Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

कट्यां लिंगे जानुनोश्च पादयोर्विन्यसेत्क्रमात् । हृदंतान्मंत्रवर्णांश्च ततो मूर्ध्नि ध्रुवं न्यसेत् ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

kaṭyāṃ liṃge jānunośca pādayorvinyasetkramāt | hṛdaṃtānmaṃtravarṇāṃśca tato mūrdhni dhruvaṃ nyaset || 29 ||

Translation

In due sequence, one should place the mantra at the waist, the generative organ, the knees, and the feet. Then, having placed the mantra’s syllables up to the heart, one should finally fix the steady (dhruva) placement upon the head.

Word by Word

• kaṭyām: at the waist
• kaṭyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• liṅge: at the genital organ
• liṅge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• jānunoḥ: at the two knees
• jānunoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Dvivacana (द्विवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• pādayoḥ: at the two feet
• pādayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Dvivacana (द्विवचन)

• vinyaset: should place
• vinyaset: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ni-as (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• kramāt: in sequence
• kramāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya usage of ablative (पञ्चमी-प्रयोगे अव्ययीभाव), adverb ‘in order/stepwise’

• hṛd-antāt: from the heart-end/heart region
• hṛd-antāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Pañcamī (5th/पञ्चमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• mantra-varṇān: the mantra-syllables/letters
• mantra-varṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• mūrdhni: on the head/crown
• mūrdhni: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Pumliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• dhruvam: the ‘dhruva’ (fixed) mantra/seed
• dhruvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• nyaset: should place
• nyaset: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-as (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

Speaker

Narada (teaching procedural ritual details in a technical/Vedanga-oriented 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 nyāsa—sanctifying the body by placing mantra-syllables in an ordered way—so the practitioner’s body becomes a fit support (ādhāra) for mantra-japa and worship.

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

By prescribing disciplined mantra-installation on the body, it frames devotion as embodied upāsanā—devotion expressed through precise, reverent ritual action that steadies the mind for worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical ritual procedure and mantra-phoneme awareness (mantra-varṇa), aligning with Vedāṅga-style precision in recitation and placement used in upāsanā and related prayoga traditions.