Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Nityā-paṭala-prakaraṇa

The Exposition of the Nityā-paṭala

Devanagari script

पिंडकर्तरि बीजाख्या मन्त्रा मालाभिधाः क्रमात् । एकार्णवन्तो द्व्यर्णाश्च त्रिदिङ्मुखार्णकाः ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

piṃḍakartari bījākhyā mantrā mālābhidhāḥ kramāt | ekārṇavanto dvyarṇāśca tridiṅmukhārṇakāḥ || 5 ||

Translation

‘പിണ്ഡകർത്തൃ’ വിധിയിൽ ‘ബീജ’മെന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധമായ മന്ത്രങ്ങൾ ക്രമമായി ‘മാല’ എന്നും വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അവ മൂന്ന് വിധം—ഏകാക്ഷരം, ദ്വ്യാക്ഷരം, ത്രിദിക്‌മുഖ ത്ര്യാക്ഷരം।

Word by Word

• पिण्डकर्तरि: in/with the maker of the piṇḍa (lump/body)
• पिण्डकर्तरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्डकर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular; तत्पुरुषः (पिण्डस्य कर्ता)

• बीजाख्याः: called ‘seed’
• बीजाख्याः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बीज + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; तत्पुरुषः (बीज-आख्याः = ‘called seed’)

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• मालाभिधाः: called ‘garland’
• मालाभिधाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माला + अभिधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; तत्पुरुषः (माला-आभिधाः = ‘named garland’)

• क्रमात्: in sequence; successively
• क्रमात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb): ‘in order/ क्रमशः’

• एकार्णवन्तः: having one arṇava (one set/ocean)
• एकार्णवन्तः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + अर्णव + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; तत्पुरुषः (एक-अर्णव-वन्तः = having one ‘arṇava’/ocean/collection)

• द्व्यर्णाः: two-syllabled
• द्व्यर्णाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; द्विगु-समासः (द्वि-अर्ण = two-syllabled/with two letters)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• त्रिदिङ्मुखार्णकाः: having arṇakas (letters/syllables) with three-directional faces
• त्रिदिङ्मुखार्णकाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + दिक् + मुख + अर्णक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (त्रि-दिक्-मुख-अर्णकाः = having syllables/letters facing three directions)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It systematizes mantra-vidyā by classifying bīja-mantras and their ordered use as a “mālā,” showing that spiritual practice is strengthened by correct structure, syllabic precision, and directional placement within a rite.

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

While technical, it supports bhakti by insisting that devotional worship using mantras should be properly formed and applied; disciplined mantra-recitation becomes an orderly offering that steadies the mind and focuses devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights technical mantra-science connected to śikṣā (phonetics: syllable-count and articulation) and ritual procedure (directional placement), emphasizing accurate syllabic composition (eka/dvi/tri-arṇa) in practice.