Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 124

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

अष्टलक्षं जपेन्मंत्रं तत्सहस्रं हुनेत्तिलैः । सर्वपापुविनिर्मुक्तो दीर्घमायुः स विंदति ॥ १२४ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭalakṣaṃ japenmaṃtraṃ tatsahasraṃ hunettilaiḥ | sarvapāpuvinirmukto dīrghamāyuḥ sa viṃdati || 124 ||

Translation

Qu’on récite le mantra huit cent mille fois, puis qu’on offre mille oblations au feu avec des graines de sésame. Délivré de tous les péchés, on obtient une longue vie.

Word by Word

• aṣṭa-lakṣam: eight lakhs (800,000)
• aṣṭa-lakṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa + lakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यासमास (द्विगु)

• japet: should recite
• japet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jap (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mantram: the mantra
• mantram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tat-sahasram: that (same) thousand
• tat-sahasram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (तत्-सहस्रम् = that thousand)

• hunet: should offer (into fire)
• hunet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hu (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tilaiḥ: with sesame seeds
• tilaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktaḥ: freed from all sins
• sarva-pāpa-vinirmuktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + pāpa + vinirmukta (कृदन्त; मुच्/मुक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘vinirmukta’; तत्पुरुषसमास

• dīrgha-āyuḥ: long life
• dīrgha-āyuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक) + āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (दीर्घम् आयुः)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vindati: obtains
• vindati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within a Vedanga/ritual-technical discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It presents a precise prayāścitta-style remedy: large-scale mantra-japa followed by sesame-seed homa, promising pāpa-kṣaya (removal of sin) and dīrghāyu (longevity) as ritual fruits.

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

While framed as ritual discipline, sustained mantra-japa cultivates single-pointed remembrance of the deity of the mantra; the homa seals that devotion through sacrificial offering, linking inner bhakti with outer karma-kāṇḍa practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights kalpa/ritual science: fixed numerical counts for japa and homa, and the use of tilāḥ (sesame) as a standard dravya for oblations in expiatory and merit-producing rites.