Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 54

The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras

Devanagari script

आकर्षणीं हृदि पुनः सर्वांतभृगुसंस्थिताम् । संमोहनीं क्रमादेवं बाणन्यासोऽयमीरितः ॥ ५४ ॥

Transliteration

ākarṣaṇīṃ hṛdi punaḥ sarvāṃtabhṛgusaṃsthitām | saṃmohanīṃ kramādevaṃ bāṇanyāso'yamīritaḥ || 54 ||

Translation

പിന്നീട് ഹൃദയത്തിൽ വീണ്ടും ‘ആകർഷണീ’യെ ന്യാസം ചെയ്യണം; സർവാന്തങ്ങളിൽ അധിഷ്ഠിതമായ ‘സംമോഹനീ’യെ ‘ഭൃഗു’സ്ഥാനത്ത് ക്രമമായി സ്ഥാപിക്കണം. ഇങ്ങനെ ബാണന്യാസം ഉപദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• आकर्षणीम्: Ākarṣaṇī (attracting; mantra-name)
• आकर्षणीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकर्षणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (mantra-name)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सर्वान्त: the end of all (i.e., final position)
• सर्वान्त: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वस्य अन्तः)

• भृगु: Bhṛgu (name; here: bhṛgu-letter ‘र्’ in tantric usage)
• भृगु: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (as member in compound)

• संस्थिताम्: placed/located
• संस्थिताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्थित (कृदन्त; सम् + स्था धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); ‘placed/located’

• संमोहनीम्: Saṃmohanī (deluding; mantra-name)
• संमोहनीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संमोहनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (mantra-name)

• क्रमात्: in sequence/stepwise
• क्रमात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘in order/stepwise’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• बाणन्यासः: the arrow-nyāsa (placement)
• बाणन्यासः: Karta (कर्ता) / Viṣaya (topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण + न्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बाणानां न्यासः)

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

• ईरितः: has been stated
• ईरितः: Pradhāna-vidheya (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईरित (कृदन्त; ईर्/ईरय् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); ‘declared/taught’

Speaker

Narada (in instruction mode within a technical Vedanga/ritual-nyasa context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ākarṣaṇī
• Saṃmohanī
• Bhṛgu

FAQs

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

It codifies a precise inner-ritual (nyāsa) where specific mantra-śaktis are ‘installed’ in prescribed bodily loci, aiming to align the practitioner’s body-mind as a consecrated field for mantra-siddhi.

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

Though technical, nyāsa functions as devotional consecration: the devotee internalizes sacred powers in the heart and limbs, treating the body as a temple and supporting focused remembrance during worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual science—mantra-viniyoga and nyāsa-krama (procedural sequencing and placement terminology), a technical discipline associated with authoritative liturgical method rather than narrative theology.