Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 178

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

Devanagari script

ततः श्रृंखलिकां चेति वेदनेत्राक्षरो मनुः । इमं मंत्रं दक्षकरे लिखित्वा वामहस्ततः ॥ १७८ ॥

Transliteration

tataḥ śrṛṃkhalikāṃ ceti vedanetrākṣaro manuḥ | imaṃ maṃtraṃ dakṣakare likhitvā vāmahastataḥ || 178 ||

Translation

അനന്തരം ‘ശൃംഖലികാ’ എന്നു ചൊല്ലി, വേദത്തിന്റെ ‘നേത്ര’ അക്ഷരത്തിൽ ആരംഭിക്കുന്ന ഈ മന്ത്രം വലങ്കയ്യിലെ കൈത്തളത്തിൽ എഴുതി, പിന്നെ ഇടങ്കയ്യിൽ നിന്നു വിധിപ്രകാരം തുടരണം।

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/काल-निर्देश (सम्बन्ध/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), तस्मात्/ततः = ablatival adverb (from that/thereafter)

• श्रृंखलिकाम्: (the word) ‘śṛṅkhalikā’ / chain
• श्रृंखलिकाम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रृंखलिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc), एकवचन (Sg)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• वेद-नेत्र-अक्षरः: the ‘veda-netra’ syllable
• वेद-नेत्र-अक्षरः: कर्ता/विशेष्य (Karta/subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom), एकवचन (Sg); तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative): वेदस्य नेत्रे (इव) अक्षरः / ‘Veda-eye’ syllable

• मनुः: Manu
• मनुः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nom), एकवचन (Sg)

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: कर्म-विशेषण (qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc), एकवचन (Sg); सर्वनाम (pronoun) used adjectivally

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Acc), एकवचन (Sg)

• दक्ष-करे: in the right hand
• दक्ष-करे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Loc), एकवचन (Sg); कर्मधारयः: दक्षः करः = right hand

• लिखित्वा: having written
• लिखित्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (पूर्वकर्म/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिख् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having written’

• वाम-हस्ततः: from the left hand
• वाम-हस्ततः: अपादान (Apādāna)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिलन्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb) = ‘from’; तत्पुरुषः: वामः हस्तः (left hand) + तः

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Veda

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined mantra-prayoga: sacred sound is not only recited but also ritually placed/inscribed with bodily purity and right–left procedural order, reflecting the Vedic view that correct method safeguards spiritual efficacy.

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

Indirectly: bhakti is supported by careful, reverent observance of mantra and ritual procedure—treating the mantra as sacred knowledge (‘Veda’s eye’) and applying it with attentive practice rather than casual recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritual-technical prayoga (kalpa-type procedure): inscribing/placing a mantra on the right palm and following a left-hand sequence suggests a codified method akin to hand-rituals (nyāsa/karma-krama) used in precise Vedic and post-Vedic practice.