Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

स्त्रीपुंनपुंसकात्मानस्ते मंत्रास्तु त्रिधा मताः । स्त्रीमंत्रास्तु द्विठांताः स्युः पुंमंत्रा हुंफडंतकाः ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

strīpuṃnapuṃsakātmānaste maṃtrāstu tridhā matāḥ | strīmaṃtrāstu dviṭhāṃtāḥ syuḥ puṃmaṃtrā huṃphaḍaṃtakāḥ || 4 ||

Translation

സ്വഭാവപ്രകാരം മന്ത്രങ്ങൾ മൂന്ന് വിധം—സ്ത്രീ, പും, നപുംസക. സ്ത്രീമന്ത്രങ്ങൾ രണ്ട് ‘ഠ’കളിൽ അവസാനിക്കും; പുംമന്ത്രങ്ങൾ ‘ഹും’യും ‘ഫഡ്’യും കൊണ്ട് അവസാനിക്കും।

Word by Word

• स्त्रीपुंनपुंसकात्मानः: having female, male, and neuter nature
• स्त्रीपुंनपुंसकात्मानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्री + पुंस् + नपुंसक + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः: स्त्री- पुं- नपुंसक-आत्मानः (having female/male/neuter nature)

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• त्रिधा: in three ways
• त्रिधा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = in three ways

• मताः: are considered
• मताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय (are considered)

• स्त्रीमन्त्राः: female-type mantras
• स्त्रीमन्त्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः: स्त्रियाः मन्त्राः (mantras of feminine type)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• द्विठान्ताः: ending with 'ṭha' (dvi-ṭhānta)
• द्विठान्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + ठ + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः: ठ-आन्ताः (ending with 'ṭha'); द्वि- (twofold/with two?)—पाठभेदसम्भवः

• स्युः: should be/are
• स्युः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• पुंमन्त्राः: male-type mantras
• पुंमन्त्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस् + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः: पुंसः मन्त्राः (male-type mantras)

• हुंफडन्तकाः: ending with “huṃ phaḍ”
• हुंफडन्तकाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हुं + फड् + अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः: हुं-फड्-अन्तकाः (ending with 'huṃ phaḍ')

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical Vedanga-style exposition on mantra-lakshana)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It frames mantra-usage as a precise sacred science: the “nature” (strī/puṃ/napuṃsaka) and the phonetic ending of a mantra are treated as meaningful markers for correct ritual application and mantra-siddhi.

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

While technical, it supports bhakti-based worship by insisting that devotion is strengthened through proper mantra form—correctly identifying and applying mantras used in pūjā and japa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A practical mantra-lakṣaṇa rule grounded in sound/phonetics (close to Śikṣā): identifying mantra-types by their endings—feminine by dvi-ṭhānta and masculine by huṃ/phaḍ—useful for ritual procedure and recitation discipline.