Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama

Devanagari script

सरस्वतीं विष्णुयोनिमाह्वयेद्विष्णुवादिनीम् । तारं च व्याहृतीः सत्प त्रिपदां च समुच्चरन् ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

sarasvatīṃ viṣṇuyonimāhvayedviṣṇuvādinīm | tāraṃ ca vyāhṛtīḥ satpa tripadāṃ ca samuccaran || 46 ||

Translation

On doit invoquer Sarasvatī—celle dont l’origine est Viṣṇu et qui proclame Viṣṇu—tout en prononçant la syllabe sacrée Oṃ (tāra), les vyāhṛti (bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ) et la Gāyatrī «à trois pieds» (tripadā).

Word by Word

• सरस्वतीम्: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विष्णु-योनिम्: (her who is) source of Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-योनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘having Viṣṇu as source’

• आह्वयेत्: should invoke
• आह्वयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√ह्वा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विष्णु-वादिनीम्: (her who is) Viṣṇu-chanter
• विष्णु-वादिनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + वादिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘speaker/chanter of Viṣṇu (mantra)’

• तारम्: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• तारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; here ‘praṇava/ओं’ as object of utterance

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• व्याहृतीः: the vyāhṛtis (bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ)
• व्याहृतीः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याहृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सत्-प: (uncertain reading; possibly ‘seven’)
• सत्-प: Anukta (अनुक्त/uncertain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + प (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय?)
• Form: पाठभेद/दुष्पाठ-सूचना: ‘सत्प’ इति रूपं संदिग्धम्; सम्भाव्यं ‘सप्त’ (सप्त = numeral ‘seven’) अथवा ‘सत्पथ’ इत्यादि। यदि ‘सप्त’ मान्यते: संख्या-प्रातिपदिक, द्वितीया, एकवचन/बहुवचन सन्दर्भानुसार।

• त्रि-पदाम्: the three-part (gāyatrī)
• त्रि-पदाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः ‘three-footed/three-part (Gāyatrī)’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• समुच्चरन्: reciting/uttering
• समुच्चरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उद्√चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘while uttering/reciting’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvati
• Vishnu
• Om (Tara)
• Vyahritis
• Gayatri (Tripada)

FAQs

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

It teaches a Viṣṇu-oriented approach to sacred recitation: invoking Sarasvatī (speech/knowledge) while anchoring the chant in Oṃ, the vyāhṛtis, and the Gāyatrī—so learning and speech become aligned with devotion and liberation.

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

By defining Sarasvatī as “viṣṇu-vādinī,” it frames true eloquence and knowledge as praise of Viṣṇu; bhakti is practiced through disciplined mantra-utterance rather than mere intellectual display.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights correct mantra-recitation (ucchāraṇa) and structured chanting—Oṃ (tāra), the vyāhṛtis, and Gāyatrī—reflecting Vedāṅga concerns such as Śikṣā (phonetics) and proper japa/ritual procedure.