Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

ऋषिं शिरसि वक्रे तु छन्दश्च हृदि देवताम् । गुह्ये बीजं पदोः शक्तिं न्यसेत्साधकसत्तमः ॥ ६ ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣiṃ śirasi vakre tu chandaśca hṛdi devatām | guhye bījaṃ padoḥ śaktiṃ nyasetsādhakasattamaḥ || 6 ||

Translation

Le meilleur des pratiquants doit accomplir le nyāsa: placer le ṛṣi sur la tête; le chandas à la bouche; la divinité dans le cœur; le bīja dans la région secrète; et la śakti du mantra sur les pieds.

Word by Word

• ऋषिम्: the sage (ṛṣi)
• ऋषिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• वक्रे: on the face/mouth area
• वक्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अत्र ‘वक्रे’ = मुखे/वदने इत्यर्थे, body-location)

• तु: indeed; and (contrast/emphasis)
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• छन्दः: the meter
• छन्दः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्/हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवताम्: the deity
• देवताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुह्ये: in the secret part (groin)
• गुह्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बीजम्: seed-syllable
• बीजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पदोः: on the two feet
• पदोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Gen/Loc), द्विवचन (Dual); अत्र सप्तमी-द्विवचनार्थे (locative dual sense): ‘at/on the feet’

• शक्तिम्: power (śakti)
• शक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न्यसेत्: should place (nyasa)
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should place/assign’

• साधक-सत्तमः: the best practitioner
• साधक-सत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘साधकानां सत्तमः’ = best among practitioners

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the technical procedure of mantra-nyasa)

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 teaches nyāsa—sanctifying the body by installing the mantra’s seer, metre, deity, seed, and power in specific loci—so the practitioner’s body becomes a fit support for mantra-japa and worship.

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

By prescribing disciplined mantra-vidhi, it supports bhakti as a practiced devotion: devotion is strengthened when worship is performed with correct internal consecration (nyāsa) and focused remembrance of the mantra’s deity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical mantra-lakṣaṇa—especially chandas (metre) and devatā (presiding deity)—and their ritual application through nyāsa, a procedural knowledge used in japa and pūjā.