Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 124

Śeṣoditya-Sūrya-nyāsa, Soma-sādhana, Graha-pūjā, and Bhauma-vrata-vidhi

Devanagari script

जानुस्थवामहस्ताढ्यं साभयेतरपाणिकम् । ध्यात्वेवं प्रजपेसहस्रं विजितेंद्रियः ॥ १२४ ॥

Transliteration

jānusthavāmahastāḍhyaṃ sābhayetarapāṇikam | dhyātvevaṃ prajapesahasraṃ vijiteṃdriyaḥ || 124 ||

Translation

Après avoir ainsi médité la divinité—riche de forme, la main gauche posée sur le genou et l’autre montrant le mudrā qui ôte la peur—celui qui a maîtrisé les sens doit réciter le mantra mille fois.

Word by Word

• जानुस्थ: knee-placed / in a kneeling posture
• जानुस्थ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जानु-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: जानुनि स्थितः (one who is on/at the knee; kneeling/with knee-position)

• वामहस्ताढ्यम्: endowed with the left hand (attribute)
• वामहस्ताढ्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम-हस्त-आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: वामहस्तेन आढ्यः (endowed with the left hand/left-hand attribute)

• साभयेतरपाणिकम्: having (one hand in) abhaya and the other hand (in another gesture/holding something)
• साभयेतरपाणिकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-अभय-इतर-पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः: अभयः (abhaya-mudrā) यस्य, इतरः पाणिः (other hand) च—‘with one hand showing fearlessness, the other (hand) ...’

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having meditated’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya); प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• प्रजपेत्: should recite (japa)
• प्रजपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• सहस्रम्: a thousand (times)
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); संख्यावाचक (numeral used substantively)

• विजितेन्द्रियः: one who has conquered the senses
• विजितेन्द्रियः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजित-इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom.), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used adjectivally): विजितानि इन्द्रियाणि येन (one whose senses are conquered)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the dhyana-japa procedure)

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 links inner visualization (dhyāna) with disciplined repetition (japa), teaching that mantra-fruit arises when the senses are restrained and the deity is held steadily in awareness.

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

By prescribing meditation on the deity’s fear-removing gesture (abhaya), it cultivates surrender and trust; the thousandfold japa becomes a steady act of devotional remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights procedural precision—dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditative iconography), japa-saṅkhyā (fixed count), and indriya-nigraha (sense-control)—key technical elements used in mantra-prayoga.