Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 49

Gaṇeśa Mantra-vidhi: Mahāgaṇapati Gāyatrī, Vakratuṇḍa Mantra, Nyāsa, Homa, Āvaraṇa-pūjā, and Caturthī Vrata

Devanagari script

एकविंशतिसंख्याकान्मोदकांश्च निवेदयेत् । तदग्रे प्रजपेन्मन्त्रमष्टोत्तरसहस्रकम् ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

ekaviṃśatisaṃkhyākānmodakāṃśca nivedayet | tadagre prajapenmantramaṣṭottarasahasrakam || 49 ||

Translation

Qu’on offre en naivedya vingt et un modakas ; puis, devant cette offrande, qu’on récite le mantra mille huit fois (1008).

Word by Word

• eka-viṃśati-saṃkhyākān: twenty-one in number
• eka-viṃśati-saṃkhyākān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘modakān’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkhyāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘एकविंशतिसंख्या येषां ते’ (numbered as 21)

• modakān: modakas (sweet dumplings)
• modakān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: modaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/कर्म, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• nivedayet: should offer/present
• nivedayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-vid (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• tad-agre: in front of him/there
• tad-agre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + agre (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; ‘तस्य अग्रे’ = ‘in front of that (deity/altar)’; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• prajapet: should recite (softly)
• prajapet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-jap (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• mantram: the mantra
• mantram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/कर्म, एकवचन

• aṣṭa-uttara-sahasrakam: (to the count of) one thousand and eight
• aṣṭa-uttara-sahasrakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of ‘mantram’ (count/measure)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘सहस्रं यत् अष्टोत्तरम्’ (= 1008)

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual procedure as received in the Narada Purana dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It links outer worship (naivedya) with inner discipline (fixed-count japa), teaching that offerings are completed and empowered by sustained mantra repetition—here standardized as 1008 recitations.

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

Bhakti is shown as expressed through attentive service—offering food with reverence—and through focused remembrance via mantra-japa performed before the offering/deity, uniting devotion and concentration.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It emphasizes ritual procedure and numerical discipline in practice—specific offering count (21) and japa count (1008)—a technical feature of mantra-sadhana used in structured worship.