Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

अष्टादशार्णो मंत्रोऽयं दुर्गाधिष्ठातृदैवतः । नारदोऽस्य मुनिश्छंदो गायत्री देवता पुनः ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭādaśārṇo maṃtro'yaṃ durgādhiṣṭhātṛdaivataḥ | nārado'sya muniśchaṃdo gāyatrī devatā punaḥ || 7 ||

Translation

ഇത് അഷ്ടാദശാക്ഷര മന്ത്രമാണ്; ഇതിന്റെ അധിഷ്ഠാതൃദൈവം ദുർഗാദേവി. ഇതിന്റെ ഋഷി നാരദൻ, ഛന്ദസ് ഗായത്രി, ദേവതയും വീണ്ടും ഗായത്രിയെന്നു പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अष्टादशार्णः: eighteen-syllabled
• अष्टादशार्णः: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (अष्टादश अर्णानि यस्य)

• मन्त्रः: mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण; demonstrative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• दुर्गाधिष्ठातृदैवतः: whose presiding deity is Durgā
• दुर्गाधिष्ठातृदैवतः: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्गा + अधिष्ठातृ + दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दुर्गायाः अधिष्ठातृ-दैवतं यस्य)

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्य: of this (mantra)
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मुनिः: sage (seer)
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• छन्दः: metre
• छन्दः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गायत्री: Gāyatrī
• गायत्री: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवता: deity
• देवता: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुनः: again; further
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति/क्रम-अव्यय (adverb: again/further)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/mantra-śāstra context within the Vedanga-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Durga
• Narada
• Gayatri

FAQs

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

It gives the essential mantra-anukramaṇī details—syllable-count, presiding deity, seer (ṛṣi), and meter (chandas)—which are considered necessary for precise and effective mantra-japa and ritual application.

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

It frames devotion as disciplined worship: Bhakti here is practiced through correctly oriented mantra-recitation, acknowledging the mantra’s deity (Durga) and its Vedic parameters (ṛṣi and chandas).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas (Vedic meter) and mantra-vidhi are highlighted—specifically, how a mantra is authenticated and applied by stating its ṛṣi (Narada), chandas (Gāyatrī), and devatā (Durga/Gāyatrī) in a technical format.