Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 104

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

पुण्यादिकं तु पूर्वोक्तं त्रयोदशभिरक्षरैः । पङिक्तभी रुद्र सङ्ख्याकैरष्टादशभिरक्षरैः ॥ १०४ ॥

Transliteration

puṇyādikaṃ tu pūrvoktaṃ trayodaśabhirakṣaraiḥ | paṅiktabhī rudra saṅkhyākairaṣṭādaśabhirakṣaraiḥ || 104 ||

Translation

पूर्वी सांगितलेले ‘पुण्य’ आदिक मंत्र तेरा अक्षरी आहे. आणि जो पंक्तींमध्ये रुद्र-संख्येनुसार रचलेला आहे, तो अठरा अक्षरी होतो.

Word by Word

• पुण्य-आदिकम्: ‘puṇya’ etc. (the earlier group/word)
• पुण्य-आदिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom/Acc sg); ‘पुण्य’ इत्यादि-समूहः/पदम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषबोधक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• पूर्व-उक्तम्: previously stated
• पूर्व-उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom/Acc sg); भूतकृदन्त (PPP) ‘पूर्वं उक्तम्’

• त्रयोदशभिः: with thirteen
• त्रयोदशभिः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोदश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया बहुवचन (Instr pl) (used with ‘अक्षरैः’ understood/connected); संख्या

• अक्षरैः: by/with syllables
• अक्षरैः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (Instr pl)

• पङ्क्ति-भिः: with lines/rows
• पङ्क्ति-भिः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्क्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (Instr pl)

• रुद्र: Rudra (i.e., eleven)
• रुद्र: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom sg) (समास/विशेषणार्थे ‘रुद्र-संख्य’ = 11)

• सङ्ख्याकैः: numbered/amounting (to)
• सङ्ख्याकैः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सङ्ख्याक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (Instr pl); ‘सङ्ख्यया तुल्यैः/सङ्ख्यापरिमितैः’

• अष्टादशभिः: with eighteen
• अष्टादशभिः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया बहुवचन (Instr pl) (used with ‘अक्षरैः’); संख्या

• अक्षरैः: with syllables
• अक्षरैः: Karana (करण/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन (Instr pl)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical Vedanga-style enumeration)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Rudra

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that mantra-recitation is not arbitrary: the efficacy of a rite is tied to correct syllable-count and formal structure, a key principle in Vedanga disciplines.

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

It supports bhakti in a disciplined way—devotional recitation becomes more potent when performed with proper mantra-form (akṣara-count and arrangement), aligning devotion with Vedic correctness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas/Śikṣā-style practice: counting akṣaras (syllables) and recognizing numerical conventions (like ‘Rudra-number’) used to define mantra or metrical specifications for ritual use.