Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

द्वितीयादिनवांतेषु बीजयोः स्याद्व्यतिक्रमः । मंत्रे तु दशमे वर्णा नववर्मास्त्रमध्यगाः ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

dvitīyādinavāṃteṣu bījayoḥ syādvyatikramaḥ | maṃtre tu daśame varṇā navavarmāstramadhyagāḥ || 42 ||

Translation

രണ്ടാമത് മുതൽ ഒൻപതാമത് വരെ സ്ഥാനങ്ങളിൽ രണ്ട് ബീജങ്ങളുടെ പരസ്പര വ്യതിക്രമം (മാറ്റിവെയ്പ്) വേണം. എന്നാൽ മന്ത്രത്തിന്റെ പത്താം സ്ഥാനത്ത് അക്ഷരങ്ങൾ ഇങ്ങനെ വിന്യസിക്കണം—നവവർമങ്ങൾ നിലകൊള്ളുകയും നടുവിൽ ‘അസ്ത്ര’ അക്ഷരം സ്ഥിതിചെയ്യുകയും ചെയ്യണം॥

Word by Word

• द्वितीयादिनव-अन्तेषु: in (the mantras) ending from the second up to the ninth
• द्वितीयादिनव-अन्तेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीय + आदि + नव + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual; ‘in the endings from the second to the ninth’)

• बीजयोः: of the two seed-syllables
• बीजयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन (Dual), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• व्यतिक्रमः: transposition/interchange
• व्यतिक्रमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; ‘there should be X’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• मन्त्रे: in the mantra
• मन्त्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/however’)

• दशमे: in the tenth (one)
• दशमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Specification: ‘in the tenth’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; क्रमवाचक

• वर्णाः: letters/syllables
• वर्णाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• नववर्मास्त्रमध्यगाः: with nine ‘armor-weapon’ (elements) placed in the middle
• नववर्मास्त्रमध्यगाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of वर्णाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + वर्म + अस्त्र + मध्यग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); ‘having (something) in the middle’ (मध्यग = ‘middle-going/placed in middle’)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It teaches a precise mantra-vidhi: correct placement and interchange of bīja-syllables and the protective nava-varman arrangement, emphasizing that spiritual efficacy depends on disciplined, rule-based mantra construction.

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

Though technical, it supports bhakti practice by prescribing how a devotee safeguards worship through mantra-protection (varman) and disciplined recitation, ensuring the ritual container for devotion is properly established.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā/mantra-śāstra practice: positional arrangement of syllables (varṇa-nyāsa), bīja manipulation (vyatikrama), and the protective ‘astra’ centering within nava-varman for ritual application.