Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 98

The Classification and Explanation of Yakṣiṇī Mantras

Kālī and Tārā Vidyās

Devanagari script

स्वं दीर्घत्रयमन्वाढ्यमेषो वामदगन्वितः । लोकपालाय हृदयं तृतीयोऽयं शिवाक्षरः ॥ ९८ ॥

Transliteration

svaṃ dīrghatrayamanvāḍhyameṣo vāmadaganvitaḥ | lokapālāya hṛdayaṃ tṛtīyo'yaṃ śivākṣaraḥ || 98 ||

Translation

‘സ്വം’ എന്ന ബീജം മൂന്ന് ദീർഘസ്വരങ്ങളാൽ സമന്വിതവും വാമാംഗ-തത്ത്വത്തോടു ചേർന്നതുമായതിനാൽ, ലോകപാലന്റെ ഹൃദയമന്ത്രമാണ്; ഇതാണ് തൃതീയ ശിവാക്ഷരം.

Word by Word

• स्वम्: one's own (thing/syllable)
• स्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; pronoun/adjectival use: 'own'

• दीर्घ-त्रयम्: the set of three long (vowels/lengths)
• दीर्घ-त्रयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (three long vowels/lengths)

• अनु-आढ्यम्: endowed accordingly/thereafter
• अनु-आढ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषणम्: अनु (after/along) + आढ्य (endowed)

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• वामदग-अन्वितः: accompanied with vāmadaga
• वामदग-अन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वामदग (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (X-anvita = accompanied with X); अन्वित = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (√इ/अन्वि 'to follow/attend')

• लोकपालाय: for the Lokapāla (world-guardian)
• लोकपालाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: लोकस्य पालः

• हृदयम्: heart (core)
• हृदयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here predicate/apposition

• तृतीयः: third
• तृतीयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ordinal adjective

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

• शिव-अक्षरः: Śiva-syllable
• शिव-अक्षरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: शिवस्य अक्षरः

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Lokapala

FAQs

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

It frames a specific Śaiva bīja (“svaṃ”) as a ‘hṛdaya’—the essential inner core—showing that precise sound-structure (akṣara and vowel-length) is treated as spiritually potent in mantra-vidyā.

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

Bhakti here is practiced through disciplined japa and correct mantra-form: devotion is expressed by preserving the revealed phonetic form (vowel-length and components) of Śiva’s sacred syllables.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics) is implied—especially the role of dīrgha (long vowel quantity) and exact akṣara-combination in ensuring mantra efficacy during recitation.