Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 116

Sanatkumāra’s Bhāgavata Tantra: Tattvas, Māyā-Bonds, Embodiment, and the Necessity of Dīkṣā

Devanagari script

एकं तु फलदं कर्म मंत्रानुष्ठानसंभवम् । दीक्षितोऽभिलषेद्भोगान्यद्यल्लोकगतानसौ ॥ ११६ ॥

Transliteration

ekaṃ tu phaladaṃ karma maṃtrānuṣṭhānasaṃbhavam | dīkṣito'bhilaṣedbhogānyadyallokagatānasau || 116 ||

Translation

Seul le rite qui naît de l’accomplissement juste de la discipline des mantras est véritablement porteur de fruit ; l’initié (dīkṣā) peut alors désirer les jouissances qu’il veut, propres à n’importe quel monde.

Word by Word

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'कर्म'

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/अवधारणार्थक-समुच्चयार्थक particle ('but/indeed')

• फलदम्: fruit-giving
• फलदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फलद (प्रातिपदिक; फल + द (√दा धातु) से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थ: 'फलम् ददाति इति'

• कर्म: ritual act/deed
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मन्त्र-अनुष्ठान-सम्भवम्: arising from mantra-practice
• मन्त्र-अनुष्ठान-सम्भवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: मन्त्रानुष्ठानात् सम्भवम् (ablative sense)

• दीक्षितः: the initiated person
• दीक्षितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षित (√दिक्ष्/√दीक्ष् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; past passive participle used substantively

• अभिलषेत्: should desire
• अभिलषेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-लष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भोगान्: enjoyments
• भोगान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional)

• अल्-लोक-गतान्: otherworldly (in another realm)
• अल्-लोक-गतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल् (प्रातिपदिक; 'other') + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (√गम् धातु, क्त; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासार्थ: अल्लोके गतान् = 'other-world gone' (i.e., otherworldly) qualifying 'भोगान्'

• असौ: that person (he)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/ritual-technical 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 asserts that ritual action becomes genuinely efficacious only when grounded in disciplined mantra-practice; mere external action is secondary to mantra-anuṣṭhāna supported by dīkṣā.

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

While framed in ritual terms, it implies that inner alignment through consecrated practice (dīkṣā and mantra) is what empowers results—an idea that parallels bhakti where sincerity and proper approach, not mere formality, makes worship fruitful.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights the technical principle of mantra-anuṣṭhāna—regulated recitation and observance under initiation—central to applied ritual science (kalpa) and correct mantra usage (linked with śikṣā/phonetics for proper chanting).