Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा मुनिस्तु गायत्री छन्दोऽनुष्टुबुदाहृतम् । देवता नृहरिश्चास्य सर्वेष्टफलदायकः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

brahmā munistu gāyatrī chando'nuṣṭubudāhṛtam | devatā nṛhariścāsya sarveṣṭaphaladāyakaḥ || 16 ||

Translation

Pour ce (mantra/rite), Brahmā est proclamé ṛṣi, le Voyant; le mètre est dit Anuṣṭubh; et la divinité est Nṛhari (Viṣṇu Homme-Lion), qui accorde le fruit de tous les buts désirés.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — emphasis/contrast ‘indeed/but’

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī (meter)
• गायत्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• छन्दः: meter
• छन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनुष्टुप्: Anuṣṭubh
• अनुष्टुप्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुष्टुप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (छन्दोनाम), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उदाहृतम्: is declared
• उदाहृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-आ-√हृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘said/declared’

• देवता: deity (presiding deity)
• देवता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृहरिः: Nṛhari (Narasimha)
• नृहरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृहरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• अस्य: of this (mantra)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्व-इष्ट-फल-दायकः: giver of all desired results
• सर्व-इष्ट-फल-दायकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + इष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + दायक (कृदन्त, √दा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (सर्वेष्टस्य फलस्य दायकः)

Speaker

Narada (within a Narada–Sanatkumara style instructional frame; verse gives mantra-lakṣaṇa identifiers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Nṛhari (Narasimha/Vishnu)
• Gayatri
• Anuṣṭubh

FAQs

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

It states the classical mantra-identifiers—ṛṣi, chandas, and devatā—showing that correct Vedic application culminates in devotion to Nṛhari, the giver of all desired spiritual and worldly fruits.

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

By naming Nṛhari (Viṣṇu as Narasiṁha) as the presiding deity and the bestower of results, it centers the technical mantra framework on Viṣṇu-bhakti as the efficacious refuge.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (a Vedāṅga) is explicitly invoked via the Anuṣṭubh metre, along with the standard ritual-grammar of mantra usage: knowing the ṛṣi, metre, and deity before recitation.