Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

कुरु पूजां महाविष्णोर्याहि शान्तिमनुत्तमाम् । द्वादशाष्टाक्षरं मन्त्रं जप श्रेयो भविष्यति ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

kuru pūjāṃ mahāviṣṇoryāhi śāntimanuttamām | dvādaśāṣṭākṣaraṃ mantraṃ japa śreyo bhaviṣyati || 18 ||

Translation

Worship Mahāviṣṇu and attain unsurpassed peace. Recite in japa the twelve-syllabled and eight-syllabled mantras; your highest good will surely arise.

Word by Word

• कुरु: do/perform
• कुरु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• पूजाम्: worship
• पूजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• महाविष्णोः: of Mahāviṣṇu
• महाविष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाविष्णु (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् विष्णुः)

• याहि: go/attain
• याहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• शान्तिम्: peace
• शान्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमाम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शान्तिम्)

• द्वादशाष्टाक्षरम्: having twenty syllables (12+8)
• द्वादशाष्टाक्षरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश + अष्ट + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वादश च अष्ट च = 20; विंशत्यक्षरम्)

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• जप: chant/recite
• जप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• श्रेयः: the highest good
• श्रेयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mahavishnu
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It presents a direct soteriological method: worship of Mahāviṣṇu coupled with disciplined mantra-japa leads to anuttamā śānti (supreme peace) and śreyas (true spiritual welfare).

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

Bhakti is framed as practical devotion—pūjā (ritual worship) and japa (remembrance through mantra)—by which the devotee approaches Vishnu and gains inner peace and ultimate good.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-prayoga (practical application of sacred formulas) through japa, emphasizing correct, repeated recitation of established Vishnu mantras (the 12- and 8-syllabled forms) as a disciplined ritual practice.