Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18

Śeṣoditya-Sūrya-nyāsa, Soma-sādhana, Graha-pūjā, and Bhauma-vrata-vidhi

Devanagari script

आधारलिंगयोर्नाभौ हृदि कंठे मुखांतरे । भ्रूमध्ये च तथा भाले ब्रह्मरंघ्रे न्यसेत्क्रमात् ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

ādhāraliṃgayornābhau hṛdi kaṃṭhe mukhāṃtare | bhrūmadhye ca tathā bhāle brahmaraṃghre nyasetkramāt || 18 ||

Translation

One should perform nyāsa in due sequence—at the navel (between the ādhāra and the liṅga), then in the heart, in the throat, within the mouth, in the space between the eyebrows, upon the forehead, and finally at the brahma-randhra (the cranial aperture).

Word by Word

• आधार-लिङ्गयोः: of the two (places) ‘ādhāra’ and ‘liṅga’
• आधार-लिङ्गयोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (Dual)

• नाभौ: in the navel
• नाभौ: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कण्ठे: in the throat
• कण्ठे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मुख-अन्तरे: in the interior of the mouth
• मुख-अन्तरे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मुखस्य अन्तरम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• भ्रू-मध्ये: in the middle of the eyebrows
• भ्रू-मध्ये: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भ्रुवोः मध्ये); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘likewise/so’)

• भाले: on the forehead
• भाले: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्म-रन्ध्रे: in the brahma-opening (crown aperture)
• ब्रह्म-रन्ध्रे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + रन्ध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः रन्ध्रम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• न्यसेत्: should place (perform nyāsa)
• न्यसेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्रमात्: in order, successively
• क्रमात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/ritual context within the Vedanga-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It prescribes an internal nyāsa sequence that sacralizes key bodily centers, turning the body into a fit locus for mantra—progressing from lower support to the crown (brahma-randhra) to refine awareness upward.

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

While technical, the ordered nyāsa supports bhakti by steadying mind and prāṇa so that japa and remembrance of the deity can be performed with one-pointed devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual-technical discipline (prayoga) akin to Vedāṅga-oriented procedure—precise bodily placements (nyāsa) used to empower mantra recitation and meditative focus.