Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 116

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

Devanagari script

वेदबीजस्वरूपां च ध्यायेद्वेदप्रसूं सतीम् । ध्यात्वैवं मण्डले विद्वान् त्रिकोणोज्ज्वलकर्णिके ॥ ११६ ॥

Transliteration

vedabījasvarūpāṃ ca dhyāyedvedaprasūṃ satīm | dhyātvaivaṃ maṇḍale vidvān trikoṇojjvalakarṇike || 116 ||

Translation

Hendaknya sang bijak bermeditasi pada Ibu Ilahi yang suci, yang berwujud benih Veda dan melahirkan Veda. Setelah demikian bermeditasi, ia membayangkan Beliau di dalam maṇḍala, pada inti yang bercahaya berbentuk segitiga.

Word by Word

• वेद-बीज-स्वरूपाम्: whose nature is the seed of the Veda
• वेद-बीज-स्वरूपाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—“वेदबीजस्य स्वरूपा”

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

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; “he should meditate”

• वेद-प्रसूम्: the mother/source of the Vedas
• वेद-प्रसूम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—“वेदानां प्रसूः” (producer/mother of the Vedas)

• सतीम्: Satī (the virtuous goddess)
• सतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक; सत्-स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्य/नाम (the virtuous one)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); “having meditated”

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• मण्डले: in the circle/mandala
• मण्डले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विद्वान्: the learned person
• विद्वान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपद (the learned one)

• त्रिकोण-उज्ज्वल-कर्णिके: in the bright triangular pericarp (of the yantra)
• त्रिकोण-उज्ज्वल-कर्णिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिकोण (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—“त्रिकोणे उज्ज्वला कर्णिका”

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Veda-anga/technical meditation context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Veda-bīja
• Veda-prasū (Divine Mother/Goddess)

FAQs

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

It teaches a precise contemplative method: meditating on the Veda’s “seed” as a divine source (Veda-prasū) and then fixing awareness in the maṇḍala’s luminous triangular center, symbolizing concentrated knowledge and creative power.

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

Bhakti appears here as reverential meditation on the sacred source of revelation—approaching Vedic knowledge not merely as text, but as a living divine presence worthy of focused remembrance (dhyāna) and inner worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-yoga/ritual-visualization technique: using a maṇḍala (yantra-like diagram) and concentrating on its trikoṇa (triangle) karṇikā as the locus for dhyāna—an applied, technical discipline aligned with Vedic ritual science.