Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

द्वितीयादिनवांतेषु बीजयोः स्याद्व्यतिक्रमः । मंत्रे तु दशमे वर्णा नववर्मास्त्रमध्यगाः ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

dvitīyādinavāṃteṣu bījayoḥ syādvyatikramaḥ | maṃtre tu daśame varṇā navavarmāstramadhyagāḥ || 42 ||

Translation

Desde la segunda hasta la novena posición, las dos sílabas bīja deben colocarse en intercambio mutuo. Pero en la décima posición del mantra, las letras se ordenan de modo que los nueve recubrimientos protectores (nava-varman) queden dispuestos con la sílaba «astra» en el centro.

Word by Word

• द्वितीयादिनव-अन्तेषु: in (the mantras) ending from the second up to the ninth
• द्वितीयादिनव-अन्तेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीय + आदि + नव + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual; ‘in the endings from the second to the ninth’)

• बीजयोः: of the two seed-syllables
• बीजयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन (Dual), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• व्यतिक्रमः: transposition/interchange
• व्यतिक्रमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; ‘there should be X’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• मन्त्रे: in the mantra
• मन्त्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/however’)

• दशमे: in the tenth (one)
• दशमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Specification: ‘in the tenth’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; क्रमवाचक

• वर्णाः: letters/syllables
• वर्णाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• नववर्मास्त्रमध्यगाः: with nine ‘armor-weapon’ (elements) placed in the middle
• नववर्मास्त्रमध्यगाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of वर्णाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + वर्म + अस्त्र + मध्यग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); ‘having (something) in the middle’ (मध्यग = ‘middle-going/placed in middle’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

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 teaches a precise mantra-vidhi: correct placement and interchange of bīja-syllables and the protective nava-varman arrangement, emphasizing that spiritual efficacy depends on disciplined, rule-based mantra construction.

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

Though technical, it supports bhakti practice by prescribing how a devotee safeguards worship through mantra-protection (varman) and disciplined recitation, ensuring the ritual container for devotion is properly established.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā/mantra-śāstra practice: positional arrangement of syllables (varṇa-nyāsa), bīja manipulation (vyatikrama), and the protective ‘astra’ centering within nava-varman for ritual application.