Shloka 3

The Greatness of Puruṣottama

Aṣṭākṣarī Maṇḍala-Pūjā and Nyāsa

Devanagari script

एवं मंडलमालिख्य पूजयेत्तत्र मोहिनि । अष्टाक्षरविधानेन नारायणमजं विभुम् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

evaṃ maṃḍalamālikhya pūjayettatra mohini | aṣṭākṣaravidhānena nārāyaṇamajaṃ vibhum || 3 ||

Translation

Ainsi, après avoir tracé le maṇḍala rituel, ô Mohinī, qu’on y vénère Nārāyaṇa — l’Inengendré, le Seigneur qui pénètre tout — selon le rite du mantra aux huit syllabes (aṣṭākṣara).

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• मण्डलम्: a circle/mandala
• मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आलिख्य: having drawn
• आलिख्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लिख् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having drawn’

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• मोहिनि: O Mohinī
• मोहिनि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अष्टाक्षर-विधानेन: by the eight-syllable method/rite
• अष्टाक्षर-विधानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अजम्: unborn
• अजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विभुम्: all-pervading, mighty
• विभुम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"bhakti","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"From completed maṇḍala to focused worship of Nārāyaṇa through mantra-vidhi—calm concentration ripening into devotion."}

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Vishnu
• Mohini

FAQs

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

It teaches that worship becomes focused and sanctified when performed within a consecrated maṇḍala and centered on Nārāyaṇa as the unborn, all-pervading Reality, approached through mantra and proper procedure.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined devotion—drawing the maṇḍala, then offering worship to Nārāyaṇa with the aṣṭākṣara mantra—showing love for Vishnu guided by scriptural method (vidhi).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual procedure and mantra-application (prayoga/vidhi): preparing a maṇḍala and performing mantra-based pūjā with the aṣṭākṣara, reflecting applied knowledge akin to Kalpa (ritual discipline).