Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 176

The Account of the Lalitā Hymn, the Protective Armor

Kavaca), and the Thousand Names (Sahasranāma

Devanagari script

विश्वं स्रष्टुं पालयितुं संहतु च क्षमो भवेत् । मंडलं मासमात्रं वा यो जपेद्यद्यदाशयः ॥ १७६ ॥

Transliteration

viśvaṃ sraṣṭuṃ pālayituṃ saṃhatu ca kṣamo bhavet | maṃḍalaṃ māsamātraṃ vā yo japedyadyadāśayaḥ || 176 ||

Translation

ഹൃദയത്തിലെ ആശയപ്രകാരം പൂർണ്ണ മണ്ഡലകാലമോ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഒരു മാസമാത്രമോ ജപം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ, വിശ്വത്തെ സൃഷ്ടിക്കാനും പാലിക്കാനും സംഹരിക്കാനും പോലും ശേഷിയുള്ളവനാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्रष्टुम्: to create
• स्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावे कृदन्त (infinitive), अर्थः: कर्तुम् (to create)

• पालयितुम्: to protect, to maintain
• पालयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालय् (धातु; √पाल् causative/denom)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive)

• संहतुम्: to dissolve/withdraw
• संहतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सं-हृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive); अर्थः: संहर्तुम् (to withdraw/destroy)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• क्षमः: capable
• क्षमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अन्तर्निहितः 'सः/नरः')

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मण्डलम्: a cycle/period (maṇḍala)
• मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कालपरिमाणे (as duration/object of practice)

• मासमात्रम्: only a month
• मासमात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास-मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (मासस्य मात्रम् = only a month)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधकः (relative pronoun)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (correlative: whatever)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः (emphatic: whatever)

• आशयः: intention, desire
• आशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (यस्य आशयः) इति सम्बन्धः

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga/Mantra-śāstra context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

FAQs

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

It exalts the transformative power of disciplined mantra-japa, teaching that sustained practice (maṇḍala or month-long) can produce extraordinary capacities, with results shaped by one’s inner intention (āśaya).

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

Even when framed as siddhi, the verse implies that focused repetition with heartfelt intent is central; in a bhakti reading, the highest “intention” is surrender to the Lord, making japa a vehicle for divine alignment rather than mere power.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-śāstra discipline: fixed-duration observances (maṇḍala), regulated japa practice, and the role of saṅkalpa/āśaya in determining mantra-phala—core technical ideas used across Vedic ritual and applied sacred sciences.