Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

अष्टाविंशतिवर्णो वा तथैकत्रिंशदर्णकः । अतिक्रूरः स विज्ञेयोऽखिलकर्मसु गर्हितः ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭāviṃśativarṇo vā tathaikatriṃśadarṇakaḥ | atikrūraḥ sa vijñeyo'khilakarmasu garhitaḥ || 51 ||

Translation

Qu’elle comporte vingt-huit syllabes ou de même trente et une, cette (formule/mantra) doit être tenue pour excessivement farouche et elle est blâmée pour tous les rites et toutes les actions.

Word by Word

• aṣṭāviṃśativarṇaḥ: having twenty-eight letters
• aṣṭāviṃśativarṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭāviṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvigu-samāsa (28)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya (or)

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb: ‘thus/also’)

• ekatriṃśadarṇakaḥ: having thirty-one (arṇas/letters)
• ekatriṃśadarṇakaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekatriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvigu-samāsa (31); (text reads arṇaka; often varṇaka intended)

• atikrūraḥ: excessively cruel
• atikrūraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + krūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; avyayībhāva: ati-krūra = extremely cruel

• saḥ: that (one)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• vijñeyaḥ: should be known
• vijñeyaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (tavya/anīya sense), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘should be known’

• akhilakarmasu: in all actions/rites
• akhilakarmasu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) (karman), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative/7th), Bahuvacana (Plural); karmadhāraya: akhilāni karmāṇi = all actions

• garhitaḥ: censured
• garhitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa / Predicative adjective (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √garh (गर्ह् धातु)
• Form: Kta (past passive participle), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘censured/condemned’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/Vedanga context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes discernment in sacred speech: certain syllabic structures are considered inherently harsh and therefore unfit for dharmic practice, reminding practitioners that mantra is not merely words but regulated, ethically aligned sound.

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

Bhakti relies on pure, auspicious utterance (japa, stotra, nāma). The verse indirectly safeguards devotion by warning against using fierce or censured formulas in place of sattvic praise and remembrance of the Divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics) and mantra-vicāra: syllable-count and phonetic composition are treated as practical criteria for deciding whether a mantra is ritually appropriate or prohibited.