Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 93

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

Devanagari script

प्रणवो वाग्भवं माया श्रीः कामः शक्तिरीरिता । सरस्वती चतुर्थ्यंता स्वाहांतो द्वादशाक्षरः ॥ ९३ ॥

Transliteration

praṇavo vāgbhavaṃ māyā śrīḥ kāmaḥ śaktirīritā | sarasvatī caturthyaṃtā svāhāṃto dvādaśākṣaraḥ || 93 ||

Translation

പ്രണവം ‘ഓം’, വാഗ്ഭവം, മായാ, ശ്രീ, കാമം, ‘ശക്തി’ എന്നു പ്രസ്താവിക്കുന്നു; തുടർന്ന് ചതുർത്ഥ്യന്തമായ ‘സരസ്വത്യൈ’ ചേർത്ത്, അവസാനം ‘സ്വാഹാ’—ഇതാണ് ദ്വാദശാക്ഷര മന്ത്രം.

Word by Word

• प्रणवः: the syllable Oṃ (praṇava)
• प्रणवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वाग्भवम्: vāgbhava (seed-syllable)
• वाग्भवम्: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्-भव (प्रातिपदिक; वाक् + भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ('arising from speech' / name of bīja)

• माया: māyā (seed-syllable/name)
• माया: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रीः: śrī (seed-syllable/name)
• श्रीः: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कामः: kāma (seed-syllable/name)
• कामः: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शक्तिः: śakti (seed-syllable/name)
• शक्तिः: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईरिता: is declared/uttered
• ईरिता: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईरित (प्रातिपदिक; √ईर्/√ईड्? as PPP 'uttered/declared')
• Form: क्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); शक्तिः इरिता = 'śakti is said'

• सरस्वती: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वती: Karma (कर्म/Item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चतुर्थ्यन्ता: ending with the fourth (dative) ending
• चतुर्थ्यन्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थी-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर्थी + अन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ('ending with the fourth (case/ending)')

• स्वाहान्तः: ending with “svāhā”
• स्वाहान्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वाहा-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; स्वाहा + अन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ('ending with svāhā')

• द्वादशाक्षरः: twelve-syllabled
• द्वादशाक्षरः: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश-अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक; द्वादश + अक्षर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगुसमासः (numeral compound: 'twelve-syllabled')

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Om (Praṇava)
• Sarasvatī
• Śrī (Lakṣmī epithet)

FAQs

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

It codifies a precise mantra-structure: combining seed-terms (bīja-like elements), grammatical case (caturthī), and the ritual ending “svāhā” to produce a correctly measured twelve-syllable mantra—showing that spiritual efficacy is linked to exact sound-form and rule-governed recitation.

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

Though technical, it supports Bhakti by giving a disciplined method to invoke divine power through mantra—especially via Sarasvatī and Śrī—so devotion is expressed as regulated japa/homa rather than mere emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vyākaraṇa and Śikṣā are implicit: the verse specifies caturthī (dative case) usage and the importance of syllable-count (dvādaśākṣara), both essential for correct mantra pronunciation, construction, and ritual application with “svāhā.”