Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

Hanumān-mantra-kathana: Mantra-bheda, Nyāsa, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

मंत्रं नवशतं रात्रौ जपेद्दशदिनावधि । यो नरस्तस्य नश्यंति राजशत्रूत्थभीतयः ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

maṃtraṃ navaśataṃ rātrau japeddaśadināvadhi | yo narastasya naśyaṃti rājaśatrūtthabhītayaḥ || 17 ||

Translation

പത്ത് ദിവസത്തേക്ക് രാത്രിയിൽ മന്ത്രം ഒൻപതു നൂറ് പ്രാവശ്യം ജപിക്കുന്ന മനുഷ്യന്റെ രാജാക്കളിലും ശത്രുക്കളിലും നിന്നുയരുന്ന ഭയങ്ങൾ നശിച്ചുപോകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• mantram: the mantra
• mantram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• nava-śatam: nine hundred (times)
• nava-śatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nava (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Accusative (2nd), Singular; द्विगु-समासः (nava śatāni = nine hundreds) used as a numeral aggregate

• rātrau: at night
• rātrau: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Locative (7th), Singular (वैकल्पिक रूप: rātrau)

• japet: should recite
• japet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jap (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (optative), Prathama-puruṣa, Singular; parasmaipada

• daśa-dina-avadhi: for a period of ten days / up to ten days
• daśa-dina-avadhi: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + dina (प्रातिपदिक) + avadhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva compound functioning adverbially; ‘up to a limit of ten days’ (अवधि-अर्थे अव्ययीभावः)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Nominative (1st), Singular; relative pronoun (यः)

• naraḥ: man/person
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Nominative (1st), Singular

• tasya: of him/for him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• naśyanti: perish/are destroyed
• naśyanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: naś (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Prathama-puruṣa, Plural; parasmaipada

• rāja-śatru-uttha-bhītayaḥ: fears arising from royal enemies
• rāja-śatru-uttha-bhītayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + śatru (प्रातिपदिक) + uttha (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √sthā/ut+√sthā ‘arisen’) + bhīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Nominative (1st), Plural; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (rājaśatroḥ utthā bhītayaḥ = fears arising from the king’s enemies)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a practical mantra-japa observance within Vedanga/ritual-technical instruction)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It presents a disciplined japa-prayoga—fixed count, time (night), and duration (ten days)—showing that steadiness in mantra practice produces protective spiritual efficacy, removing fear born of hostile authority and enemies.

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

While framed as a technical observance, it aligns with bhakti through repeated remembrance (japa) and reliance on mantra-power; devotion expressed as consistent chanting becomes a means to inner courage and outer protection.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual procedure (prayoga): a specific japa-saṅkhyā (count), kāla (night-time), and niyama (ten-day regimen), reflecting technical discipline typical of Vedanga-oriented instruction.