Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

चक्रशं खगदांभोजपदेषु स्वस्वमुद्रया । शेषांश्च न्यासवर्योऽयं विभूतिपञ्जराभिधः ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

cakraśaṃ khagadāṃbhojapadeṣu svasvamudrayā | śeṣāṃśca nyāsavaryo'yaṃ vibhūtipañjarābhidhaḥ || 14 ||

Translation

Aux emplacements du corps dévolus au disque (cakra), à la conque (śaṅkha), à l’épée/la massue (khaḍga/gadā), au lotus et aux pieds, l’on accomplira le nyāsa au moyen de la mudrā propre à chaque emblème. Cette suite d’impositions, éminente, est appelée « Vibhūti-pañjara », la cage protectrice des puissances divines.

Word by Word

• चक्र-शङ्ख-गदा-अम्भोज-पदेषु: in the (hand-)positions of the discus, conch, mace, and lotus
• चक्र-शङ्ख-गदा-अम्भोज-पदेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + गदा (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भोज (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (collective) ‘in the places (hands) of discus, conch, mace, lotus’

• स्व-स्व-मुद्रया: with each respective mudrā
• स्व-स्व-मुद्रया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थः ‘each with its own’ + मुद्रा

• शेषान्: the remaining (ones)
• शेषान्: कर्म (Karman/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• न्यास-वर्यः: the best among nyāsas
• न्यास-वर्यः: विशेषण (Adjectival to अयम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘न्यासेषु वर्यः’ (locative-tatpuruṣa)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: कर्ता/उद्देश्य (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विभूति-पञ्जर-अभिधः: called ‘Vibhūti-pañjara’
• विभूति-पञ्जर-अभिधः: विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्जर (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘विभूति-पञ्जर’ इति अभिधा यस्य (name-bearing) — नामवाचक-विशेषण

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Vedanga/ritual-technical section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Sudarshana Chakra
• Shankha (Panchajanya)
• Gada (Kaumodaki)
• Padma (Lotus)

FAQs

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

It presents a protective devotional discipline (nyāsa) where the sādhaka ‘installs’ Viṣṇu’s divine emblems on the body using their mudrās, forming a vibhūti-pañjara—an inner armor of sacred power grounded in remembrance of the Lord.

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

Bhakti is expressed as embodied remembrance: the devotee aligns body, gesture (mudrā), and sacred symbols (cakra, śaṅkha, gadā, padma) so that worship is not only mental but ritually internalized as constant protection and presence of Viṣṇu.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual-technical procedure—nyāsa and mudrā application—showing the structured, methodical side of practice associated with mantra-vidhi and ancillary disciplines used in Purāṇic-Vedic worship.