Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

Hayagrīva-pūjā-vyākhyāna

Worship Procedure and Mantra-Siddhi of Hayagrīva

Devanagari script

अलक्ष्मीं च पराभूय महतीं श्रियमाप्नुयात् । जुहुयादयुतं मंत्री दध्यन्नं च सितान्वितम् ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

alakṣmīṃ ca parābhūya mahatīṃ śriyamāpnuyāt | juhuyādayutaṃ maṃtrī dadhyannaṃ ca sitānvitam || 22 ||

Translation

Having driven away Alakṣmī, misfortune, one may attain the great prosperity of Śrī. The knower of mantra should offer ten thousand oblations, using rice cooked with curd and mixed with sugar.

Word by Word

• अलक्ष्मीम्: misfortune/ill-luck
• अलक्ष्मीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पराभूय: having overcome/defeated
• पराभूय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पराभू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• महतीम्: great
• महतीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying श्रियम्)

• श्रियम्: prosperity/fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: may obtain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जुहुयात्: should offer (into fire)
• जुहुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अयुतम्: ten thousand (times/units)
• अयुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्या (10,000)

• मन्त्री: the mantra-reciter/priest
• मन्त्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दध्य-अन्नम्: curd-rice/food with curd
• दध्य-अन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (dadhnaḥ annaṃ)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सिता-अन्वितम्: accompanied with sugar
• सिता-अन्वितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिता + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अन्वित (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त) = 'accompanied by'; तत्पुरुषः (sitayā anvitaṃ)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/ritual context, as preserved in Book 1.3)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Alakshmi
• Shri (Lakshmi)

FAQs

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

It frames prosperity (Śrī) as the result of removing inauspiciousness (Alakṣmī) through disciplined mantra-driven fire-offerings, emphasizing inner and outer purification as the basis of fortune.

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

While ritual in form, it supports Bhakti by directing the practitioner to invoke auspicious divine energy (Śrī/Lakṣmī) with reverence and steadiness, making prosperity a byproduct of sacred observance rather than mere acquisition.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights prayoga-style ritual precision—counting oblations (ayuta), correct homa action (juhuyāt), and prescribed havis (dadhyanna with sugar)—reflecting technical application aligned with Kalpa (ritual procedure).