Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 136

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

तारो माया स्वबीजान्ते कर्णोग्रं वीरमीरयेत् । महाविष्णुं ततो ब्रूयाज्ज्वलन्तं सर्वतोमुखम् ॥ १३६ ॥

Transliteration

tāro māyā svabījānte karṇograṃ vīramīrayet | mahāviṣṇuṃ tato brūyājjvalantaṃ sarvatomukham || 136 ||

Translation

പ്രണവവും മായാ (ഹ്രീം)യും എടുത്ത്, സ്വന്തം ബീജാക്ഷരത്തിൽ അവസാനിപ്പിച്ച്, ചെവിയുടെ അഗ്രത്തിൽ മൃദുവായി ‘വീര’ എന്നു ഉച്ചരിക്കണം. തുടർന്ന് സർവതോമുഖനായി ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന മഹാവിഷ്ണുവിനെ ആഹ്വാനിച്ച് ഉച്ചരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• तारः: (the syllable) Tāra
• तारः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन; mantra-syllable/name ‘tāra’

• माया: (the syllable) Māyā
• माया: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन; mantra-syllable/name ‘māyā’

• स्वबीजान्ते: at the end of the own seed-syllable
• स्वबीजान्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + बीज + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (अन्त-शब्द), सप्तमी (locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘at the end of one’s seed-syllable’

• कर्णोग्रम्: the tip of the ear
• कर्णोग्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘ear-tip’

• वीरम्: (the syllable/name) Vīra
• वीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; mantra-name/epithet ‘vīra’

• ईरयेत्: should utter/recite
• ईरयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• महाविष्णुम्: Mahāviṣṇu
• महाविष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाविष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘Mahā + Viṣṇu’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रम/अनन्तरवाचक (then/thereafter)

• ब्रूयात्: should say
• ब्रूयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• ज्वलन्तम्: blazing
• ज्वलन्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वल् (धातु) + शतृ (प्रत्यय)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying महाविष्णुम्

• सर्वतोमुखम्: faced in all directions
• सर्वतोमुखम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव ‘having faces on all sides’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within Vedanga/Mantra-vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Mahāviṣṇu

FAQs

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

It teaches a precise mantra-prayoga: combining praṇava, a bīja (Māyā), and one’s assigned seed-syllable, followed by visualization/invocation of Mahāviṣṇu as all-pervading, radiant, and omnifacing—signifying His presence in every direction and all beings.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as upāsanā: careful recitation and focused remembrance of Mahāviṣṇu’s universal form. The disciplined utterance (even softly near the ear) supports one-pointed devotion and continuous God-awareness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-vidhi and prayoga: the technical use of praṇava, bīja-syllables, and prescribed modes of utterance/placement (a nyāsa-like instruction), reflecting applied ritual-phonetics and disciplined recitation practice.