Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 190

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

विलिखेत्स्मरगायत्रीं मालामंत्रं दलाष्टके । षटूषः संलिख्य तद्बाह्ये वेष्टयेन्मातृकाक्षरैः ॥ १९० ॥

Transliteration

vilikhetsmaragāyatrīṃ mālāmaṃtraṃ dalāṣṭake | ṣaṭūṣaḥ saṃlikhya tadbāhye veṣṭayenmātṛkākṣaraiḥ || 190 ||

Translation

One should inscribe the Smara-gāyatrī and the Mālā-mantra upon an eight-petalled diagram. Having written the six “ūṣa” syllabic components, one should then encircle it on the outside with the Mātṛkā letters, the full Sanskrit alphabet.

Word by Word

• likhet: should inscribe/draw
• likhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: likh (लिख् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• smara-gāyatrīm: the Smara-gāyatrī
• smara-gāyatrīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smara (प्रातिपदिक) + gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘Smara-gāyatrī (mantra)’

• mālā-mantram: the mālā-mantra
• mālā-mantram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mālā (प्रातिपदिक) + mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘garland-mantra’

• dala-aṣṭake: in the eight petals
• dala-aṣṭake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dala (प्रातिपदik) + aṣṭaka (प्रातिपadika)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; ‘in the set of eight petals’

• ṣaṭ-ūṣaḥ: the six ūṣa-s
• ṣaṭ-ūṣaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + ūṣa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन (contextual; as items to be written); ‘six ūṣa-s’ (technical term)

• saṃlikhya: having inscribed
• saṃlikhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: likh (लिख् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with उपसर्ग सम्-; ‘having written/inscribed completely’

• tat: of that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; ‘of that’

• bāhye: on the outside
• bāhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; ‘on the outside/exterior’

• veṣṭayet: should encircle
• veṣṭayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: veṣṭ (वेष्ट् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• mātṛkā-akṣaraiḥ: with the mātṛkā letters
• mātṛkā-akṣaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛkā (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; ‘with the mātṛkā letters’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Smara
• Gayatri
• Matrika (alphabet letters)

FAQs

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

It prescribes a precise mantra-and-diagram (yantra) layout: placing key mantras in an eight-petalled lotus and sealing/guarding the field by encircling it with the Mātṛkā (alphabet), implying completeness, protection, and ordered activation of mantra-power.

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

While primarily technical, it supports bhakti-oriented worship by giving a disciplined method to focus the mind and offerings through mantra-structure—turning devotion into a precise, repeatable ritual practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-vidhi and akṣara-prayoga (practical use of syllables/letters), a technical discipline aligned with śikṣā (phonetics) and ritual procedure—showing how specific letters and layouts are employed in worship.