Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 43

Hayagrīva-pūjā-vyākhyāna

Worship Procedure and Mantra-Siddhi of Hayagrīva

Devanagari script

तद्बहिः षोडशदलेष्ववतारान्हरेर्दश । शंखं चक्रं गदां पद्मं नंदकं शार्ङ्गमेव च ॥ ४३ ॥

Transliteration

tadbahiḥ ṣoḍaśadaleṣvavatārānharerdaśa | śaṃkhaṃ cakraṃ gadāṃ padmaṃ naṃdakaṃ śārṅgameva ca || 43 ||

Translation

Outside that, upon the sixteen petals, one should place the ten incarnations of Hari, and also His emblems: the conch, discus, mace, lotus, as well as Nandaka the sword and Śārṅga the bow.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (mandala/lotus)
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—देशवाचक (adverb of place: outside)

• षोडशदलेषु: in the sixteen petals
• षोडशदलेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षोडश + दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; द्विगुः—षोडश दलानि यस्य/यत्र (in the sixteen petals)

• अवतारान्: incarnations
• अवतारान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन

• हरेः: of Hari (Vishnu)
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; (indeclinable-like numeral) ‘ten’; अवतारान् इति विशेषणम्

• शङ्खम्: conch
• शङ्खम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• चक्रम्: discus
• चक्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• पद्मम्: lotus
• पद्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• नन्दकम्: Nandaka (sword)
• नन्दकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विष्णोः खड्गनाम (name of Vishnu's sword)

• शार्ङ्गम्: Śārṅga (bow)
• शार्ङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विष्णोः धनुर्नाम (name of Vishnu's bow)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—अवधारण (emphasis)

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

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It maps devotion onto a sacred geometric structure: the devotee meditatively installs Hari’s Daśāvatāra and His divine emblems on the sixteen-petalled lotus, making worship both symbolic and contemplative.

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

Bhakti is expressed through focused remembrance (smaraṇa) and worship (upāsanā): by mentally arranging Vishnu’s forms and attributes, the mind becomes steady in Hari and devotion gains a concrete meditative support.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A practical upāsanā-vidhi (ritual/meditative procedure) is indicated—nyāsa-like placement on a lotus/mandala—reflecting technical ritual method and precise visualization, aligned with the text’s Vedāṅga/technical orientation in Book 1.3.