Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मरंध्रे भ्रुवोर्मध्ये हृन्नाभ्योर्गुह्यपादयोः । मंत्रवर्णान्क्रमान्न्यस्य केशवादीन्प्रविन्यसेत् ॥ ९ ॥

Transliteration

brahmaraṃdhre bhruvormadhye hṛnnābhyorguhyapādayoḥ | maṃtravarṇānkramānnyasya keśavādīnpravinyaset || 9 ||

Translation

En plaçant, dans l’ordre prescrit, les syllabes du mantra au brahma-randhra (sommet de la tête), entre les sourcils, dans le cœur, au nombril, dans la région secrète et aux pieds, qu’on installe ensuite avec soin (nyāsa) les Noms divins à commencer par Keśava.

Word by Word

• brahma-raṃdhre: in the brahma-opening (crown aperture)
• brahma-raṃdhre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + randhra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘ब्रह्मणः रन्ध्रम्’)

• bhruvoḥ: of/between the two eyebrows
• bhruvoḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• hṛt-nābhyoḥ: in/at the heart and navel
• hṛt-nābhyoḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd/hṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + nābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्वे नपुंसकत्वं सम्भवति; अत्र द्विवचन-रूपम्), षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (‘हृद् च नाभिः च’)

• guhya-pādayoḥ: in/at the genitals and the feet
• guhya-pādayoḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (‘गुह्यं च पादौ च’—intended set of loci)

• mantra-varṇān: the syllables/letters of the mantra
• mantra-varṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘मन्त्रस्य वर्णाः’)

• kramāt: in sequence
• kramāt: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे प्रयोगः (in order/stepwise)

• nyasya: having placed (nyāsa)
• nyasya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-as (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘न्यस्य’ = having placed/assigning

• keśava-ādīn: (names) beginning with Keśava, etc.
• keśava-ādīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśava (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘केशवः आदिः येषाम्’—list beginning with Keśava)

• pravi-nyaset: should place/assign properly
• pravi-nyaset: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-vi-ni-as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Keśava

FAQs

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

It teaches nyāsa—sanctifying the practitioner’s body by mapping mantra-syllables and Viṣṇu’s names onto key inner loci—so the body becomes a fit vessel for japa and worship.

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

By ‘installing’ names like Keśava within oneself, devotion becomes internalized: the devotee remembers Viṣṇu not only outwardly in ritual but inwardly through embodied remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical mantra-prayoga: correct krama (sequence) of varṇas (syllables) and the procedural discipline of nyāsa used in orthodox ritual manuals linked with śikṣā (phonetics) and kalpa-style ritual method.