Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 158

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

Devanagari script

लक्ष्मीदयितवर्मान्तः शिरः प्रोक्तं शिखा पुनः । मन्मथो तमशब्दांते मंगजे पदमीरयेत् ॥ १५८ ॥

Transliteration

lakṣmīdayitavarmāntaḥ śiraḥ proktaṃ śikhā punaḥ | manmatho tamaśabdāṃte maṃgaje padamīrayet || 158 ||

Translation

“ലക്ഷ്മീ-ദയിത-വർമൻ” മന്ത്രത്തിന്റെ അന്ത്യം ‘ശിരഃ’ എന്നു പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു; ‘ശിഖാ’യും അതുപോലെ തന്നേ. “തമസ്” എന്ന പദത്തിനു ശേഷം “മംഗജ” പദം ഉച്ചരിക്കണം; “മന്മഥ” പദം യഥാസ്ഥാനത്ത് സ്ഥാപിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• lakṣmī-dayita-varma-antaḥ: at the end of “lakṣmīdayitavarma”
• lakṣmī-dayita-varma-antaḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक) + dayita (प्रातिपदिक) + varman (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverbial-locative sense “at the end of”; -antaḥ here used in sense of -ante (अन्ते) by metrical/orthographic variation

• śiraḥ: the head
• śiraḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd; प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• proktam: is stated
• proktam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prokta (कृदन्त; √vac ‘to say’, PPP with pra-)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; passive “is said/declared”

• śikhā: the topknot/crest-lock
• śikhā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st; प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• punaḥ: again/further
• punaḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (पुनरावृत्तिवाचक अव्यय)

• manmathaḥ: (the word) Manmatha
• manmathaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manmatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st; प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tama-śabda-ante: at the end of the word “tamas”
• tama-śabda-ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक) + śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverbial-locative sense “at the end of the word ‘tamas’/‘tamaśabda’”

• maṃgaje: in/at “maṃgaja” (as the target word/segment)
• maṃgaje: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃgaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th; सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन) (form used as locative/ending-specifier in mantra-instruction style)

• padam: the word/foot (pada)
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd; द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• īrayet: should utter/recite
• īrayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īr (धातु)
• Form: Optative/vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmi
• Vishnu
• Manmatha

FAQs

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

It teaches precise mantra-structure for nyāsa—mapping specific mantra-endings and words to the ‘head’ and ‘topknot’ placements—so the practitioner internalizes divine protection and auspicious power in a disciplined, Vedic way.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent, exact worship: the devotee honors Viṣṇu (as Lakṣmī’s beloved) through correct mantra-utterance and ritual placement, treating the deity’s names and protective formulas as sacred and carefully handled.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Śikṣā (phonetics/recitation) and mantra-viniyoga/nyāsa practice—where the exact word order, endings, and pronunciation determine the correct ritual application.