Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 45

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

द्विवर्णः सत्त्वहीनः स्यात्केकरश्चतुरक्षरः । षड्वर्णो बीजहीनो वा सार्द्धसप्ताक्षरोऽपि वा ॥ ४५ ॥

Transliteration

dvivarṇaḥ sattvahīnaḥ syātkekaraścaturakṣaraḥ | ṣaḍvarṇo bījahīno vā sārddhasaptākṣaro'pi vā || 45 ||

Translation

दोन वर्णांचा मंत्र सत्त्वहीन (अप्रभावी) म्हणतात; आणि ‘केकर’ दोषयुक्त चार अक्षरी मंत्रही दोषपूर्ण आहे. तसेच बीजरहित सहा वर्णांचा किंवा साडेसात अक्षरी मंत्रही दोषयुक्त मानला जातो।

Word by Word

• द्वि-वर्णः: two-lettered
• द्वि-वर्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु (numerical compound), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सत्त्व-हीनः: devoid of essence/power
• सत्त्व-हीनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• केकरः: kekara (a defective/irregular type)
• केकरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (technical/rare descriptor)

• चतुर्-अक्षरः: four-syllabled
• चतुर्-अक्षरः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• षट्-वर्णः: six-lettered
• षट्-वर्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बीज-हीनः: without bīja (seed-syllable)
• बीज-हीनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• सार्द्ध-सप्त-अक्षरः: seven-and-a-half-syllabled
• सार्द्ध-सप्त-अक्षरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्द्ध (अव्यय/पूर्वपद) + सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु (numerical compound with ‘sārdha’ = ‘and a half’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘seven-and-a-half-syllabled’

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on mantra-lakshana within Vedanga-oriented teaching)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra is a precise Vedic technology: when syllable-count, phonetics, and required bīja are defective, the mantra’s intended spiritual potency and ritual fruit are diminished.

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

It indirectly supports bhakti by emphasizing disciplined, correct japa and worship: devotion becomes steadier and more fruitful when the mantra used for Vishnu-upasana is properly formed and recited without doṣa.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and mantra-lakṣaṇa are highlighted—correct akṣara/varṇa structure, avoidance of pronunciation/formation defects (kekara-doṣa), and the necessity of bīja in certain mantras.