Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Hanumān-mantra-kathana: Mantra-bheda, Nyāsa, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

तज्जप्तभस्मलिप्तांगो भुक्त्वा तन्मंत्रितं पयः । योद्धुं गच्छेच्च यो मंत्री शस्त्रसंघैंर्न बाध्यते ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

tajjaptabhasmaliptāṃgo bhuktvā tanmaṃtritaṃ payaḥ | yoddhuṃ gacchecca yo maṃtrī śastrasaṃghaiṃrna bādhyate || 23 ||

Translation

An officiant who smears his body with ash empowered by that japa, and then drinks milk consecrated with that same mantra—if he goes forth to battle—is not overcome by volleys of weapons.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc sg); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• जप्त: recited/enchanted
• जप्त: विशेषण (viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (agreeing in compound)

• भस्म: ash
• भस्म: सम्बन्ध (genitive-relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (as compound member)

• लिप्त: smeared
• लिप्त: विशेषण (viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन (agreeing with अङ्गः)

• अङ्गः: body/limb
• अङ्गः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Masculine, Nom sg)

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten/drunk
• भुक्त्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (kriyā-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter, Acc sg); सर्वनाम

• मन्त्रितम्: consecrated/enchanted
• मन्त्रितम्: विशेषण (viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter, Acc sg)

• पयः: milk/water (drink)
• पयः: कर्म (karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter, Acc sg)

• योद्धुम्: to fight
• योद्धुम्: प्रयोजन (prayojana)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजन (purpose)

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: क्रिया (kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person sg)

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

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Masculine, Nom sg); सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• मन्त्री: one who uses mantras / minister
• मन्त्री: कर्ता (kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Masculine, Nom sg)

• शस्त्र: weapons
• शस्त्र: सम्बन्ध (within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन (as compound member)

• संघैः: by groups/collections
• संघैः: करण (karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन (Masculine, Instr pl)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• बाध्यते: is afflicted/overpowered
• बाध्यते: क्रिया (kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a technical mantra-rite within the Vedanga/ritual instructions)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It presents mantra as a protective spiritual technology: japa empowers substances (ash and milk), and disciplined ritual use is said to generate rakṣā (spiritual protection) even in dangerous worldly situations.

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

While primarily a technical rite, it assumes reverent reliance on mantra (received and used with faith and purity). That attitude—trust in sacred sound and divine protection—supports a bhakti-oriented worldview even when the goal here is practical safety.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-prayoga and ritual procedure: empowering materials through japa, applying bhasma, and consecrating a drink (mantrita payaḥ). This aligns with applied Vedic ritual knowledge (kalpa-type practice) within the text’s technical sciences section.