Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 91

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

महेष्वासपदांते तु रघुवीर नृपोत्तम । दशास्यांतकशब्दांते मां रक्ष देहि संपठेत् ॥ ९१ ॥

Transliteration

maheṣvāsapadāṃte tu raghuvīra nṛpottama | daśāsyāṃtakaśabdāṃte māṃ rakṣa dehi saṃpaṭhet || 91 ||

Translation

“മഹേഷ്വാസ” എന്ന പദത്തിന്റെ അവസാനംയും “ദശാസ്യാന്തക” എന്ന പദത്തിന്റെ അവസാനംയും ഇങ്ങനെ ജപിക്കണം— “ഹേ രഘുവീര, നൃപോത്തമാ! എന്നെ രക്ഷിക്കേണമേ; എനിക്ക് ശരണം തരേണമേ।”

Word by Word

• महेष्वास-पद-अन्ते: at the end of (the word) “maheṣvāsa”
• महेष्वास-पद-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + इष्वास (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—(महेष्वासस्य) पदान्ते इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; Locative singular: “at the end of the word/foot ‘maheṣvāsa’”

• तु: indeed/and then
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/पदार्थ-विशेषक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• रघुवीर: O hero of the Raghu line
• रघुवीर: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘रघुः एव वीरः’

• नृप-उत्तम: O best of kings
• नृप-उत्तम: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘नृपेषु उत्तमः’

• दशास्य-अन्तक-शब्द-अन्ते: at the end of the word “daśāsyāntaka”
• दशास्य-अन्तक-शब्द-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशास्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तक (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—‘दशास्य-अन्तक’ इति कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-सम्भवः, ततः ‘(तस्य) शब्दस्य अन्ते’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; “at the end of the word ‘daśāsyāntaka’”

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• देहि: grant/give
• देहि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सम्-पठेत्: should recite (properly)
• सम्-पठेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; ‘सम्’ उपसर्गः

Speaker

Narada (instructional narration in a technical/recitational context, taught in the Narada Purana’s Vedanga-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Raghu
• Ravana

FAQs

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

It teaches a specific protective recitation: invoking Rama by epithets at prescribed word-end positions, emphasizing that divine protection is accessed through disciplined remembrance and correct chanting.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge): the devotee directly prays to Raghuvīra—“protect me, grant me”—using Rama’s victory-titles to strengthen faith and inner fearlessness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects pāṭha-vidhi and mantra-nyāsa-like precision—reciting specific phrases at pada-anta (word-end) markers—showing the technical discipline of sound/recitation associated with Vedanga-oriented instruction.