Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

मूद्धस्यहृद्गुह्यपादेष्वाकाशादीन्न्यसेत्ततः । हृत्पुंडरीकमर्केन्दुह्निबिंबान्यनुक्रमात् ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

mūddhasyahṛdguhyapādeṣvākāśādīnnyasettataḥ | hṛtpuṃḍarīkamarkenduhnibiṃbānyanukramāt || 16 ||

Translation

Ensuite, qu’on accomplisse le nyāsa en assignant mentalement les éléments, à commencer par l’éther, à la tête, au cœur, à la région secrète et aux pieds ; puis, selon l’ordre prescrit, qu’on contemple dans le lotus du cœur les orbes resplendissants du soleil, de la lune et du feu sacré.

Word by Word

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head (crown)
• मूर्ध्नि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative singular

• अस्य: of him/this
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular (of him/this)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative singular

• गुह्ये: in the secret place (genitals)
• गुह्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative singular

• पादेषु: in the feet
• पादेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; locative plural

• आकाश-आदीन्: space and the rest (elements etc.)
• आकाश-आदीन्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; accusative plural; ‘ākāśa etc.’

• न्यसेत्: should place/assign
• न्यसेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√अस्/न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; parasmaipada

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदर्थे अव्ययम्—अपादान/क्रमसूचक (thereafter/from that)

• हृत्-पुण्डरीकम्: the heart-lotus
• हृत्-पुण्डरीकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्डरीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; accusative singular

• अर्क-इन्दु-अग्नि-बिम्बानि: the discs/forms of the sun, moon, and fire
• अर्क-इन्दु-अग्नि-बिम्बानि: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + बिम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; accusative plural; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

• अनुक्रमात्: in sequence
• अनुक्रमात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनुक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत्; तृतीया/पञ्चमी-रूपेण अव्ययार्थः—क्रमेण (in order/serially)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Agni
• Surya
• Chandra

FAQs

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

It teaches an internalized ritual (nyāsa) where cosmic principles (elements and luminous powers) are installed in the body, turning the practitioner’s body into a sacred field for concentrated meditation.

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

By purifying and sanctifying the inner body through nyāsa and heart-lotus visualization, the mind becomes steady and fit for one-pointed remembrance of the Lord—an essential support for sustained bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects technical discipline akin to kalpa (ritual method) applied inwardly: a step-by-step nyāsa sequence and prescribed visualization order, showing how ritual precision is adapted for meditative practice.