Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

सार्द्धद्वादशवर्णो वा धूमितो र्निदितस्तु सः । सार्द्धबीजत्रययुतो मंत्रो विंशतिवर्णवान् ॥ ४६ ॥

Transliteration

sārddhadvādaśavarṇo vā dhūmito rniditastu saḥ | sārddhabījatrayayuto maṃtro viṃśativarṇavān || 46 ||

Translation

Ce mantra, s’il comporte douze syllabes et demie, est appelé « Dhūmita » et se trouve blâmé. Mais lorsqu’il est pourvu de trois bījas et demie, le mantra devient alors un mantra de vingt syllabes.

Word by Word

• सार्द्ध-द्वादश-वर्णः: twelve-and-a-half-lettered
• सार्द्ध-द्वादश-वर्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्द्ध (अव्यय/पूर्वपद) + द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु (numerical compound with ‘sārdha’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘twelve-and-a-half-lettered’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• धूमितः: obscured/smoky
• धूमितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूम (प्रातिपदिक) + इत (कृदन्त/तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘smoky/obscured’ (technical epithet)

• निन्दितः: is censured
• निन्दितः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निन्द् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘censured’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (but/indeed)

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सार्द्ध-बीज-त्रय-युतः: endowed with three-and-a-half seed-syllables
• सार्द्ध-बीज-त्रय-युतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्द्ध (पूर्वपद) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative; ‘endowed with three-and-a-half bījas’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मन्त्रः: mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विंशति-वर्ण-वान्: having twenty letters
• विंशति-वर्ण-वान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विंशति (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: तत्पुरुष/तद्धितान्त (possessive ‘-वत्’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having twenty letters’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It stresses that mantra efficacy depends on correct mantra-lakṣaṇa—especially syllable-count and proper inclusion of bījas—so that practice is aligned with śāstric phonetics and ritual science rather than arbitrary recitation.

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

Bhakti is supported by disciplined sādhana: the verse implies devotion should be expressed through properly formed mantra-japa, where correct sound-structure (varṇa) safeguards the intended devotional focus and results.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics) and mantra-śāstra: the verse gives a technical rule about mantra syllable-counts and how adding bīja-syllables changes the mantra’s measured length and acceptability.