Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 153

Hanumān-mantra-kathana: Mantra-bheda, Nyāsa, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

आद्यवर्णैः पूरकं स्यात्पञ्चवर्गैश्च कुम्भकम् । रेचकं च पुनर्याद्यैरेवं प्राणान्नियन्य च ॥ १५३ ॥

Transliteration

ādyavarṇaiḥ pūrakaṃ syātpañcavargaiśca kumbhakam | recakaṃ ca punaryādyairevaṃ prāṇānniyanya ca || 153 ||

Translation

આદ્ય વર્ણોથી પૂરક કરવો, પંચવર્ગોથી કુંભક; અને ફરી આદ્ય વર્ણોથી રેચક—આ રીતે પ્રાણોનું નિયમન કરવું.

Word by Word

• आद्यवर्णैः: by the initial syllables
• आद्यवर्णैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आद्य-वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘आद्य’ (first) + ‘वर्ण’ (syllable/letter)

• पूरकम्: inhalation (pūraka)
• पूरकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्यात्: should be / would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पञ्चवर्गैः: by the five groups (of letters)
• पञ्चवर्गैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘पञ्च’ (five) + ‘वर्ग’ (group)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कुम्भकम्: breath-retention (kumbhaka)
• कुम्भकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• रेचकम्: exhalation (recaka)
• रेचकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेचक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• आद्यैः: by the initial (ones)
• आद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• प्राणान्: the breaths / vital airs
• प्राणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), बहुवचन

• नियमन्य: having restrained
• नियमन्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-यम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund) from √यम् with उपसर्ग ‘नि’; ‘having restrained/controlled’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It links prāṇāyāma to sacred sound (varṇa), teaching that breath regulation becomes more focused and purifying when coordinated with mantra/phonetic structure.

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

By disciplining prāṇa through mantra-like letter sequences, the mind becomes steady and fit for sustained remembrance and worship, which supports bhakti as concentrated attention on the divine.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics): it uses the organization of Sanskrit letters (initial sounds and the five vargas) as a technical method to time pūraka–kumbhaka–recaka in practice.