Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

मंत्रेण पुटितांश्चापि प्रणवाद्यांस्ततो न्यसेत् । गायत्र्या पुटुतं मंत्रं विन्यसेन्मातृकास्थले ॥ ३४ ॥

Transliteration

maṃtreṇa puṭitāṃścāpi praṇavādyāṃstato nyaset | gāyatryā puṭutaṃ maṃtraṃ vinyasenmātṛkāsthale || 34 ||

Translation

Ensuite, qu’on établisse (par nyāsa) les syllabes commençant par le Praṇava (Oṃ), « scellées » (pūṭita) par le mantra. Et le mantra fortifié par la Gāyatrī doit être installé au siège des Mātṛkās, la matrice des lettres.

Word by Word

• मन्त्रेण: by/with the mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• पुटितान्: enclosed; ‘wrapped’
• पुटितान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुटित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पुट्/पुट् ‘to enclose/pack’ (धातु))
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

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

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण/सम्भावना particle): ‘also/even’

• प्रणव-आद्यान्: (syllables) beginning with praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणव-आद्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘प्रणवादयः’)

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रम/अनन्तर/adverb): ‘then/thereafter’

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• गायत्र्या: with the Gāyatrī (mantra)
• गायत्र्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• पुटुतम्: well-enclosed; properly ‘saṃpuṭita’
• पुटुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुटुत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘well-enclosed’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• विन्यसेत्: should arrange/place
• विन्यसेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नि + अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मातृका-स्थले: in the place/seat of the mātṛkās (letters)
• मातृका-स्थले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृका (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘मातृकायाः स्थलम्’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on technical ritual procedure)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri
• Pranava (Om)
• Matrikas

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-power is stabilized through samskāra (puṭa/“sealing”) and nyāsa—internalizing sacred sound (Praṇava and the letter-matrix) so the practitioner’s body-mind becomes a fit locus for worship and realization.

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

By prescribing disciplined installation of Praṇava and the Gāyatrī-empowered mantra, it frames devotion as a sanctified practice: the devotee prepares oneself as an abode of the deity through purified sound and correct ritual placement.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-vidyā and phonetic/letter awareness (linked to Śikṣā and the Mātṛkā alphabet tradition), emphasizing correct ritual application of syllables (Praṇava, Gāyatrī) via nyāsa.