Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 107

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

मूलाधारे गुदे न्यस्येत्पदान्यष्टादश क्रमात् । गुणैकद्विचतुः षड्भिर्वसुपर्वनवाष्टभिः ॥ १०७ ॥

Transliteration

mūlādhāre gude nyasyetpadānyaṣṭādaśa kramāt | guṇaikadvicatuḥ ṣaḍbhirvasuparvanavāṣṭabhiḥ || 107 ||

Translation

Au mūlādhāra, dans la région de l’anus, on doit accomplir le nyāsa en plaçant, dans l’ordre, les syllabes du mantra—dix-huit successivement—réparties en groupes de trois, un, deux, quatre et six, ainsi qu’en séries de huit, cinq, neuf et huit.

Word by Word

• मूलाधारे: in the mūlādhāra (root-support center)
• मूलाधारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूलाधार (प्रातिपदिक; मूल + आधार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मूलस्य आधारः)

• गुदे: in the anus/rectal region
• गुदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• न्यस्येत्: should place/assign
• न्यस्येत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/न्यस् (धातु; न्यासे)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पदानि: syllables/words (padas)
• पदानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• अष्टादश: eighteen
• अष्टादश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश (प्रातिपदिक; अष्ट + दश)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (संख्यावाचक)

• क्रमात्: in order, sequentially
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावार्थे तृतीया/पञ्चमी-रूपेण अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; अर्थः ‘क्रमेण/यथाक्रमम्’

• गुण: (by) guṇa-count
• गुण: Nirdharana/Count-marker (निर्धारण/गणनासूचक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (गणनासूचके पदे)

• एक: one
• एक: Nirdharana/Count-marker (निर्धारण/गणनासूचक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• द्वि: two
• द्वि: Nirdharana/Count-marker (निर्धारण/गणनासूचक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• चतुः: four
• चतुः: Nirdharana/Count-marker (निर्धारण/गणनासूचक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (प्रयोगे ‘चतुर्’ → ‘चतुः’)

• षड्भिः: with six (as units)
• षड्भिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• वसु: (by) vasu-count (eight)
• वसु: Nirdharana/Count-marker (निर्धारण/गणनासूचक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (गणनामात्रे), प्रथमा, एकवचन; (गणनासूचके पदे)

• पर्व: (by) parva-count (joints/segments)
• पर्व: Nirdharana/Count-marker (निर्धारण/गणनासूचक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (गणनासूचके पदे)

• नव: nine
• नव: Nirdharana/Count-marker (निर्धारण/गणनासूचक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• अष्टभिः: with eight (as units)
• अष्टभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical Vedāṅga/ritual-yoga context; dialogue tradition commonly framed with Sanatkumāra-line interlocution in this section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Muladhara

FAQs

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

It gives a precise, count-based instruction for performing mantra-nyāsa at the mūlādhāra region, indicating that inner ritual (placing mantra-units on the body/subtle centers) must be done with exact sequence and prescribed numerical divisions.

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

While primarily technical, it supports bhakti-sādhana by prescribing disciplined mantra practice; careful nyāsa is presented as a way to internalize the deity/mantra in the practitioner’s body, strengthening focused devotional absorption.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights procedural/technical knowledge used in ritual-mantra application—ordered placement (krama) and numerical grouping (saṅkhyā-vibhāga) of mantra units, a hallmark of applied śāstra in the Vedāṅga-oriented portion of the Narada Purana.