Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 137

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

स्फुरद्द्वयं प्रस्फुरेति द्वयं घोरपदं ततः । वदेद्घोरतरं ते तु तनुरूपं च ठद्वयम् ॥ १३७ ॥

Transliteration

sphuraddvayaṃ prasphureti dvayaṃ ghorapadaṃ tataḥ | vadedghorataraṃ te tu tanurūpaṃ ca ṭhadvayam || 137 ||

Translation

ನಂತರ ‘ಸ್ಫುರತ್’ ಎಂಬ ದ್ವಯ ಮತ್ತು ‘ಪ್ರಸ್ಫುರೇತಿ’ ಎಂಬ ದ್ವಯವನ್ನು ಉಚ್ಚರಿಸಿ, ಆಮೇಲೆ ‘ಘೋರ’ ಪದವನ್ನು ಹೇಳಬೇಕು. ಬಳಿಕ ‘ಘೋರತರ’ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿ, ಕೊನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮ-ತನುರೂಪವಾದ ‘ಠ’ ದ್ವಯವನ್ನು ಉಚ್ಚರಿಸಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• स्फुरत्-द्वयम्: the pair ‘sphurat’
• स्फुरत्-द्वयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फुरत् (कृदन्त) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘pair of (the syllable) sphurat’

• प्रस्फुरेति: “prasphureti” (the uttered form)
• प्रस्फुरेति: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + स्फुर् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; mantra-form used as quoted utterance ‘(it) throbs forth’

• द्वयम्: a pair (twice)
• द्वयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• घोरपदम्: the word ‘ghora’
• घोरपदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घोर + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘the “ghora” word/syllable’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

• वदेत्: should say
• वदेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• घोरतरम्: ‘more terrible’ (ghoratara)
• घोरतरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोरतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; comparative (तर) used as mantra-word

• ते: to/for you (enclitic)
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया/चतुर्थी (acc/dat) एकवचन or प्रथमा बहुवचन depending on context; here enclitic particle-like pronoun, संबोधन/अनुयोगार्थ ‘for you/indeed’ (mantra-instructional)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)

• तनुरूपम्: the word/form ‘tanu-rūpa’
• तनुरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘the form (rūpa) “tanu”’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ठ-द्वयम्: the pair ‘ṭha’
• ठ-द्वयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ठ (वर्ण/अव्ययवत्) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘pair of ṭha (syllable)’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that mantra-power is accessed through exact sequence and sound—specific syllable-pairs and graded terms (ghora → ghoratara) are prescribed as a disciplined phonetic procedure rather than casual speech.

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

While not a direct bhakti-stotra, it supports bhakti in practice by insisting on correct mantra-prayoga; devotion becomes effective when accompanied by precise śabda-śuddhi (purity of utterance) and faithful adherence to the taught method.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and mantra-prayoga: the verse gives a technical chanting order using specific sound-units (dvayam) and terms, illustrating how pronunciation and sequencing are treated as ritual science.