Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 79

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

तारो नमो भगवते रामायांते महापदम् । पुरुषाय हृदंतोऽयं मनुरष्टादशाक्षरः ॥ ७९ ॥

Transliteration

tāro namo bhagavate rāmāyāṃte mahāpadam | puruṣāya hṛdaṃto'yaṃ manuraṣṭādaśākṣaraḥ || 79 ||

Translation

「tāra」（すなわち Oṁ）に始まり、「namo bhagavate」を唱え、末尾を「rāmāya」とする—これが大いなる聖句である。さらに「puruṣāya」を結び、心中に保持するなら、このマントラは十八音節（aṣṭādaśākṣara）の法となる。

Word by Word

• तारः: the syllable ‘tāra’ (oṃ)
• तारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Avyaya (अव्यय/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभूत)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक (salutatory particle), सामान्यतः चतुर्थी-योग्य

• भगवते: to the Lord
• भगवते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• रामाय: to Rāma
• रामाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• महापदम्: the great word/term
• महापदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (महद् पदम्)

• पुरुषाय: to the Puruṣa (Supreme Person)
• पुरुषाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• हृदन्तः: (placed) within the heart
• हृदन्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (हृदः अन्तः = ‘in the heart/inner’)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मनुः: mantra
• मनुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्‍त्र/मन्‍तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘मन्त्रः’ इत्यर्थे

• अष्टादशाक्षरः: eighteen-syllabled
• अष्टादशाक्षरः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (eighteen-syllabled)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Rama
• Purusha
• Om (Tara)

FAQs

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

It defines a specific aṣṭādaśākṣara (18-syllable) mantra-formula centered on the Lord as Rāma/Puruṣa, emphasizing that true efficacy comes from internalizing it in the heart, not merely reciting it outwardly.

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

Bhakti is expressed as reverential surrender—‘namo bhagavate’—and loving identification of the Lord as Rāma and the Supreme Person, practiced through japa and steady heart-centered remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-vidya with technical attention to mantra-structure (akṣara-count) and disciplined application (japa with hṛdaya-nidhāna), aligning with Vedanga-style precision in sacred recitation and formulation.