Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 85

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

वीर्यार्जुनाय माहिष्मतीनाथाय सहस्र च । बाहवे इति वर्णांते सहस्रपदमुच्चरेत् ॥ ८५ ॥

Transliteration

vīryārjunāya māhiṣmatīnāthāya sahasra ca | bāhave iti varṇāṃte sahasrapadamuccaret || 85 ||

Translation

മാഹിഷ്മതീനാഥനായ വീര്യാർജുനനുവേണ്ടി ‘സഹസ്ര’ എന്ന പദവും ഉച്ചരിക്കണം. പിന്നെ അക്ഷരാന്തത്തിൽ ‘ബാഹവേ’ എന്ന് അവസാനിക്കുന്ന സഹസ്രപദം (സഹസ്രനാമ/സൂത്രം) ജപിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• वीर्यार्जुनाय: to Vīryārjuna
• वीर्यार्जुनाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य + अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः (वीर्यः अर्जुनः)

• माहिष्मतीनाथाय: to the lord of Māhiṣmatī
• माहिष्मतीनाथाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहिष्मती + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (माहिष्मत्याः नाथः)

• सहस्र: ‘sahasra’ (thousand)
• सहस्र: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); संख्यावाचक (numeral)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• बाहवे: to (his) arm / to Bāhu
• बाहवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-paryavasana (वचनपर्यवसान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• वर्णान्ते: at the end of the syllable/letter
• वर्णान्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (वर्णस्य अन्तः)

• सहस्रपदम्: the word ‘sahasra’
• सहस्रपदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (सहस्रस्य पदम् / ‘sahasra’ word)

• उच्चरेत्: should utter/recite
• उच्चरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kārtavīrya Arjuna (Vīryārjuna)
• Māhiṣmatī

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that spiritual efficacy in ritual practice depends on precise, rule-bound recitation—down to the placement of syllables and prescribed concluding words—reflecting the Vedanga concern for correct mantra-prayoga.

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

Although technical, it supports Bhakti indirectly: devotion is expressed through disciplined worship, where careful utterance and faithful adherence to instruction become offerings of reverence rather than casual speech.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied phonetic/grammatical procedure (Śikṣā–Vyākaraṇa style guidance): when and how specific terms (like “sahasra” and the ending “bāhave”) must be appended in a prescribed recitation sequence (varṇānte).