Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 87

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

नमो ग्रीवामकर्णेंदुस्थितौ पाश इमं ततः । दीपं गृहाण अमुकं रक्ष रक्ष पदं पुनः ॥ ८७ ॥

Transliteration

namo grīvāmakarṇeṃdusthitau pāśa imaṃ tataḥ | dīpaṃ gṛhāṇa amukaṃ rakṣa rakṣa padaṃ punaḥ || 87 ||

Translation

帰命！おお頸に住するパーシャ（羂索）よ——耳に月を飾る者よ——しかるのち、某某よりこの灯明を受け取りたまえ。守護せよ、守護せよ、重ねてこの処／この歩みを。

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), नमस्कारार्थक निपात (salutatory particle)

• ग्रीवामकर्णेन्दुस्थितौ: in/at (the one) situated at the neck, ‘ma’, ear, and moon (mantra-nyāsa location)
• ग्रीवामकर्णेन्दुस्थितौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीवा + म + कर्ण + इन्दु + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (ग्रीवायाम्… कर्णे… इन्दौ… स्थितः—तस्मिन्)

• पाश: O Pāśa
• पाश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (demonstrative)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (sequencing adverb)

• दीपम्: the lamp
• दीपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• गृहाण: take/accept
• गृहाण: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अमुकम्: such-and-such (specified)
• अमुकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); अनिर्दिष्टवाचक (indefinite ‘such-and-such’)

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• रक्ष: protect (again/emphatically)
• रक्ष: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• पदम्: the word/step
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), पुनरावृत्तिवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of repetition)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada a mantra-prayoga in the Vedanga/ritual-technical context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Pāśa (noose-power)
• Indu (Moon)

FAQs

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

It functions as a protective mantra-prayoga: the practitioner salutes a binding/protective power symbolized as “Pāśa,” offers a lamp, and repeatedly invokes protection over a specified locus (pada), emphasizing safeguarding through mantra plus ritual act.

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

Bhakti appears here as reverential address (namo) and offering (dīpa-grahaṇa) joined with reliance on divine protection (rakṣa). Even in technical sections, devotion is expressed through surrender and ritualized remembrance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It shows mantra-prayoga conventions used in ritual/auxiliary sciences: use of a name-placeholder (amuka), imperative repetitions for emphasis (rakṣa rakṣa), and coupling a spoken formula with a concrete rite (lamp offering) for a protective objective.