Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 196

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

Devanagari script

योधयद्वितयं वर्म फडंते वह्निसुंदरी । मुसलाय नमः प्रोक्तो मन्त्रो सुसलपूजने ॥ १९६ ॥

Transliteration

yodhayadvitayaṃ varma phaḍaṃte vahnisuṃdarī | musalāya namaḥ prokto mantro susalapūjane || 196 ||

Translation

സുസലാ പൂജയ്ക്കുള്ള മന്ത്രം ഇങ്ങനെ പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു—“യോധയദ്വിതയം, വർമ്മ, ഫഡന്തേ, വഹ്നി-സുന്ദരീ”; കൂടാതെ “മുസലായ നമഃ”.

Word by Word

• योधयत्-द्वितयम्: the double utterance ‘yodhayat’
• योधयत्-द्वितयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध् (धातु) → योधयत् (कृदन्त/प्रत्ययान्त) + द्वितय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘योधयत्’ (causative participial stem) इत्यस्य द्वितयम् (twofold utterance)

• वर्म: varma (armour)
• वर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्मन्/वर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; मन्त्रपद (armour-word)

• फट्: phaṭ
• फट्: Mantra-pada (मन्त्रपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: फट् (अव्यय/बीज)
• Form: बीजाक्षर, अव्यय

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभावार्थे (locative used adverbially): ‘at the end’

• वह्नि-सुन्दरी: Vahnisundarī (name/epithet)
• वह्नि-सुन्दरी: Sambodhana/Name (सम्बोधन/नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (वह्निरिव सुन्दरी / वह्निसम्बन्धिनी सुन्दरी)

• मुसलाय: to the pestle/club (musala)
• मुसलाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुसल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava/Prayojana (भाव/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

• प्रोक्तः: is taught
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मन्त्रः: the mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सु-शल-पूजने: in the worship of Susala (reading uncertain)
• सु-शल-पूजने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शल/सुल (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद) + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; ‘सुसल’ पदं पाठभेद/अस्पष्ट (susala/suśala)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Susalā
• Vahni (Agni)
• Musala

FAQs

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

It preserves a precise mantra-formula for Susalā worship, emphasizing protective power (varma/armor) and the repelling syllable “phaṭ,” indicating a ritual aim of safeguarding and removing obstacles.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as mantra-sevā—devotion through correct recitation and worship—where reverence (“namaḥ”) and disciplined ritual speech are treated as a direct mode of honoring the deity’s power.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-application and ritual phonetics: the instruction that a mantra is “phaṭ-ending” reflects technical usage of specific exclamatory syllables in rites for protection and removal of negativity.