Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

दश मंत्रा इमे प्रोक्ता यदा स्युः प्रणवादिकाः । तदादिमः शिवार्णः स्यादन्ये तु द्वादशाक्षराः ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

daśa maṃtrā ime proktā yadā syuḥ praṇavādikāḥ | tadādimaḥ śivārṇaḥ syādanye tu dvādaśākṣarāḥ || 44 ||

Translation

ഈ പത്ത് മന്ത്രങ്ങൾ പ്രണവം (ഓം) കൊണ്ട് ആരംഭിച്ച് ഉപദേശിക്കപ്പെടുമ്പോൾ, അവയിൽ ആദ്യത്തേത് ‘ശിവാർണം’; മറ്റുള്ളവ ദ്വാദശാക്ഷര മന്ത്രങ്ങളാണ്.

Word by Word

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral adjective, (indeclinable-like usage) indicating ‘ten’; qualifying maṃtrāḥ

• maṃtrāḥ: mantras
• maṃtrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ime: these
• ime: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• proktāḥ: are proclaimed
• proktāḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-vac (धातु)
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त/PPP), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘have been stated’

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• syuḥ: should be/are (in condition)
• syuḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Plural

• praṇava-ādikāḥ: beginning with praṇava (Oṃ)
• praṇava-ādikāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुषः ‘प्रणवः आदिः येषाम्’ (having praṇava at the beginning)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• ādimaḥ: the first
• ādimaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; qualifying śivārṇaḥ

• śiva-arṇaḥ: the Śiva-syllable (Śiva-name)
• śiva-arṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः ‘शिवस्य अर्णः/अक्षरः’ (Śiva-syllable/name)

• syāt: should be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• anye: the others
• anye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/conjunction (निपात) expressing contrast

• dvādaśa-akṣarāḥ: twelve-syllabled
• dvādaśa-akṣarāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; द्विगु-समासः ‘द्वादशानि अक्षराणि येषाम्’ (twelve-syllabled)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical-vedic context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pranava (Om)
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that mantra-power is tied to precise structure—especially beginning with Oṁ and correct syllable-count—showing that spiritual efficacy depends on disciplined Vedic phonetics and formulation.

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

By highlighting praṇava-led and properly measured mantras, it frames bhakti as guided devotion: reverence expressed through accurate recitation and authorized mantra-forms rather than mere emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and mantra-chandas/akṣara-gaṇanā (syllable-count): the verse classifies mantras by their opening (praṇava) and by whether they are bīja-based or dvādaśākṣara (twelve-syllabled).