Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 78

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

Devanagari script

जायते तस्य राष्ट्रेषु प्राणेभ्योऽपि महाभयम् । अष्टोत्तरशतमूलमन्त्रमन्त्रितभस्मना ॥ ७८ ॥

Transliteration

jāyate tasya rāṣṭreṣu prāṇebhyo'pi mahābhayam | aṣṭottaraśatamūlamantramantritabhasmanā || 78 ||

Translation

Dans ses royaumes naît une grande terreur—plus grande même que la peur de perdre la vie—lorsque le rite est accompli avec une cendre consacrée par le mantra racine récité cent huit fois.

Word by Word

• जायते: arises
• जायते: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; √जन् (to arise/be born)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• राष्ट्रेषु: in (his) kingdoms/realms
• राष्ट्रेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• प्राणेभ्यः: than life-breaths; than life
• प्राणेभ्यः: अपादान (Ablative of comparison/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी, बहुवचन; तुलनार्थे/अपादाने (ablative: ‘than’)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारण/समुच्चयार्थक (also/even)

• महा-भयम्: great fear
• महा-भयम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject of ‘जायते’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—महच्च तत् भयम् (कर्मधारयः)

• अष्ट-उत्तर-शत-मूल-मन्त्र-मन्त्रित-भस्मना: with ash consecrated by the 108-root-mantra
• अष्ट-उत्तर-शत-मूल-मन्त्र-मन्त्रित-भस्मना: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + भस्मन्/भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः (मुख्यतः तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला): ‘अष्टोत्तरशत’ (=108, द्विगु-भावः) + ‘मूलमन्त्र’ (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष) + ‘मन्त्रितभस्म’ (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयः: mantra-consecrated ash)

Speaker

Sanatkumāra (teaching Nārada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It emphasizes mantra-śakti in ritual practice: ash (bhasma) becomes spiritually effective when sanctified by disciplined japa—here specified as 108 recitations—producing a powerful protective (or fear-inducing to adversaries) effect in the realm.

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

While the verse is primarily technical (prayoga), it implies that efficacy depends on faithful, concentrated mantra-recitation—an act that, when directed to a deity and performed with śraddhā, becomes a form of applied devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual procedure and mantra-application (prayoga) are highlighted: the counted japa of a mūla-mantra (108) and the consecration of a material medium (bhasma) reflect technical knowledge aligned with kalpa-style ritual method and disciplined recitation practices.