Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 180

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

Devanagari script

कौस्तुभाय हृदंतेन यजेद्वक्षसि कौस्तुभम् । पूजयेद्वनमालायै हृदंतेन गले च ताम् ॥ १८० ॥

Transliteration

kaustubhāya hṛdaṃtena yajedvakṣasi kaustubham | pūjayedvanamālāyai hṛdaṃtena gale ca tām || 180 ||

Translation

‘ഹൃദന്ത’ എന്ന അന്തമുള്ള മന്ത്രംകൊണ്ട് വക്ഷസ്ഥലത്തിലെ കൗസ്തുഭമണിയെ പൂജിക്കണം. അതേ ‘ഹൃദന്ത’കൊണ്ട് കഴുത്തിൽ ശോഭിക്കുന്ന വനമാലയെയും ഭക്തിയോടെ പൂജിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• कौस्तुभाय: for Kaustubha (jewel)
• कौस्तुभाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• हृदंतेन: with the ‘hṛdanta’ (mantra)
• हृदंतेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदन्त (प्रातिपदिक; मन्त्र-नाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वक्षसि: on the chest
• वक्षसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• कौस्तुभम्: Kaustubha (jewel)
• कौस्तुभम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वनमालायै: for the forest-garland (Vanamālā)
• वनमालायै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनमाला (प्रातिपदिक; वन + माला)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• हृदंतेन: with the ‘hṛdanta’ (mantra)
• हृदंतेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदन्त (प्रातिपदिक; मन्त्र-नाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

• गले: on the neck
• गले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Kaustubha
• Vanamala

FAQs

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

It teaches precise devotional worship (upacāra) by honoring Vishnu’s sacred emblems—Kaustubha on the chest and Vanamālā on the neck—using a specified mantra-form, emphasizing attentive, rule-guided bhakti.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as reverent, detail-oriented service to Vishnu’s form (sākāra-upāsanā), where each ornament is worshiped in its proper place with the proper mantra-ending, cultivating concentration and sacred intimacy.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical ritual procedure and mantra-usage (prayoga)—a disciplined application of mantra endings (hṛdanta) and placement (nyāsa-like specificity) within formal pūjā.