Shloka 22

The Greatness of Puruṣottama

Aṣṭākṣarī Maṇḍala-Pūjā and Nyāsa

Devanagari script

पद्ममध्ये न्यसेद्विष्णुं भुवनस्यांतरस्य तु । ततो विचिंत्य हृदये प्रणवं ज्योतिरुत्तमम् ॥ २२ ॥

Transliteration

padmamadhye nyasedviṣṇuṃ bhuvanasyāṃtarasya tu | tato viciṃtya hṛdaye praṇavaṃ jyotiruttamam || 22 ||

Translation

ໃຫ້ວາງພຣະວິສນຸໄວ້ກາງດອກບົວ—ໃນຊ່ອງວ່າງພາຍໃນຂອງຈັກກະວານ. ແລ້ວຈຶ່ງພິຈາລະນາໃນດວງໃຈ ສະມາທິຕໍ່ພຣະປຣະນະວະ (Oṁ) ອັນເປັນແສງສູງສຸດ.

Word by Word

• पद्ममध्ये: in the lotus-center
• पद्ममध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म-मध्य (प्रातिपदिक; पद्म + मध्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘पद्मस्य मध्ये’ (in the middle of the lotus)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/√न्यस् (धातु; न्यासे)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should place/install’

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• भुवनस्य: of the world
• भुवनस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अन्तरस्य: of the interior
• अन्तरस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘inner/interior’

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चय/विरोध/विशेषणार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—अपादान/क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (then/from that)

• विचिन्त्य: having contemplated
• विचिन्त्य: Purvakala-Kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-√चिन्त् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having contemplated’

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• प्रणवम्: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; ‘ओंकारः’

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; रूपं ‘ज्योतिः’ (neuter -is stem)

• उत्तमम्: supreme
• उत्तमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘श्रेष्ठम्’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Pranava (Om)

FAQs

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

It teaches an inner worship (mānasa-pūjā) method: establish Viṣṇu in the heart-lotus and then merge attention into Oṁ as the highest light, linking personal devotion to non-dual contemplative awareness.

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

Bhakti is expressed as intimate remembrance—placing Viṣṇu at the center of one’s inner lotus—so devotion becomes continuous meditation, culminating in absorption in the divine radiance signified by Praṇava.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It practically applies mantra-vidyā through the Praṇava (Oṁ) and meditative visualization; while not a technical Vedāṅga lesson, it aligns with śikṣā (correct mantra focus) and kalpa-oriented internal ritual (mānasa-dhyāna).