Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

कार्तवीर्य्यस्य मन्त्राणामुच्यते लक्षणं बुधाः । कार्तवीर्यार्जुनं ङेंतं सर्वमंत्रेषु योजयेत् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

kārtavīryyasya mantrāṇāmucyate lakṣaṇaṃ budhāḥ | kārtavīryārjunaṃ ṅeṃtaṃ sarvamaṃtreṣu yojayet || 38 ||

Translation

ഹേ ബുദ്ധിമാന്മാരേ, കാർതവീര്യന്റെ മന്ത്രങ്ങളുടെ ലക്ഷണം ഇവിടെ പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു. എല്ലാ മന്ത്രങ്ങളിലും ‘ङेंतं’ എന്ന ബീജചിഹ്നം ‘കാർതവീര്യാർജുന’ നാമത്തോടൊപ്പം ചേർക്കണം॥

Word by Word

• कार्तवीर्यस्य: of Kārtavīrya
• कार्तवीर्यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तवीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• मन्त्राणाम्: of the mantras
• मन्त्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• उच्यते: is stated/said
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• लक्षणम्: the characteristic/definition
• लक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; in passive = logical object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• बुधाः: the wise (sages)
• बुधाः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent; logical speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• कार्तवीर्यार्जुनम्: Kārtavīrya-Arjuna
• कार्तवीर्यार्जुनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तवीर्य + अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• ङेंतम्: ‘ṅeṃta’ (a technical mantra-element/name)
• ङेंतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; apposition to previous)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ङेंत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (uncertain; mantra-name/technical term)

• सर्वमन्त्रेषु: in all mantras
• सर्वमन्त्रेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• योजयेत्: should apply/insert
• योजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Prescriptive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kārtavīrya Arjuna

FAQs

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

It defines a technical rule (lakṣaṇa) for a mantra-set: the efficacy and correct transmission of Kārtavīrya-related mantras depends on inserting the prescribed name and the stated mantra-marker, showing that precision in mantra-vidhi is itself a form of dharma.

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

Indirectly: it frames devotion as disciplined practice—bhakti is supported by correct mantra-application (vidhi), where reverence is expressed through faithful preservation of the received formula.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-application rules akin to śikṣā/vyākaraṇa-style precision: how a specific phonetic/seed element and a deity/hero name are to be joined (yojana) consistently across a mantra corpus.