having contemplated
• चिन्तयित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; ‘having thought/considered’ (पूर्वक्रिया)

• महायोगम्: the great yoga
• महायोगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायोग (प्रातिपदिक; महा + योग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla/Anukrama (काल/अनुक्रम; sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• आवाहयेत्: should invoke
• आवाहयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + वह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया/पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial instrumental/ablatival usage); ‘in order/stepwise’

• मीनरूपावहः: the one bearing a fish-form
• मीनरूपावहः: Karta (कर्ता; implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मीन-रूप-आवह (प्रातिपदिक; मीन + रूप + आवह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (one who bears the form of a fish)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/निश्चयार्थक (emphatic particle)

• नरसिंहः: Narasimha
• नरसिंहः: Karta (कर्ता; implied subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरसिंह (प्रातिपदिक; नर + सिंह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• वामनः: Vamana
• वामनः: Karta (कर्ता; implied subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Matsya
• Narasimha
• Vamana

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship begins with inner contemplation (dhyāna) of the Supreme as Mahāyoga, and then proceeds to formal invocation (āvāhana), recognizing the Lord’s protective descents as avatāras.

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

Bhakti is shown as both inward and outward: first steady remembrance/meditation, then reverent ritual invitation of Vishnu’s forms—Matsya, Narasiṃha, and Vāmana—so devotion becomes focused, personal, and orderly.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects kalpa/ritual procedure (proper kramā—sequence) through the practice of āvāhana and dhyāna as parts of pūjā-vidhi, emphasizing correct order and method in worship.