Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 188

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

Devanagari script

तद्बहिर्माययावेष्ट्य प्राणस्थापनमाचरेत् । लिखितं स्वर्णलेखन्या भूर्जपत्रे सुशोभने ॥ १८८ ॥

Transliteration

tadbahirmāyayāveṣṭya prāṇasthāpanamācaret | likhitaṃ svarṇalekhanyā bhūrjapatre suśobhane || 188 ||

Translation

Ensuite, l’ayant envelopé extérieurement d’une protection, qu’on accomplisse le rite d’infusion du souffle vital (prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā). Qu’on l’écrive avec un stylet d’or sur une belle feuille d’écorce de bouleau.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (object/it)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• बहिः: outside, outwardly
• बहिः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मायया: by/with (magical) power/illusion
• मायया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• आवेष्ट्य: having wrapped
• आवेष्ट्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having wrapped/covered’

• प्राणस्थापनम्: installation/establishing of life-breath
• प्राणस्थापनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण-स्थापन (प्रातिपदिक); प्राण + स्थापन
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्राणानां स्थापनम्)

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लिखितम्: written
• लिखितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √लिख् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘written’ (qualifying implied object/yantra/mantra)

• स्वर्णलेखन्या: with a golden stylus/pen
• स्वर्णलेखन्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्णलेखनी (प्रातिपदिक); स्वर्ण + लेखनी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (स्वर्णस्य लेखनी)

• भूर्जपत्रे: on birch-bark leaf
• भूर्जपत्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूर्जपत्र (प्रातिपदिक); भूर्ज + पत्र
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (भूर्जस्य पत्रम्)

• सुशोभने: beautiful, well-adorned
• सुशोभने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुशोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying भूर्जपत्रे)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred inscriptions are not treated as mere text: after preparing and protecting the written form, one performs prāṇa-sthāpana (consecration) so the mantra is approached as a living, ritually empowered presence.

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

By prescribing careful preparation, purity, and consecration of a sacred object, the verse frames devotion as disciplined reverence—honoring the divine through precise, respectful ritual handling of mantra and scripture.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual-technical practice aligned with Kalpa (procedural discipline) and Śikṣā/orthopraxy concerns—how sacred writing materials (bhūrja-patra) and implements (gold stylus) are chosen and how consecration (prāṇa-sthāpana) is performed.