Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 171

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

कट्यां मूले ध्वजे नाभौ जठरे हृदये पुनः । दोर्मूले कंठदेशे च चिबुके वदने नसोः ॥ १७१ ॥

Transliteration

kaṭyāṃ mūle dhvaje nābhau jaṭhare hṛdaye punaḥ | dormūle kaṃṭhadeśe ca cibuke vadane nasoḥ || 171 ||

Translation

കടിയിൽ, മൂലസ്ഥാനത്ത്, ലിംഗസ്ഥാനത്ത്, നാഭിയിൽ, ജഠരത്തിൽ, പിന്നെയും ഹൃദയത്തിൽ; ഭുജമൂലത്തിൽ, കണ്ഠദേശത്ത്, താടിയിൽ, വായിൽ, നാസികയിൽ—ഇവിടങ്ങളിലാണ് (മന്ത്ര)ന്യാസം നിർദ്ദേശിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്.

Word by Word

• कट्याम्: in the waist/hip
• कट्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मूले: at the base/root
• मूले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ध्वजे: at the banner/standard (region)
• ध्वजे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाभौ: at the navel
• नाभौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• जठरे: in the belly
• जठरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जठर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुनः: again; further
• पुनः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• दोः-मूले: at the root of the arm
• दोः-मूले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोः (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कण्ठ-देशे: in the throat region
• कण्ठ-देशे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), समुच्चय-बोधक (Conjunction)

• चिबुके: at the chin
• चिबुके: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिबुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वदने: in the mouth/face
• वदने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नसोः: of the two nostrils
• नसोः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It enumerates specific bodily locations used in disciplined practice—typical of technical Vedic instruction—where attention or mantra-placement is performed to purify the practitioner and structure the rite.

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

While not directly praising bhakti, it supports devotional ritual by prescribing precise placements used during worship and mantra-application, helping the devotee perform Vishnu-oriented rites correctly and with concentration.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects technical, procedural knowledge aligned with Vedanga-style discipline (especially Śikṣā/ritual phonetics and application), where mantra practice is paired with defined bodily points for ritual correctness.