Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 160

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

Devanagari script

आभ्यामष्टादशक्लिपः स्याद्विंशत्यक्षरो मनुः । शालग्रामे मणौ यंत्रे मंडले प्रतिमासु वा ॥ १६० ॥

Transliteration

ābhyāmaṣṭādaśaklipaḥ syādviṃśatyakṣaro manuḥ | śālagrāme maṇau yaṃtre maṃḍale pratimāsu vā || 160 ||

Translation

Par ces deux (syllabes), on agence une forme de mantra composée de dix-huit éléments; la formule sacrée devient un mantra de vingt syllabes. On peut l’appliquer sur une pierre de Śālagrāma, sur une gemme, sur un yantra rituel, dans un maṇḍala consacré, ou encore sur des images (pratimās).

Word by Word

• ābhyām: by these two
• ābhyām: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual; pronoun 'by these two' (refers to the two mantras/bījas)

• aṣṭādaśa-klipaḥ: eighteen-fold/with eighteen components
• aṣṭādaśa-klipaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭādaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + klipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; द्विगु-समासः (having eighteen parts/arrangement)

• syāt: would be / should be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• viṃśati-akṣaraḥ: twenty-syllabled
• viṃśati-akṣaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; agrees with 'manuḥ'; द्विगु-समासः (twenty-syllabled)

• manuḥ: the mantra
• manuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular; 'mantra' sense

• śālagrāme: in a Śālagrāma stone
• śālagrāme: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śālagrāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• maṇau: in a gem
• maṇau: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• yantre: in a yantra diagram
• yantre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• maṇḍale: in a maṇḍala
• maṇḍale: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• pratimāsu: in images/idols
• pratimāsu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Vedanga/ritual-technical context to the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shalagrama

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-power is not only recited but also ritually installed on sacred supports (Śālagrāma, yantra, maṇḍala, images), making devotion and worship more tangible and rule-governed.

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

By permitting mantra-application to Śālagrāma and pratimās, it frames bhakti as disciplined worship where the devotee approaches the divine through sanctified forms and properly constructed mantras.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical mantra-vidyā: counting and structuring akṣaras (syllables) and prescribing correct ritual loci (yantra/maṇḍala/pratimā) for mantra-installation.