Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 166

Pañca-prakṛti-nirūpaṇa and Mantra-vidhi: Rādhā, Mahālakṣmī, Durgā, Sarasvatī, Sāvitrī; plus Sāvitrī-Pañjara

Devanagari script

अष्टापदी नवपदी सहस्राक्षाक्षरात्मिका । अष्टोत्तरशतं नाम्नां सावित्र्या यः पठेन्नरः ॥ १६६ ॥

Transliteration

aṣṭāpadī navapadī sahasrākṣākṣarātmikā | aṣṭottaraśataṃ nāmnāṃ sāvitryā yaḥ paṭhennaraḥ || 166 ||

Translation

അഷ്ടാപദീ, നവപദീ, സഹസ്രാക്ഷരാത്മികയായ സാവിത്രീദേവിയുടെ 108 നാമങ്ങൾ ആരെല്ലാം പാരായണം ചെയ്യുമോ, അവർ ആ ജപത്തിന്റെ പുണ്യഫലം പ്രാപിക്കും.

Word by Word

• अष्टापदी: eight-footed / eightfold
• अष्टापदी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (eight-footed / eight-pada)

• नवपदी: nine-footed / ninefold
• नवपदी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (nine-footed / nine-pada)

• सहस्र-अक्ष-अक्षर-आत्मिका: whose essence is of a thousand syllables/letters
• सहस्र-अक्ष-अक्षर-आत्मिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + अक्ष + अक्षर + आत्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (having the nature/essence of thousand ‘akṣa/akṣara’)

• अष्टोत्तरशतम्: one hundred and eight
• अष्टोत्तरशतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + उत्तर + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (108)

• नाम्नाम्: of names
• नाम्नाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• सावित्र्या: of Sāvitrī
• सावित्र्या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Vedic/epic usage; ‘of Sāvitrī’)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• पठेत्: should recite
• पठेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष? (actually 3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition to यः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Savitrī
• Gāyatrī
• Savitṛ

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that Savitrī (Gāyatrī) is not merely a prayer but a living mantra-śakti with defined metrical forms, and that reciting her 108 names is a focused sādhanā that brings the stated spiritual merit.

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

Bhakti here takes the form of nāma-recitation and reverent japa: honoring Savitrī through her names and structure turns study into worship, aligning the practitioner’s mind with divine mantra-consciousness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to Vedāṅga Chandas—awareness of pāda-based metrical patterns (eight- and nine-footed forms) and syllabic constitution—showing that mantra-recitation is traditionally tied to precise meter and phonetic discipline.