Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

Hayagrīva-pūjā-vyākhyāna

Worship Procedure and Mantra-Siddhi of Hayagrīva

Devanagari script

चंद्राक्षिरामबाणेंषु नेत्रसंख्यैर्मनूद्भवैः । वर्णैः षडंगं कृत्वा च मूर्ध्नि भाले च नेत्रयोः ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

caṃdrākṣirāmabāṇeṃṣu netrasaṃkhyairmanūdbhavaiḥ | varṇaiḥ ṣaḍaṃgaṃ kṛtvā ca mūrdhni bhāle ca netrayoḥ || 3 ||

Translation

Avec les lettres issues des mantras—en nombre égal à celui des yeux—qu’on accomplisse le nyāsa aux six membres (ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa), en les posant sur le sommet de la tête, sur le front et sur les deux yeux, selon le groupe mantrique commençant par « Caṃdrākṣi, Rāma, Bāṇa… ».

Word by Word

• चन्द्र-अक्षि-राम-बाणेषु: in (the places of) moon, eye, Rāma, and arrows
• चन्द्र-अक्षि-राम-बाणेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + राम (प्रातिपदिक) + बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नेत्र-संख्यैः: by (letters) equal in number to the eyes
• नेत्र-संख्यैः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (Masculine/Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मनु-उद्भवैः: born from Manu
• मनु-उद्भवैः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (Masculine/Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वर्णैः: with letters/syllables
• वर्णैः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• षडङ्गम्: the sixfold set (six limbs)
• षडङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृत्वा: having made/after forming
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• भाले: on the forehead
• भाले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नेत्रयोः: of the two eyes
• नेत्रयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

Speaker

Narada (teaching within a Vedanga/ritual-technical context, traditionally framed as instruction received from the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Rama

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra is not only recited but ritually internalized through ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa, sanctifying perception (the eyes) and the seat of awareness (head/forehead) so the practitioner becomes a fit vessel for divine power.

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

By prescribing mantra-nyāsa connected with sacred names (such as Rāma), it shows bhakti expressed through disciplined ritual attention—devotion embodied as careful placement, remembrance, and reverent identification with the deity’s mantra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical mantra-prayoga: using specific varṇas (syllables) in a counted manner and applying ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa to prescribed body locations—an applied interface of Śikṣā (phonetics), Kalpa (ritual procedure), and mantra-vidyā.