Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 169

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

Devanagari script

स्रवन्दितान्ते पादेति कल्पान्ताग्निसहस्र च । कोट्याभान्ते महादेव निकायदशशब्दतः ॥ १६९ ॥

Transliteration

sravanditānte pādeti kalpāntāgnisahasra ca | koṭyābhānte mahādeva nikāyadaśaśabdataḥ || 169 ||

Translation

हे महादेव! शब्दांच्या दशविध निकायानुसार—प्रवाहमान जप/पाठाच्या शेवटी ‘पाद’ असे म्हणतात; आणि कल्पांतकाळी ते सहस्र अग्नींसारखे तेजस्वी, जणू कोटींच्या प्रभेसारखे दीप्तिमान असते.

Word by Word

• sravat-anta: at the end of the flowing (state)
• sravat-anta: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sravat (कृदन्त, √sru-धातु, शतृ) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'at the end of (that which is) flowing'

• pāda: foot/pāda (as a designation)
• pāda: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; here as quoted epithet/name

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle

• kalpa-anta-agni-sahasra: a thousand end-of-kalpa fires
• kalpa-anta-agni-sahasra: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (collective); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः = 'a thousand fires at the end of a kalpa'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• koṭi-ābhā-ante: at the limit of crores of radiance
• koṭi-ābhā-ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + ābhā (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'at the end/limit of crores of splendor (brightness)'

• mahādeva: O Mahādeva
• mahādeva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; कर्मधारयः = 'O great god'

• nikāya-daśa: ten groups
• nikāya-daśa: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nikāya (प्रातिपदिक) + daśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (collective); तत्पुरुषः = 'ten groups/collections'

• śabdataḥ: by the utterance/verbally
• śabdataḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used adverbially (पञ्चमी-प्रयोग) = 'by the word/verbally'

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/terminological context; addressing Mahadeva)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It links precise Vedic word-structure (pāda and word-classification) with spiritual potency, portraying sacred utterance as radiantly powerful—like the cosmic fire at dissolution—when correctly formed and completed.

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

By implying that devotion expressed through mantra and hymn becomes effective when recited with correct structure and completion (pāda), showing that disciplined sacred speech supports heartfelt worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas and related Vedanga method: understanding pāda (metrical quarter/foot) and technical word-divisions (a tenfold classification) relevant to accurate chanting, textual parsing, and mantra recitation.