Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

ततस्तारपुटं मंत्रं व्यापय्य करयोस्त्रिशः । पंचांगुलीषु करयोः पंचांगं विन्यसेत्ततः ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

tatastārapuṭaṃ maṃtraṃ vyāpayya karayostriśaḥ | paṃcāṃgulīṣu karayoḥ paṃcāṃgaṃ vinyasettataḥ || 26 ||

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം ‘താര-പുട’ മന്ത്രം ഇരുകൈകളിലും സ്ഥാപിച്ച് മൂന്നു പ്രാവശ്യം വ്യാപിപ്പിക്കണം. പിന്നെ ഇരുകൈകളിലെ അഞ്ചു വിരലുകളിൽ ക്രമമായി പഞ്ചാംഗ-ന്യാസം ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• tāra-puṭam: the ‘tāra’ enclosure/puṭa
• tāra-puṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāra (प्रातिपदिक) + puṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• mantram: mantra
• mantram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• vyāpayya: having spread/pervaded
• vyāpayya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vy-āp (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having pervaded/spread’

• karayoḥ: of the two hands
• karayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Dvivacana (द्विवचन)

• triśaḥ: thrice
• triśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: triśas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb of frequency (पुनरुक्ति/आवृत्तिवाचक)

• pañca-aṅgulīṣu: on the five fingers
• pañca-aṅgulīṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca (संख्या) + aṅgulī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Saptamī (7th/सप्तमी), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• karayoḥ: of the two hands
• karayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी), Dvivacana (द्विवचन)

• pañca-aṅgam: the fivefold set (pañcāṅga)
• pañca-aṅgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañca (संख्या) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• vinyaset: should place/assign
• vinyaset: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-ni-as (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Vedanga/ritual-technical section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-śuddhi through nyāsa: sanctifying the hands with the tāra (praṇava) before further worship, so the practitioner’s actions become ritually and spiritually consecrated.

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

Bhakti here is supported by disciplined upacāra: by purifying the hands and installing the mantra’s ‘limbs,’ the devotee prepares to serve the deity with focused, reverent, and rule-guided worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual procedure (kalpa-prayoga style) within the Vedāṅga-oriented material: performing kara-nyāsa (hand installation) with repetition counts and finger-wise placements.