Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

वित्रासस्त्रिदिनं रात्रौ श्मशाने षट्शतं जपेत् । ततो वेताल उत्थाय वदेद्भावि शुभाशुभम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

vitrāsastridinaṃ rātrau śmaśāne ṣaṭśataṃ japet | tato vetāla utthāya vadedbhāvi śubhāśubham || 38 ||

Translation

ശ്മശാനത്തിൽ രാത്രികാലത്ത് ‘വിത്രാസ’ മന്ത്രം മൂന്നു രാത്രികൾ ആറുനൂറു പ്രാവശ്യം ജപിക്കണം. തുടർന്ന് വേതാളൻ എഴുന്നേറ്റ് വരാനിരിക്കുന്ന ശുഭാശുഭം പറയും.

Word by Word

• वित्रासः: (the) fright/terror
• वित्रासः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; abstract noun

• त्रि-दिनम्: for three days
• त्रि-दिनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (numeral compound)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• श्मशाने: in the cremation-ground
• श्मशाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• षट्-शतम्: six hundred (times)
• षट्-शतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; count)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध/ततः = thereafter

• वेतालः: the Vetāla (spirit)
• वेतालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having risen’

• वदेत्: should speak/tell
• वदेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भावि: future (things)
• भावि: Karma (कर्म/Object; predicate content)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• शुभ-अशुभम्: good and bad (omens/events)
• शुभ-अशुभम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (itaretara)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada within technical/occult procedures)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vetala
• Shmashana

FAQs

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

It illustrates a technical, results-oriented mantra procedure aimed at gaining knowledge of future outcomes; the text frames it as a specialized practice rather than a general devotional norm.

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

This verse is not primarily bhakti-oriented; it belongs to technical/ritual instruction (a siddhi-style practice) focused on obtaining information, contrasting with devotional practices that seek purity and God-realization.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It aligns most closely with Jyotiṣa-style concern for forecasting auspicious/inauspicious outcomes, expressed through a ritual-mantra method rather than astronomical calculation.