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

Inscríbase la Smara-gāyatrī y el Mālā-mantra en el loto de ocho pétalos. Tras escribir las seis “ūṣa” (componentes silábicos), rodéese luego por fuera con las letras Mātṛkā, es decir, el alfabeto sánscrito completo.

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.