Shloka 13

The Greatness of Puruṣottama

Aṣṭākṣarī Maṇḍala-Pūjā and Nyāsa

Devanagari script

यकारोऽयं शिरस्थश्च यत्र लोका व्यवस्थिताः । ॐकारं हृदये न्यस्य विकारं वा शिरस्यथ ॥ १३ ॥

Transliteration

yakāro'yaṃ śirasthaśca yatra lokā vyavasthitāḥ | oṃkāraṃ hṛdaye nyasya vikāraṃ vā śirasyatha || 13 ||

Translation

ഈ ‘യ’ അക്ഷരം ശിരസ്സിൽ ന്യസിക്കണം; കാരണം അവിടെയാണ് ലോകങ്ങൾ ക്രമമായി നിലകൊള്ളുന്നത്. ‘ഓം’കാരത്തെ ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ന്യസിച്ച്, തുടർന്ന് ‘വി’ അക്ഷരം ശിരസ്സിൽ സ്ഥാപിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• यकारः: the syllable ‘ya’
• यकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

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

• शिरस्थः: situated in the head
• शिरस्थः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिरस् + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिरसि स्थितः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Conjunction (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: where)

• लोकाः: worlds
• लोकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• व्यवस्थिताः: are established
• व्यवस्थिताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ॐकारम्: the syllable Oṃ (oṃkāra)
• ॐकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ॐकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• न्यस्य: having placed
• न्यस्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि + अस् (धातु) → न्यस्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having placed’

• विकारम्: the syllable ‘vi’ / vikāra
• विकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Particle (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प-निपात (or)

• शिरसि: in the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अथ: then/thereupon
• अथ: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक-निपात (then/now)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the method of mantra-nyasa)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara
• Om

FAQs

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

It teaches internal worship through nyāsa: stabilizing consciousness by installing sacred sound—Oṃ in the heart (inner self) and specific syllables in the head (higher awareness), symbolizing the ordered support of the worlds within the subtle body.

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

By turning devotion inward: the devotee venerates the Lord through His sound-form (praṇava/Oṃ) and disciplined remembrance, making the body a temple via mantra placement rather than relying only on external rites.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and mantra-viniyoga/nyāsa practice: precise handling of syllables (ya, vi, Oṃ) and their contemplated locations (heart, head) as part of technical mantra discipline.