Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 60

Gaṇeśa Mantra-vidhi: Mahāgaṇapati Gāyatrī, Vakratuṇḍa Mantra, Nyāsa, Homa, Āvaraṇa-pūjā, and Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

बकः सदीर्घपवनो महायक्षाय यं बलिः । बलिमंत्रोऽयमाख्यातो न चेद्वर्णोऽखिलेष्टदः ॥ ६० ॥

Transliteration

bakaḥ sadīrghapavano mahāyakṣāya yaṃ baliḥ | balimaṃtro'yamākhyāto na cedvarṇo'khileṣṭadaḥ || 60 ||

Translation

“Baka, the long-breathed one”—this is the bali (ritual offering) meant for the Great Yakṣa. This has been declared as the bali-mantra; and if the syllables and their proper phonetic form are not correctly made, it does not bestow the desired results.

Word by Word

• बकः: baka (crane)
• बकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘crane/heron’

• स-दीर्घ-पवनः: having long breath
• स-दीर्घ-पवनः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदीर्घपवन (प्रातिपदिक); components: स (उपसर्ग/सह) + दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + पवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘one whose breath (pavana) is long’

• महायक्षाय: to the great yakṣa
• महायक्षाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायक्ष (प्रातिपदिक); components: महा (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; ‘to the great Yakṣa’

• यम्: which/that
• यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘whom/which’

• बलिः: offering (bali)
• बलिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘offering/oblation’

• बलि-मन्त्रः: the bali-mantra
• बलि-मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि-मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक); components: बलि (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘bali-mantra (mantra for offering)’

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘this’

• आख्यातः: is declared
• आख्यातः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√ख्या (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; ‘is declared/told’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध अव्यय (Negation particle)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त/सम्भावना अव्यय (Conditional particle ‘if’)

• वर्णः: syllable/letter
• वर्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘syllable/letter; color/class’ (here: syllable/varṇa)

• अखिल-इष्ट-दः: granting all desired results
• अखिल-इष्ट-दः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल-इष्ट-द (प्रातिपदिक); components: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक) + इष्ट (कृदन्त, √इष्) + द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from √दा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘giver of all desired (things)’

Speaker

Narada (teaching the Sanatkumara brothers in a Vedanga/ritual-mantra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Yaksha

FAQs

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

It stresses that ritual outcomes depend on precise mantra-sound (varṇa) and disciplined recitation, showing the Narada Purana’s Vedāṅga emphasis on phonetics and correctness in sacred acts.

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

Indirectly, it teaches reverence and care in sacred speech: devotion is not only emotion but also careful, faithful performance of what is taught—especially in mantra-based worship and offerings.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and allied Vyākaraṇa sensitivity: correct articulation of syllables/letters (varṇa) and proper recitation length are presented as essential for a mantra’s effectiveness.