Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 198

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

Devanagari script

मालाह्वयो द्विजश्रेष्ट शरनेत्रधराक्षरः । मालामंत्राष्टार्णयोश्च मुन्याद्यर्चा तु पूर्ववत् ॥ १९८ ॥

Transliteration

mālāhvayo dvijaśreṣṭa śaranetradharākṣaraḥ | mālāmaṃtrāṣṭārṇayośca munyādyarcā tu pūrvavat || 198 ||

Translation

Ô le meilleur des brahmanes, l’agencement nommé « Mālā » se compose des syllabes portant les indications de la « flèche » et de l’« œil » ; et, pour le Mālā-mantra de huit syllabes également, le culte commençant par les sages doit être accompli exactement comme il a été dit auparavant.

Word by Word

• मालाह्वयः: (the mantra/name) called ‘Mālāhvaya’
• मालाह्वयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला-आह्वय (प्रातिपदिक; माला + आह्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘मालायाः आह्वयः’ = name connected with mālā)

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी: ‘द्विजानां श्रेष्ठः’)

• शर-नेत्र-धर-अक्षरः: the syllable/name ‘Śaranetradhara’ (one who bears arrow-like eyes)
• शर-नेत्र-धर-अक्षरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + नेत्र + धर + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक; components)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास: ‘शरनेत्रं धरति’ इति (one who bears arrow-like eyes) + ‘अक्षरः’ (syllable/word) used as epithet/name

• माला-मन्त्र-अष्ट-अर्णयोः: of the two eight-syllabled (forms) of the mālā-mantra
• माला-मन्त्र-अष्ट-अर्णयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला + मन्त्र + अष्ट + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक; components)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अर्ण), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘मालामन्त्रस्य अष्टार्णयोः’ = of the two eight-syllabled (forms) of the mālā-mantra

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

• मुनि-आदि-अर्चा: worship (of sages etc.)
• मुनि-आदि-अर्चा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + आदि + अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक; components)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘मुन्यादीनाम् अर्चा’ = worship of sages etc.

• तु: indeed/and then
• तु: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; emphasis/contrast)

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Narada (in instruction/dialogue context with Sanatkumara lineage)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Brahmin (dvija)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined mantra-upāsanā: even when a mantra’s syllables are specified through coded indicators, the practitioner must still follow the full, traditional arcana sequence (ṛṣi and other preliminaries) to keep the practice aligned with śāstric procedure.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through precise worship (arcana) and faithful adherence to the prescribed method—showing that devotion in the Purāṇic tradition is supported by correct mantra-vidhi rather than mere improvisation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects technical mantra-science and ritual procedure (closely tied to Śikṣā/phonetics and Kalpa/ritual method): identifying mantric syllables (akṣara) via indicators and performing the established preliminaries (muny-ādi arcā) exactly “as previously stated.”