Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 112

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

तारो रामश्चतुर्थ्यंतो वर्मास्त्रं वह्निवल्लभा । अष्टार्णोऽयं महामंत्रो मुन्याद्यर्चा षडर्णवत् ॥ ११२ ॥

Transliteration

tāro rāmaścaturthyaṃto varmāstraṃ vahnivallabhā | aṣṭārṇo'yaṃ mahāmaṃtro munyādyarcā ṣaḍarṇavat || 112 ||

Translation

‘താര’ (ഓം) ശേഷം ചതുര്ഥ്യന്ത ‘രാമായ’, കൂടാതെ വർമ്മ-അസ്ത്ര മന്ത്രങ്ങളും ‘വഹ്നിവല്ലഭാ’ എന്ന പദവും—ഇതാണ് മഹാ അഷ്ടാക്ഷരീ മന്ത്രം. മുനി മുതലായവയിൽ ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന അർച്ചാവിധി ഷഡാക്ഷരിയിലേതുപോലെ തന്നെ ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• तारः: (the syllable) ‘tāra’
• तारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• रामः: (the word) ‘rāma’
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चतुर्थी-अन्तः: ending in the dative (4th case)
• चतुर्थी-अन्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम्

• वर्म-अस्त्रम्: armor and weapon
• वर्म-अस्त्रम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (pair)

• वह्नि-वल्लभा: beloved of Agni (Svāhā)
• वह्नि-वल्लभा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• अष्ट-अर्णः: eight-syllabled
• अष्ट-अर्णः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः; विशेषणम्

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महामन्त्रः: great mantra
• महामन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘महान् मन्त्रः’)

• मुनि-आदि-अर्चा: worship of the sages etc.
• मुनि-आदि-अर्चा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘मुन्यादीनाम् अर्चा’)

• षड्-अर्ण-वत्: as in the six-syllabled (mantra)
• षड्-अर्ण-वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: षड् (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial ‘like’)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Agni (Vahni)

FAQs

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

It codifies a mantra as a complete sādhana-unit: not only the core name-mantra, but also its protective and empowering limbs (kavaca/varma and astra), showing that devotion is supported by precise ritual-technology.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as disciplined mantra-japa and worship: invoking the sacred sound (Oṃ), addressing the deity through a grammatically correct mantra-form, and performing the established worship sequence—devotion guided by śāstra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vyākaraṇa (grammar) is implied by “caturthyanta” (dative-case ending in mantra formation), and ritual procedure (kalpa-style method) is indicated by prescribing worship steps (munyādi-arcā) and ancillary mantras (varma/astra).