Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 54

Śeṣoditya-Sūrya-nyāsa, Soma-sādhana, Graha-pūjā, and Bhauma-vrata-vidhi

Devanagari script

आद्यं बीजं नमः शक्तिर्विनियोगोऽखिलाप्तये । षड्दीर्घेण स्वबीजेन षडंगानि समाचरेत् ॥ ५४ ॥

Transliteration

ādyaṃ bījaṃ namaḥ śaktirviniyogo'khilāptaye | ṣaḍdīrgheṇa svabījena ṣaḍaṃgāni samācaret || 54 ||

Translation

ആദ്യ ബീജം ‘നമഃ’പൂർവം; അതുതന്നെ ശക്തി, അതിന്റെ വിനിയോഗം സർവലക്ഷ്യപ്രാപ്തിക്കായി. സ്വബീജം ആറു ദീർഘസ്വരങ്ങളോടെ ചേർത്ത് ഷഡംഗ-ന്യാസം ആചരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• आद्यम्: first/primary
• आद्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (बीजम् इति)

• बीजम्: seed-syllable
• बीजम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• नमः: obeisance
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (नमः इति नमस्कारार्थक-निपात/उद्गार)

• शक्तिः: power (śakti)
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विनियोगः: application/assignment (viniyoga)
• विनियोगः: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + नियोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अखिलाप्तये: for attaining all (results)
• अखिलाप्तये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिल + आप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भावे तत्पुरुषः (अखिलस्य आप्तिः)

• षड्दीर्घेण: with the six-long (form)
• षड्दीर्घेण: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड् + दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (षड्दीर्घः = षण्णां दीर्घाणां समाहारः/युक्तः)

• स्वबीजेन: with one’s own seed-syllable
• स्वबीजेन: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य बीजम्)

• षडङ्गानि: the six limbs (aṅgas)
• षडङ्गानि: Karma (कर्म/द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड् + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (षडङ्गानि = षण्णाम् अङ्गानाम् समाहारः)

• समाचरेत्: should perform/practise
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada within the Vedanga/ritual-technical discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

FAQs

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

It frames mantra-practice as a disciplined procedure: the bīja is empowered through “namaḥ,” its purpose is declared via viniyoga, and the practitioner stabilizes the mantra in the body through ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa for comprehensive attainment (akhilāpti).

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

By emphasizing “namaḥ” (humble surrender) as integral to the bīja, it aligns mantra-technology with devotional posture—power is not merely technical but invoked through reverence and dedication of the act to the intended spiritual aim.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual method: viniyoga (formal statement of mantra’s purpose) and ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa (placing mantra-power into six bodily loci), a technical discipline closely tied to śikṣā (phonetics/recitation) and kalpa (ritual procedure).