Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

वित्रासस्त्रिदिनं रात्रौ श्मशाने षट्शतं जपेत् । ततो वेताल उत्थाय वदेद्भावि शुभाशुभम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

vitrāsastridinaṃ rātrau śmaśāne ṣaṭśataṃ japet | tato vetāla utthāya vadedbhāvi śubhāśubham || 38 ||

Translation

La nuit, au lieu de crémation, qu’on récite le mantra nommé Vitrāsa six cents fois durant trois nuits. Alors le Vetāla se lèvera et annoncera ce qui doit advenir, l’auspicieux comme le néfaste.

Word by Word

• वित्रासः: (the) fright/terror
• वित्रासः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; abstract noun

• त्रि-दिनम्: for three days
• त्रि-दिनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numeral compound)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• श्मशाने: in the cremation-ground
• श्मशाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• षट्-शतम्: six hundred (times)
• षट्-शतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; count)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध/ततः = thereafter

• वेतालः: the Vetāla (spirit)
• वेतालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having risen’

• वदेत्: should speak/tell
• वदेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भावि: future (things)
• भावि: Karma (कर्म/Object; predicate content)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• शुभ-अशुभम्: good and bad (omens/events)
• शुभ-अशुभम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (itaretara)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada within technical/occult procedures)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vetala
• Shmashana

FAQs

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

It illustrates a technical, results-oriented mantra procedure aimed at gaining knowledge of future outcomes; the text frames it as a specialized practice rather than a general devotional norm.

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

This verse is not primarily bhakti-oriented; it belongs to technical/ritual instruction (a siddhi-style practice) focused on obtaining information, contrasting with devotional practices that seek purity and God-realization.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It aligns most closely with Jyotiṣa-style concern for forecasting auspicious/inauspicious outcomes, expressed through a ritual-mantra method rather than astronomical calculation.