Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

वैष्णवेष्वपि मंत्रेषु राममंत्राः फलाधिकाः । गाणपत्यादिमंत्रेभ्यः कोटिकोटिगुणाधिकाः ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

vaiṣṇaveṣvapi maṃtreṣu rāmamaṃtrāḥ phalādhikāḥ | gāṇapatyādimaṃtrebhyaḥ koṭikoṭiguṇādhikāḥ || 3 ||

Translation

വൈഷ്ണവ മന്ത്രങ്ങളിലുപോലും രാമമന്ത്രങ്ങൾ ഫലത്തിൽ അത്യധികം ശ്രേഷ്ഠം; ഗാണപത്യാദി മന്ത്രങ്ങളെക്കാൾ കോടി-കോടി ഗുണം അധികം പ്രഭാവമുള്ളവ।

Word by Word

• वैष्णवेषु: among the Vaiṣṇava (mantras)
• वैष्णवेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थ (also/even)

• मन्त्रेषु: among mantras
• मन्त्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• राममन्त्राः: Rama-mantras
• राममन्त्राः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रामस्य मन्त्राः = Rama-mantras)

• फलाधिकाः: more fruitful
• फलाधिकाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of राममन्त्राः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (फलम् अधिकम् येषाम् = having greater fruit)

• गाणपत्यादिमन्त्रेभ्यः: than the Ganapatya and other mantras
• गाणपत्यादिमन्त्रेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान/Comparison source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाणपत्य + आदि + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गाणपत्यादयः मन्त्राः = Ganapatya etc. mantras)

• कोटिकोटिगुणाधिकाः: superior by crores upon crores of times
• कोटिकोटिगुणाधिकाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of राममन्त्राः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि + कोटि + गुण + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कोटि-कोटि-गुणैः अधिकाः = greater by crores upon crores of times)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Rama
• Ganapati

FAQs

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

It ranks mantra-practice by spiritual yield (phala), asserting that Rāma-mantra japa is exceptionally potent even within Vaiṣṇava practice, emphasizing concentrated devotion to Viṣṇu as Rāma.

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

By praising the Rāma-mantras as supremely fruitful, the verse directs the sādhaka toward single-pointed bhakti—regular remembrance and japa centered on Rāma—rather than scattered pursuit of many deity-mantras for mixed aims.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-śāstra in practice: the idea of phala-vicāra (evaluating outcomes of sādhanā) and mantra-japa as a disciplined technique, aligning with technical traditions connected to Vedic recitation and applied ritual science.