Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

Devapūjā-krama: Ārghya-saṃskāra, Maṇḍala–Nyāsa, Mudrā-pradarśana, Āvaraṇa-arcana, Homa, Japa, and Kṣamāpaṇa

Devanagari script

तारः कार्म्ममहांस्ते तु ततो जलचराय च । वर्म फट् हृदयं पांचजन्याय हृदयं मनेः ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

tāraḥ kārmmamahāṃste tu tato jalacarāya ca | varma phaṭ hṛdayaṃ pāṃcajanyāya hṛdayaṃ maneḥ || 13 ||

Translation

Then one should apply the bīja “tāra” for the great Kūrma (the divine Tortoise), and thereafter for the Jalacara, the aquatic one. Next one should use the protective formula “varma” and the weapon-syllable “phaṭ”, and perform the heart-nyāsa for Pāñcajanya, the divine conch, and the heart-nyāsa for the Lord of the mind (Maṇi/Manas-pati).

Word by Word

• tāraḥ: the syllable ‘tāra’
• tāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); here: seed-syllable ‘tāra’ (often ‘oṃ’)

• kārma-mahān: the great (mantra) connected with rite
• kārma-mahān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārma + mahant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः: ‘कर्म-सम्बन्धी’ (ritual/act-related) + ‘महान्’ (great)

• te: they/those
• te: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); सर्वनाम

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha-sūcaka (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), विरोध/अन्वय (contrast/continuation)

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): क्रम/अनन्तर (sequence: ‘then/from that’)

• jalacarāya: for the water-dweller
• jalacarāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Dative recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jalacara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः: ‘जले’ + ‘चर’ = ‘water-dweller’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• varma: ‘varma’ (armor)
• varma: Mantra-pada (मन्त्रपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; mantra-word ‘varma’ (armor)

• phaṭ: ‘phaṭ’ (mantric exclamation)
• phaṭ: Mantra-pada (मन्त्रपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: phaṭ (अव्यय/मन्त्र-निपात)
• Form: मन्त्र-निपात (mantric exclamation)

• hṛdayam: ‘hṛdaya’ (heart)
• hṛdayam: Mantra-pada (मन्त्रपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; mantra-term ‘hṛdaya’

• pāṃcajanyāya: for Pāñcajanya
• pāṃcajanyāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṃcajanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/4th), एकवचन; proper name (conch of Viṣṇu)

• hṛdayam: ‘hṛdaya’
• hṛdayam: Mantra-pada (मन्त्रपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• maneḥ: of the mantra/Manu
• maneḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu/mantra? (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; reading as ‘maner’ = ‘of the mantra/Manu’ (textual)

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (in dialogue with Nārada, teaching technical mantra-vidhi/nyāsa)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma
• Pāñcajanya

FAQs

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

It encodes a ritual sequence of bīja and protective syllables used in nyāsa, linking the practitioner’s body-mind to Viṣṇu’s cosmic supports (like Kūrma) and divine implements (Pāñcajanya) for protection and steadiness in sādhana.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined upāsanā: remembering and ritually installing Viṣṇu’s forms and symbols (especially the conch Pāñcajanya) so that devotion becomes embodied as protection, purity, and single-pointedness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied mantra-śāstra/ritual technique—use of bīja-syllables, kavaca (‘varma’), and astrā-bīja (‘phaṭ’) within nyāsa—typical of the technical (Vedāṅga-adjacent) instruction found in Book 1.3.