Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

मूर्द्धास्यनेत्रश्रवणघ्राणेषु च तृतीयकाः । दोःपादसंध्यंगुलिषु वेदावृत्त्या च विन्यसेत् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

mūrddhāsyanetraśravaṇaghrāṇeṣu ca tṛtīyakāḥ | doḥpādasaṃdhyaṃguliṣu vedāvṛttyā ca vinyaset || 11 ||

Translation

മൂന്നാമത്തെ ഘടകങ്ങളെ ശിരോമൂർദ്ധം, മുഖം, കണ്ണുകൾ, ചെവികൾ, ഘ്രാണം എന്നിവിടങ്ങളിൽ ന്യാസം ചെയ്യണം. കൂടാതെ വേദാവൃത്തി പ്രകാരം ഭുജ-പാദങ്ങളുടെ സന്ധികളിലും വിരലുകളിലും വിന്യാസം ചെയ്യണം॥

Word by Word

• मूर्द्धा-आस्य-नेत्र-श्रवण-घ्राणेषु: on the head, mouth, eyes, ears, and nose
• मूर्द्धा-आस्य-नेत्र-श्रवण-घ्राणेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्द्धन्/मूर्द्धा (प्रातिपदिक) + आस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-द्वन्द्व; सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; locus ‘on the head, mouth, eyes, ears, and nose’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तृतीयकाः: the third (set)
• तृतीयकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीयक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘third set/third repetition (letters)’

• दोः-पाद-सन्धि-अङ्गुलिषु: on the arms, feet, joints, and fingers
• दोः-पाद-सन्धि-अङ्गुलिषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोः (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (arms, feet, joints, fingers) in locative plural; सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• वेद-आवृत्त्या: with the Vedic repetition/cycle
• वेद-आवृत्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी) ‘वेदस्य आवृत्त्या’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; instrumental

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• विन्यसेत्: should place/arrange (nyāsa)
• विन्यसेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नि-स्यन्द्/√न्यस् (धातु; here vi-√न्यस्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘vi-nyas’ = to arrange/place

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a Vedanga/ritual-technical context, within the Narada Purana’s instructional dialogue tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-nyāsa as a sanctifying act—mapping Vedic sound onto the body so the practitioner’s senses and limbs become aligned with sacred recitation.

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

Though technical, nyāsa supports devotion by preparing the body-mind as a fit vessel for focused japa and worship, strengthening attentive remembrance during practice.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics/recitation discipline) is emphasized through “veda-āvṛtti,” indicating that placement and practice follow an authorized Vedic recitational pattern.