Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 113

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

स्यात्त्रयोदशभिर्नेत्रं द्वाभ्यामस्त्रं प्रकीर्तितम् । बाणन्यासं ततः कुर्याद्भैरवीप्रोक्तवर्त्मना ॥ ११३ ॥

Transliteration

syāttrayodaśabhirnetraṃ dvābhyāmastraṃ prakīrtitam | bāṇanyāsaṃ tataḥ kuryādbhairavīproktavartmanā || 113 ||

Translation

നേത്ര-രക്ഷ പതിമൂന്ന് അക്ഷരങ്ങളുള്ളതെന്നും, അസ്ത്ര-മന്ത്രം രണ്ട് അക്ഷരങ്ങളുള്ളതെന്നും പ്രസിദ്ധം. തുടർന്ന് ഭൈരവീ ഉപദേശിച്ച മാർഗ്ഗപ്രകാരം ബാണ-ന്യാസം ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• स्यात्: should be / may be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• त्रयोदशभिः: by thirteen
• त्रयोदशभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्दः), तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (अक्षरैः/वर्णैः—अध्याहृत)

• नेत्रम्: (the) netra (mantra/section)
• नेत्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• द्वाभ्याम्: by two
• द्वाभ्याम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (अस्त्रम्)

• अस्त्रम्: weapon-mantra (astra)
• अस्त्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is proclaimed/declared
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कीर्त् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि—‘प्रशंसितं/उक्तम्’

• बाणन्यासम्: placement (nyāsa) of arrows (bāṇa-nyāsa)
• बाणन्यासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण + न्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: बाणस्य न्यासः)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (क्रम/अनन्तर)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भैरवीप्रोक्तवर्त्मना: by the path taught by Bhairavī
• भैरवीप्रोक्तवर्त्मना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैरवी + प्रोक्त + वर्त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; (तृतीया—मार्गेण); समासः: भैरव्या प्रोक्तं वर्त्म (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-समाससदृशः)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Bhairavī

FAQs

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

It codifies protective ritual technology: the Netra-mantra (guarding perception and inner clarity) and the Astra-mantra (removing obstacles), culminating in bāṇa-nyāsa—internalizing protection through disciplined mantra placement.

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

While technical, it supports bhakti-practice by prescribing safeguards (Netra/Astra) that stabilize the sādhaka’s body-mind for steady worship and mantra-japa, preventing distraction and ritual impediments.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects śikṣā and vyākaraṇa-adjacent precision in mantra usage—counting syllabic units and applying them through nyāsa—showing the Narada Purana’s technical, procedure-driven ritual pedagogy.