Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

वाङ्मयं निखिलं व्याप्तमाभिरेव मुनीश्वर । ललिताप्रमुखाणां तु षोडशीत्वमुपागता ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

vāṅmayaṃ nikhilaṃ vyāptamābhireva munīśvara | lalitāpramukhāṇāṃ tu ṣoḍaśītvamupāgatā || 23 ||

Translation

おお、牟尼の中の最勝者よ、聖なる言葉の全体はこれらの（形相）によって遍く満たされている。さらにラリターを先頭とする者たちは、まことに「ショーダシー（Ṣoḍaśī）」すなわち「十六」の位に到達した。

Word by Word

• वाङ्मयम्: the whole of speech/literature
• वाङ्मयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाङ्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘speech-made/consisting of speech’

• निखिलम्: entire
• निखिलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• व्याप्तम्: pervaded
• व्याप्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्याप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘pervaded/filled’

• आभिः: by these (goddesses/energies)
• आभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम्/अस्मद्-सम्बद्ध ‘आ’ इति सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक (स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-रूपम्; करण/सहकारक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed/only)

• मुनीश्वर: O lord of sages
• मुनीश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘मुनीनां ईश्वरः’

• ललिता-प्रमुखाणाम्: of those headed by Lalitā
• ललिता-प्रमुखाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललिता (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समूहवाचक, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘ललिता प्रमुखा येषाम्’ (ललिता-आदि)

• तु: but
• तु: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात

• षोडशीत्वम्: the state of being Ṣoḍaśī (sixteenfold)
• षोडशीत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षोडशीत्व (प्रातिपदिक; भाव-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित/त्व-प्रत्ययः ‘state of being sixteenfold/Ṣoḍaśī’

• उपागता: has attained
• उपागता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + √गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/क्त (past active sense in intransitive usage); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘has attained/has reached’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (addressing Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Lalita (Lalitā)

FAQs

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

It frames sacred speech (vāṅmaya)—scripture, mantra, and devotional utterance—as permeated by specific divine mantra-forms, indicating that spiritual realization can be approached through the sanctification and correct use of speech.

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

By emphasizing that the whole realm of sacred expression is pervaded by the divine (here linked with Lalitā and Ṣoḍaśī), it supports bhakti through nāma-japa, stotra, and reverent mantra-recitation as primary devotional practices.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse implicitly points to Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (grammar) as essential supports for mantra—since “vāṅmaya” and mantra-identity depend on precise sound, syllable-count (e.g., sixteenfold Ṣoḍaśī), and correct verbal formation.