Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 156

Hanumān-mantra-kathana: Mantra-bheda, Nyāsa, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

एकाग्रमनसा मन्त्री दिवारात्रं जपेन्मनुम् । महाभयं प्रदत्वा त्रिभागशेषासु निश्चितम् ॥ १५६ ॥

Transliteration

ekāgramanasā mantrī divārātraṃ japenmanum | mahābhayaṃ pradatvā tribhāgaśeṣāsu niścitam || 156 ||

Translation

L’esprit fixé en un seul point, le pratiquant de mantra doit répéter le mantra jour et nuit. Après avoir offert la « grande crainte » (mahābhaya) prescrite, comme peine ou expiation, le reste doit être établi selon la triple répartition déterminée.

Word by Word

• एकाग्रमनसा: with a concentrated mind
• एकाग्रमनसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकाग्र-मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘एकाग्र’ (one-pointed) + ‘मनस्’ (mind)

• मन्त्री: the mantra-practitioner
• मन्त्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/Nominative), एकवचन

• दिवारात्रम्: day and night
• दिवारात्रम्: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा-रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverbial): ‘day and night’

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मनुम्: the mantra
• मनुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्‍त्र/मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; अत्र ‘मन्त्र’ अर्थे

• महाभयम्: great fear
• महाभयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘महत् भयम्’

• प्रदत्वा: having bestowed
• प्रदत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having given/bestowed’

• त्रिभागशेषासु: in the remaining three portions
• त्रिभागशेषासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-भाग-शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), बहुवचन; ‘त्रिभाग’ (three parts) + ‘शेष’ (remaining) → ‘in the remaining three parts’ (i.e., remaining portions)

• निश्चितम्: is determined/fixed
• निश्चितम्: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-चित् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘निश्चित’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयभावे ‘it is fixed/decided’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/ritual-technical section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It emphasizes ekāgratā (one-pointed concentration) and uninterrupted japa as the core discipline of mantra-sādhana, presenting steadiness in practice as the means to overcome fear and instability.

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

While framed as technical instruction, continuous remembrance through japa functions as sustained devotion—keeping the mind fixed on the deity/mantra without gaps across day and night.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects procedural ritual logic: regulated japa, acknowledgement of prescribed expiation/penalty (prayāścitta), and adherence to a defined threefold allocation of the remaining ritual components.