Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

ध्रुवो वियद्बिंदुयुतं खं खखोल्काय दृन्मनुः । नवार्णाय च मनवे मूर्तिं संकल्पयेत्सुधीः ॥ २८ ॥

Transliteration

dhruvo viyadbiṃduyutaṃ khaṃ khakholkāya dṛnmanuḥ | navārṇāya ca manave mūrtiṃ saṃkalpayetsudhīḥ || 28 ||

Translation

Le pratiquant avisé doit, en son esprit, visualiser la forme sacrée (mūrti) du mantra à neuf syllabes : la syllabe « kha », jointe à « viyat » (le ciel) et au bindu, fermement fixée (dhruva) dans la contemplation ; puis il appliquera, selon la règle, la formation du mantra « kha-kholkā » et du mantra dṛn, tels qu’ils sont prescrits.

Word by Word

• dhruvaḥ: Dhruva (the Pole Star/deity Dhruva)
• dhruvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• viyat-bindu-yutam: endowed with sky-like dots (stars)
• viyat-bindu-yutam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viyat (प्रातिपदिक) + bindu (प्रातिपदिक) + yuta (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वियतः बिन्दुभिः युतम् = ‘sky-dots endowed’)

• kham: the sky/space
• kham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• khakholkāya: for the sky-sphere (celestial orb)
• khakholkāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kha (प्रातिपदिक) + kholkā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (खस्य खोल्का = ‘sky-sphere/orb’)

• dṛt-manuḥ: the firm-minded one (lit. steadfast Manu)
• dṛt-manuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दृढः मनुः/दृढमनाः)

• nava-arṇāya: for the nine-syllabled (mantra/form)
• nava-arṇāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नवानि अर्णानि यस्य/नव-अर्णम् = ‘nine-syllabled/with nine letters’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• manave: for Manu
• manave: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• mūrtim: a form/image
• mūrtim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• saṃkalpayet: should कल्पना/visualize, should conceive
• saṃkalpayet: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ√kḷp (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• su-dhīḥ: the wise person
• su-dhīḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सु-धीः = ‘good/intelligent-minded’)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/vedanga-mantra context, as preserved in Narada Purana Book 1.3)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-practice is not only recitation but also precise inner construction (saṅkalpa) of the mantra’s form—steadying the mind (dhruva) and contemplating phonetic elements like bindu and syllables as part of disciplined sādhanā.

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

Even when the topic is technical, the verse supports bhakti by emphasizing focused contemplation of the mantra’s embodied form (mūrti), which turns sound (śabda) into a devotional, meditative presence.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-phonetics and structured application—use of bindu, syllable-forms, and prescribed mantra-construction—aligned with Śikṣā (phonetics) and related ritual-method (prayoga/nyāsa-style) discipline.