Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 32

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

मनोर्यस्यादिमध्यांते स्यान्मकारचतुष्टयम् । मलिनस्तु स विज्ञेयो ह्यतिक्लेशेन सिद्धिदः ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

manoryasyādimadhyāṃte syānmakāracatuṣṭayam | malinastu sa vijñeyo hyatikleśena siddhidaḥ || 32 ||

Translation

ആദിയിലും മദ്ധ്യത്തിലും അന്തത്തിലും ‘മ’ അക്ഷരം നാലുതവണ വരുന്ന മന്ത്രം ‘മലിനം’ എന്നു അറിയണം; അതു അതിക്ലേശത്തിലൂടെയേ സിദ്ധി നൽകൂ.

Word by Word

• manoḥ: of the mind / of mantra (as 'manor')
• manoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी) Ekavacana (singular)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga (masc) / Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (6th) Ekavacana

• ādi: at the beginning
• ādi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी) Ekavacana; used adverbially with locatives

• madhya: in the middle
• madhya: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Saptamī Ekavacana

• ante: at the end
• ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Saptamī Ekavacana

• syāt: should be / may be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana

• makāra-catuṣṭayam: a set of four 'ma' letters
• makāra-catuṣṭayam: Karta (कर्ता) / Viśeṣya (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makāra (प्रातिपदिक) + catuṣṭaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा) Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: 'of m-kāras'

• malinaḥ: impure / defiled
• malinaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: malina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; predicate adjective

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle), contrastive

• saḥ: that (mantra)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• vijñeyaḥ: is to be known (as)
• vijñeyaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: Kṛtya (कृत्य) gerundive/obligative, Pumliṅga Prathamā Ekavacana; passive sense 'to be known'

• hi: indeed / for
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (particle), emphatic/causal

• ati-kleśena: with excessive hardship
• ati-kleśena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + kleśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd/तृतीया) Ekavacana; instrumental of means; avyayībhāva: 'with excessive hardship'

• siddhi-daḥ: granting success (only)
• siddhi-daḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + da (दा धातु/प्रातिपदिक-आधारित)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; upapada-tatpuruṣa: 'giver of accomplishment'

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It gives a technical mantra-lakṣaṇa (diagnostic rule): certain phonetic patterns are considered “malina” (tainted), meaning results may come only with disproportionate strain—so discernment in mantra choice is emphasized.

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

Indirectly, it protects sādhakas from misguided practice: bhakti and japa should be supported by proper mantra-śāstra guidance so devotion becomes steady and fruitful rather than burdened by avoidable hardship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā/Vyākaraṇa-oriented phonetic analysis—using letter occurrence (here, repeated “ma”) as a criterion in mantra evaluation for efficacy (siddhi) and suitability in practice.