Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 175

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

Devanagari script

निविष्टं मम दुःस्वप्नभयं निगडशब्दतः । भयं कान्तारशब्दान्ते भयं विषपदात्ततः ॥ १७५ ॥

Transliteration

niviṣṭaṃ mama duḥsvapnabhayaṃ nigaḍaśabdataḥ | bhayaṃ kāntāraśabdānte bhayaṃ viṣapadāttataḥ || 175 ||

Translation

À cause du bruit des entraves, la crainte d’un mauvais songe s’est emparée de moi. À l’extrémité du murmure de la forêt surgit la peur; et la peur naît aussi à l’énoncé du mot « poison ».

Word by Word

• निविष्टम्: entered/settled (in)
• निविष्टम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-विश् (धातु) → निविष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle used adjectivally

• मम: of me / my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; pronoun

• दुःस्वप्न-भयम्: fear of a bad dream
• दुःस्वप्न-भयम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःस्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दुःस्वप्नस्य भयम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निगड-शब्दतः: from the sound of fetters
• निगड-शब्दतः: अपादान (Source/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निगड (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पञ्चमी-अर्थे तसिल् (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’; ‘निगडशब्द’ = तत्पुरुष (निगडस्य शब्दः)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कान्तार-शब्द-अन्ते: at the end of the word ‘kāntāra’ (forest)
• कान्तार-शब्द-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्तार (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘शब्दान्त’ = तत्पुरुष (शब्दस्य अन्तः); ‘कान्तारशब्द’ = तत्पुरुष (कान्तारस्य शब्दः)

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विष-पदात्: from the word/term ‘viṣa’ (poison) / from the ‘poison’ word-place
• विष-पदात्: अपादान (Source/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; ‘विषपद’ = तत्पुरुष (विषस्य पदम्/स्थानम्)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (then/thereafter)

Speaker

Narrative voice within the Adhyāya (instructional/illustrative verse in a Vedāṅga-technical context; traditionally within the Narada–Sanatkumāra dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It highlights how the mind becomes conditioned by sounds and words—dreams, noises, and verbal cues can trigger fear—implying the need for disciplined speech, hearing, and mental steadiness.

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

By implication, it contrasts fear-producing sounds/words with fear-dispelling remembrance and hearing of auspicious divine names; Bhakti redirects the same faculty of hearing (śravaṇa) toward sacred sound.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to śabda-centered reasoning relevant to Vedāṅga concerns—especially Śikṣā (phonetics) and Nirukta (sense of words)—showing that sound (śabda) and word-units (pada) can produce distinct mental effects used in omen-reading or instruction.