Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Bhāgīratha’s Bringing of the Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

शान्तिश्च कीदृशी प्रोक्ता को मन्त्रोऽष्टाक्षरो मुने । को वा द्वादशवर्णश्च मुने तत्त्वार्थकोविद ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

śāntiśca kīdṛśī proktā ko mantro'ṣṭākṣaro mune | ko vā dvādaśavarṇaśca mune tattvārthakovida || 21 ||

Translation

Bagaimanakah Śānti (upacara penenteraman) diajarkan? Wahai muni, manakah mantra beraksara delapan? Dan manakah mantra beraksara dua belas, wahai resi yang mahir dalam makna hakikat?

Word by Word

• शान्तिः: peace
• शान्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• कीदृशी: of what kind?
• कीदृशी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-विशेषण

• प्रोक्ता: is said/declared
• प्रोक्ता: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कः: who/which?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• मन्त्रः: mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अष्टाक्षरः: eight-syllabled
• अष्टाक्षरः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (अष्टौ अक्षराणि यस्य/अष्टाक्षरः = eight-syllabled)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• कः: which?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• द्वादशवर्णः: twelve-syllabled
• द्वादशवर्णः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वादश वर्णाः यस्य = twelve-syllabled/lettered)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• तत्त्वार्थकोविद: O knower of the true meaning
• तत्त्वार्थकोविद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व + अर्थ + कोविद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तत्त्वस्य अर्थे कोविदः = knower of the meaning of truth/principles)

Speaker

Narada (questioning Sanatkumara)

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?

This verse frames a core Vaiṣṇava inquiry: the correct understanding of Śānti (pacificatory rites) together with the authoritative mantras (aṣṭākṣarī and dvādaśākṣarī) that support devotion and inner purification.

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

By asking for the specific eight- and twelve-syllabled mantras, the verse points to mantra-japa as a direct instrument of Vishnu-bhakti—devotion grounded in precise sacred sound and proper teaching lineage.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes mantra structure by syllable-count (aṣṭa/dvādaśa), reflecting practical Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa-style precision needed for correct recitation in Narada Purana rituals.