Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 65

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

षड्रदीर्गयुक्तमायाया एतान्यष्टौ षडंगके । अंगुष्ठादिष्वंगुलीषु पूर्वं विन्यस्य यत्नतः ॥ ६५ ॥

Transliteration

ṣaḍradīrgayuktamāyāyā etānyaṣṭau ṣaḍaṃgake | aṃguṣṭhādiṣvaṃgulīṣu pūrvaṃ vinyasya yatnataḥ || 65 ||

Translation

In the sixfold ancillary rite (ṣaḍaṅga), one should first, with care, place these eight syllables of the Māyā mantra—endowed with six long vowels—upon the fingers beginning with the thumb.

Word by Word

• ṣaṭ-radīrgha-yukta-māyāyāḥ: of the māyā (mantra) endowed with six long vowels
• ṣaṭ-radīrgha-yukta-māyāyāḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + radīrgha (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त, क्त) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Ṣaṣṭhī (Gen. 6), Ekavacana; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘ṣaḍ-radīrghaiḥ yuktā māyā’ (the māyā/mantra endowed with six long vowels)

• etāni: these
• etāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma; Napuṃsakalिङ्ग (n.), Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral; Puṃliṅga (m.)/common, Prathamā (Nom. 1), Bahuvacana (used as count ‘eight’)

• ṣaṭ-aṃgake: in the six-limbed (nyāsa)
• ṣaṭ-aṃgake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃgaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), Saptamī (Loc. 7), Ekavacana; द्विगु: ‘ṣaḍ-aṃgaka’ = ‘six-limbed (nyāsa)’

• aṃguṣṭha-ādiṣu: on (the fingers) beginning with the thumb
• aṃguṣṭha-ādiṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃguṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (m.), Saptamī (Loc. 7), Bahuvacana; अव्ययीभाव (ādi-): ‘aṃguṣṭhādau’ = ‘beginning with the thumb’

• aṃgulīṣu: on the fingers
• aṃgulīṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃgulī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.), Saptamī (Loc. 7), Bahuvacana

• pūrvam: first
• pūrvam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning ‘first/before’

• vinyasya: having placed
• vinyasya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√as (धातु) → vinyas (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: Kṛdanta absolutive (ल्यप्/त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थ), ‘having placed/arranged’

• yatnataḥ: carefully
• yatnataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverbial ablative (तसिल्) ‘from effort’ → ‘carefully’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical mantra-vidhi/nyāsa)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined mantra-practice: sacred sound is not used casually, but installed (nyāsa) into the practitioner’s body—here the fingers—so the rite becomes embodied, focused, and protected by correct procedure.

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

Though technical, it supports bhakti by prescribing a careful preparatory discipline: correct nyāsa steadies mind and senses so japa and worship can be performed with one-pointed devotion rather than distraction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects śikṣā (phonetics) and ritual-vidhi: attention to vowel-length (dīrgha), syllable-count, and the prescribed sequence of placement (vinyāsa) in ṣaḍaṅga practice.