Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 166

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

Devanagari script

अष्टापदी नवपदी सहस्राक्षाक्षरात्मिका । अष्टोत्तरशतं नाम्नां सावित्र्या यः पठेन्नरः ॥ १६६ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭāpadī navapadī sahasrākṣākṣarātmikā | aṣṭottaraśataṃ nāmnāṃ sāvitryā yaḥ paṭhennaraḥ || 166 ||

Translation

Celui qui récite les cent huit noms de Savitrī—elle aux huit pas, aux neuf pas, dont la forme même est faite de mille syllabes—obtient le mérite annoncé pour un tel japa.

Word by Word

• अष्टापदी: eight-footed / eightfold
• अष्टापदी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (eight-footed / eight-pada)

• नवपदी: nine-footed / ninefold
• नवपदी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (nine-footed / nine-pada)

• सहस्र-अक्ष-अक्षर-आत्मिका: whose essence is of a thousand syllables/letters
• सहस्र-अक्ष-अक्षर-आत्मिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + अक्ष + अक्षर + आत्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (having the nature/essence of thousand ‘akṣa/akṣara’)

• अष्टोत्तरशतम्: one hundred and eight
• अष्टोत्तरशतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + उत्तर + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (108)

• नाम्नाम्: of names
• नाम्नाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• सावित्र्या: of Sāvitrī
• सावित्र्या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Vedic/epic usage; ‘of Sāvitrī’)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• पठेत्: should recite
• पठेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष? (actually 3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to यः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Savitrī
• Gāyatrī
• Savitṛ

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that Savitrī (Gāyatrī) is not merely a prayer but a living mantra-śakti with defined metrical forms, and that reciting her 108 names is a focused sādhanā that brings the stated spiritual merit.

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

Bhakti here takes the form of nāma-recitation and reverent japa: honoring Savitrī through her names and structure turns study into worship, aligning the practitioner’s mind with divine mantra-consciousness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Vedāṅga Chandas—awareness of pāda-based metrical patterns (eight- and nine-footed forms) and syllabic constitution—showing that mantra-recitation is traditionally tied to precise meter and phonetic discipline.