Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 158

The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor

Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माद्यावृत्तिरूपा च परा पश्यतिका तथा । मध्यमा वैखरी शीर्षकण्ठताल्वोष्ठदन्तगा ॥ १५८ ॥

Transliteration

brahmādyāvṛttirūpā ca parā paśyatikā tathā | madhyamā vaikharī śīrṣakaṇṭhatālvoṣṭhadantagā || 158 ||

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മാദി ആദ്യസ്പന്ദനധാരാരൂപമായ ‘പരാ’ വാക്ക് പ്രസിദ്ധം; അതുപോലെ ‘പശ്യന്തി’യും ഉണ്ട്. തുടർന്ന് ‘മധ്യമാ’യും ‘വൈഖരീ’യും; വൈഖരീ ശിരസ്, കണ്ഠം, താലു, അധരം, ദന്തം എന്നിവയിലൂടെ പ്രകടമാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मादि-आवृत्ति-रूपा: having the form of repetition beginning with Brahmā (etc.)
• ब्रह्मादि-आवृत्ति-रूपा: कर्तृ/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव (Karta/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म + आदि + आवृत्ति + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (determinative): ब्रह्मादि (brahmā etc.) + आवृत्ति (repetition/recurrence) + रूपा (having the form)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• परा: supreme; transcendent
• परा: कर्तृ/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• पश्यतिका: (called) ‘paśyatikā’
• पश्यतिका: कर्तृ/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्यतिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नामविशेषण (epithet)

• तथा: likewise; thus
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• मध्यमा: the middle (stage)
• मध्यमा: कर्तृ/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वैखरी: vaikharī (articulated speech)
• वैखरी: कर्तृ/विशेष्य (subject/predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैखरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (name of speech-stage)

• शीर्ष-कण्ठ-तालु-ओष्ठ-दन्त-गा: located in the head, throat, palate, lips and teeth
• शीर्ष-कण्ठ-तालु-ओष्ठ-दन्त-गा: कर्तृ/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीर्ष + कण्ठ + तालु + ओष्ठ + दन्त + ग (√गम् धातु-प्रत्ययान्त/प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (locative/determinative sense): ‘(she) who goes/abides in head, throat, palate, lips, teeth’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Vedanga/Śikṣā context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

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

It frames mantra and Vedic sound as a graded manifestation—from the subtlest Parā to audible Vaikharī—showing that recitation is not merely physical speech but a movement from inner consciousness to articulated sound.

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

By implying that devotional mantra-japa can be practiced at multiple depths: inwardly (Paśyantī/Madhyamā) as concentrated remembrance and outwardly (Vaikharī) as spoken praise—both aiming to align speech with sacred awareness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics): it links spoken Vaikharī to precise articulation points—head, throat, palate, lips, and teeth—emphasizing correct pronunciation for accurate mantra recitation.