Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 99

The Description of the Worship of Rāma and Others

Rāmādi-pūjā-vidhāna

Devanagari script

एकादशाक्षरो मंत्रो मुन्याद्यर्चास्य पूर्ववत् । त्रैलोक्यांते तु नाथाय हृदंतो वसुवर्णवान् ॥ ९९ ॥

Transliteration

ekādaśākṣaro maṃtro munyādyarcāsya pūrvavat | trailokyāṃte tu nāthāya hṛdaṃto vasuvarṇavān || 99 ||

Translation

हा मंत्र एकादशाक्षरी आहे; आणि मुनि इत्यादींपासून आरंभ करून अर्चन पूर्ववत् करावे. त्रैलोक्याच्या अंतकाळीही नाथ हृदयांत अंतर्वर्ती, वसु-स्वर्णप्रभेसारखा दीप्त राहतो.

Word by Word

• एकादश-अक्षरः: eleven-syllabled
• एकादश-अक्षरः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular; समासः द्विगु (एकादश अक्षराणि यस्य)

• मन्त्रः: mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• मुनि-आदि: the sage etc. (as in earlier procedure)
• मुनि-आदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (contextual), एकवचन; here as ‘muni etc.’; समासः तत्पुरुष (आदि-शब्देन समाहार)

• अर्चा: worship/ritual honoring
• अर्चा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• अस्य: of this/of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• त्रैलोक्य-अन्ते: at the end of ‘trailokya’ (in the mantra sequence)
• त्रैलोक्य-अन्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th), एकवचन; Locative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (त्रैलोक्यस्य अन्तः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• नाथाय: to the Lord
• नाथाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th), एकवचन; Dative singular

• हृद्-अन्तः: the ending ‘hṛd’ (heart-ending element)
• हृद्-अन्तः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हृदः अन्तः)

• वसु-वर्णवान्: having the color of gold/wealth (vāsava-like)
• वसु-वर्णवान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन; Nominative singular; समासः तत्पुरुष (वसोः वर्णः यस्य)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Natha (the Lord)
• Munis (sages)

FAQs

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

It links correct mantra-worship procedure with the highest metaphysical truth: even when the cosmos ends, the Lord remains present as the heart’s inner indweller, so devotion is both ritual and realization.

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

Bhakti is shown as disciplined practice—japa of an eleven-syllable mantra and arcana “as previously taught”—that culminates in recognizing the Lord within, beyond cosmic change.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It emphasizes technical mantra-vidhi and arcana-krama (procedural correctness): specifying the mantra’s syllable-count (akṣara) and following the established ritual sequence.