Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

जीवं प्राणं च सर्वागे मत्यादित्रितयं हृदि । मूर्द्धास्यहृद्गुह्य पादेष्वथ शब्दादिकान्न्यसेत् ॥ १४ ॥

Transliteration

jīvaṃ prāṇaṃ ca sarvāge matyāditritayaṃ hṛdi | mūrddhāsyahṛdguhya pādeṣvatha śabdādikānnyaset || 14 ||

Translation

On doit placer (par le nyāsa) le jīva et le prāṇa dans tous les membres; la triade commençant par la mati dans le cœur; puis placer le son et le reste sur la tête, la bouche, le cœur, la région secrète et les pieds.

Word by Word

• जीवम्: jīva
• जीवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राणम्: prāṇa
• प्राणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्व-अग्रे: first of all
• सर्व-अग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; लोके अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थः—‘सर्वेषां अग्रे’ (in front of all/first)

• मति-आदि-त्रितयम्: the triad beginning with ‘mati’
• मति-आदि-त्रितयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘मत्यादीनां त्रितयम्’ (the triad beginning with mati)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मूर्धा: (in) the head
• मूर्धा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सूच्य-स्थान-नाम; list item)

• आस्य: (in) the mouth
• आस्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (स्थान-नाम; list item)

• हृत्: (in) the heart
• हृत्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (स्थान-नाम; list item)

• गुह्य: (in) the secret part (genital region)
• गुह्य: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (स्थान-नाम; genital region)

• पादेषु: in the feet
• पादेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; sequence)

• शब्द-आदिकान्: sound etc. (the sense-objects)
• शब्द-आदिकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; ‘those beginning with sound’ (i.e., sound etc.)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches internal consecration (nyāsa): the practitioner sacralizes the body by assigning jīva, prāṇa, the inner faculties, and the subtle sense-principles to specific loci, turning the body into a fit vessel for mantra and worship.

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

By prescribing nyāsa, it supports bhakti as embodied devotion—preparing the body-mind as the Lord’s abode so that recitation and worship become inward, concentrated, and reverential rather than merely external.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects the technical side of Vedic/Paurāṇic ritual application—mantra-nyāsa and viniyoga-like placement—closely aligned with śikṣā (mantra practice) and kalpa (ritual procedure) methods used in structured worship.