Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 172

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

कर्णयोर्नेत्रयोश्चैव भ्रूमध्ये निटिले तथा । मूर्ध्नि न्यसेन्मंत्रवर्णान्संहाराख्योऽयमीरितः ॥ १७२ ॥

Transliteration

karṇayornetrayoścaiva bhrūmadhye niṭile tathā | mūrdhni nyasenmaṃtravarṇānsaṃhārākhyo'yamīritaḥ || 172 ||

Translation

कानांवर व नेत्रांवर, तसेच भ्रूमध्यावर व कपाळावर मंत्रवर्णांचा न्यास करावा; आणि शेवटी मस्तकाच्या शिखरावर ठेवावा. हा ‘संहार’ नावाचा न्यास सांगितला आहे.

Word by Word

• कर्णयोः: in the two ears
• कर्णयोः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• नेत्रयोः: in the two eyes
• नेत्रयोः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), समुच्चय-बोधक (Conjunction)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), अवधारण (Emphatic particle)

• भ्रू-मध्ये: in the middle of the eyebrows
• भ्रू-मध्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• निटिले: on the forehead
• निटिले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head/crown
• मूर्ध्नि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: विधेय (Vidhi/Instructional action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• मन्त्र-वर्णान्: the mantra-syllables
• मन्त्र-वर्णान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• संहार-आख्यः: called ‘saṃhāra’ (withdrawal)
• संहार-आख्यः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संहार (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (Tatpuruṣa), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईरितः: is said/declared
• ईरितः: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It teaches saṃhāra-nyāsa—an inward “withdrawal” practice where mantra-syllables are ritually placed on key sense-centers and the crown, symbolizing the gathering of scattered perception back into focused, meditative awareness.

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

By prescribing disciplined mantra-nyāsa, it supports bhakti through concentrated remembrance: the devotee internalizes the mantra so the senses (hearing/seeing) and mind become aligned toward the chosen deity and steady japa-dhyāna.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A technical ritual procedure: mantra-varṇa-nyāsa (placing mantra letters/syllables on specific bodily locations), reflecting applied śikṣā/mantra-prayoga style discipline in the Narada Purana’s Vedanga-oriented section.