Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

त्वष्ट्रा युतं पद्मनाभं दामोदरं च विष्णुना । द्वादसार्णं ततो मंत्रं समस्ते शिरसि न्यसेत् ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

tvaṣṭrā yutaṃ padmanābhaṃ dāmodaraṃ ca viṣṇunā | dvādasārṇaṃ tato maṃtraṃ samaste śirasi nyaset || 27 ||

Translation

അനന്തരം সাধകൻ ശിരസ്സിൽ ദ്വാദശാക്ഷര മന്ത്രന്യാസം ചെയ്യണം—ത്വഷ്ടൃസഹിതം പദ്മനാഭനെയും, വിഷ്ണുസഹിതം ദാമോദരനെയും ആവാഹനം ചെയ്ത്।

Word by Word

• त्वष्ट्रा: by Tvaṣṭṛ
• त्वष्ट्रा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• युतम्: joined/associated
• युतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (कृदन्त; √युज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; past participle used adjectivally

• पद्मनाभम्: Padmanābha (Viṣṇu)
• पद्मनाभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मनाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मपद

• दामोदरम्: Dāmodara
• दामोदरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दामोदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to पद्मनाभम्

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

• विष्णुना: by/with Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• द्वादश-अर्णम्: twelve-syllabled
• द्वादश-अर्णम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having twelve syllables’

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Desha-Kala (देश-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रयोग (adverb)

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; object

• समस्ते: on the whole/entire
• समस्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative ‘on/at the whole (head)’ (contextual)

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative

• न्यसेत्: should place (perform nyāsa)
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada; ‘should place’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Padmanabha
• Damodara
• Tvashtri

FAQs

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

It teaches śiro-nyāsa—placing the mantra on the head—signifying surrender of one’s intellect and identity to Viṣṇu, so the practitioner’s awareness is ritually aligned with the deity before further japa or worship.

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

By invoking Viṣṇu’s names (Padmanābha, Dāmodara, Viṣṇu) within a disciplined ritual act, the verse shows bhakti as both loving remembrance (nāma) and careful observance (vidhi), making devotion steady and embodied.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-vidhi and nyāsa (ritual assignment of mantra to body-parts), a technical discipline aligned with śikṣā (correct recitation) and kalpa-style procedural worship found in Narada Purana’s practical instructions.