Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 77

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

त्रयोदशाक्षरो मंत्रो मुनिर्ब्रह्मा विराट् स्मृतम् । छन्दस्तु देवता प्रोक्तो रामः पापौघनाशनः ॥ ७७ ॥

Transliteration

trayodaśākṣaro maṃtro munirbrahmā virāṭ smṛtam | chandastu devatā prokto rāmaḥ pāpaughanāśanaḥ || 77 ||

Translation

C’est un mantra de treize syllabes ; son ṛṣi est Brahmā, et son chandas est Virāṭ. La divinité présidante est déclarée être Rāma, destructeur des amas de péchés.

Word by Word

• त्रयोदशाक्षरः: thirteen-syllabled
• त्रयोदशाक्षरः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदश + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयोदश-अक्षरः = thirteen-syllabled)

• मन्त्रः: mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मुनिः: the sage (ṛṣi of the mantra)
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विराट्: Virāṭ
• विराट्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: is remembered/held to be
• स्मृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः—‘is remembered/considered’

• छन्दः: metre
• छन्दः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Avyaya (अव्यय/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक (particle: ‘indeed/but’)

• देवता: presiding deity
• देवता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रोक्तः: is declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘is said/declared’

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पापौघनाशनः: destroyer of masses of sins
• पापौघनाशनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप + ओघ + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (पापानाम् ओघस्य नाशनः)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Virat
• Rama

FAQs

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

It gives the mantra-lakṣaṇa (mantric profile)—syllable count, ṛṣi, chandas, and devatā—showing that correct Vedic framing of a mantra supports its purpose here: Rāma as the remover of accumulated sin (pāpaugha-nāśana).

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

By naming Rāma as the devatā of the mantra and praising Him as the destroyer of sins, it directs the practitioner toward devotional remembrance and mantra-japa centered on Rāma/Vaiṣṇava worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (meter) and mantra-viniyoga conventions: identifying the mantra’s ṛṣi (Brahmā), chandas (Virāṭ), and devatā (Rāma) for proper recitation and ritual application.