Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

रक्तास्थिमज्जासु तनौ न्यसेद्वर्णान्विचक्षणः । वर्णान्पदे गुल्फजानुकटिनाभिहृदि स्थले ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

raktāsthimajjāsu tanau nyasedvarṇānvicakṣaṇaḥ | varṇānpade gulphajānukaṭinābhihṛdi sthale || 24 ||

Translation

A discerning practitioner should place the sacred syllables upon the body—upon the blood, bones, and marrow; and he should place the syllables at the feet, the ankles, the knees, the hips, the navel, and in the region of the heart.

Word by Word

• रक्त-अस्थि-मज्जासु: in blood, bone, and marrow
• रक्त-अस्थि-मज्जासु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + मज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (रक्ते च अस्थ्नि च मज्जायां च)

• तनौ: in the body
• तनौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/न्यस् (धातु: न्यस्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वर्णान्: letters/syllables
• वर्णान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• विचक्षणः: the discerning one
• विचक्षणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्ता)

• वर्णान्: letters/syllables
• वर्णान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• पदे: on the foot
• पदे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• गुल्फ-जानु-कटि-नाभि-हृदि: at the ankle, knee, waist, navel, and heart
• गुल्फ-जानु-कटि-नाभि-हृदि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुल्फ (प्रातिपदिक) + जानु (प्रातिपदिक) + कटि (प्रातिपदिक) + नाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (गुल्फे, जानौ, कट्याम्, नाभौ, हृदि) समाहार-द्वन्द्वभावः

• स्थले: in the place/region
• स्थले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/ritual-technical context)

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 teaches internalizing mantra-power by ritually “installing” sacred phonemes in the body, turning the practitioner’s body into a consecrated support for japa and meditation.

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

Though technical, nyāsa supports bhakti by making mantra-recitation steady and embodied—so remembrance of the chosen deity can be sustained with greater purity and focus.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā and mantra-vidhi are implied: the verse treats varṇas (phonemes) as potent units and instructs their systematic placement (nyāsa) at specific bodily points for ritual efficacy.