Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 165

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

Devanagari script

षडंगमंत्रास्ताराद्याः फट्नमोंताः प्रकीर्तिताः । तारस्त्रैलोक्यशब्दांते मोहनेति पदं वदेत् ॥ १६५ ॥

Transliteration

ṣaḍaṃgamaṃtrāstārādyāḥ phaṭnamoṃtāḥ prakīrtitāḥ | tārastrailokyaśabdāṃte mohaneti padaṃ vadet || 165 ||

Translation

Les mantras auxiliaires à six membres (ṣaḍaṅga) sont enseignés comme commençant par la syllabe sacrée Oṁ (tārā) et se terminant par «phaṭ» et «namaḥ». Après avoir prononcé Oṁ, à la fin du mot «trailokya», qu’on dise le terme «mohane».

Word by Word

• षड्-अङ्ग-मन्त्राः: the six-limbed mantras
• षड्-अङ्ग-मन्त्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; द्विगुसमास: ‘षडङ्गाः मन्त्राः’ (six-limbed mantras)

• तारा-आद्याः: beginning with ‘tārā’
• तारा-आद्याः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तारा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘तारा आदिः येषाम्’ (beginning with ‘tārā’)

• फट्-नमः-अन्ताः: ending with ‘phaṭ’ and ‘namaḥ’
• फट्-नमः-अन्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फट् (अव्यय/निपात) + नमः (अव्यय) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘फट्-नमः अन्ते येषाम्’ (ending with ‘phaṭ’ and ‘namaḥ’)

• प्रकीर्तिताः: are proclaimed/declared
• प्रकीर्तिताः: Kriya (क्रिया/भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of मन्त्राः)

• तारः: ‘tāra’ (the syllable/word)
• तारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• त्रैलोक्य-शब्द-अन्ते: at the end of the word ‘trailokya’
• त्रैलोक्य-शब्द-अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग: ‘त्रैलोक्यशब्दस्य अन्ते’ (at the end of the word ‘trailokya’)

• मोहने-इति: (the word) ‘mohane’ (thus)
• मोहने-इति: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मोहने (प्रातिपदिक) + इति (अव्यय)
• Form: ‘इति’ इत्यनेन मन्त्रपद-निर्देशः; मोहने = स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (मन्त्रपद-रूपे)

• पदम्: word; term
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• वदेत्: should say
• वदेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical Vedanga/mantra-vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Om (Tārā)

FAQs

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

It codifies a precise mantra-structure (beginning with Oṁ and ending with phaṭ/namaḥ), showing that efficacy in ritual speech depends on correct phonetic and procedural formulation—an emphasis typical of the Purana’s Vedanga-oriented sections.

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

While primarily technical, it indirectly supports bhakti by insisting that devotional worship using mantras should follow proper vidhi (correct form and endings), so the practitioner’s reverence is expressed through disciplined, accurate recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-vidhi and phonetic/grammatical precision: the verse specifies mantra components (Oṁ as prefix; phaṭ/namaḥ as endings) and placement of a functional term (“mohane”), reflecting applied Śikṣā/Vyākaraṇa-style attention to correct utterance and construction.