Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 162

Rādhā-sambaddha-mantra-vyākhyā

Rādhā-Related Mantras Explained

Devanagari script

निग्रहानुग्रहौ कर्तुं क्षमः स्याद्भुवनत्रये । दीर्घस्वरसमेताभ्यां हंसहृभ्द्यां षडंगकम् ॥ १६२ ॥

Transliteration

nigrahānugrahau kartuṃ kṣamaḥ syādbhuvanatraye | dīrghasvarasametābhyāṃ haṃsahṛbhdyāṃ ṣaḍaṃgakam || 162 ||

Translation

तो त्रिभुवनात निग्रह व अनुग्रह—दोन्ही करण्यास समर्थ होतो। दीर्घस्वरांसहित “हंस” व “हृभ्” या दोन अक्षरांच्या संयोगाने षडङ्गकाचा संकेत दर्शविला आहे॥

Word by Word

• निग्रह: restraint, suppression
• निग्रह: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object-member in dvandva

• अनुग्रह: favor, grace
• अनुग्रह: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object-member in dvandva

• निग्रहानुग्रहौ: restraint and grace
• निग्रहानुग्रहौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निग्रह + अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), द्विवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (two items together)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (infinitive), ‘to do’

• क्षमः: capable
• क्षमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• स्यात्: would be / should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• भुवनत्रये: in the three worlds
• भुवनत्रये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• दीर्घस्वरसमेताभ्याम्: by/with the two accompanied by long vowels
• दीर्घस्वरसमेताभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ + स्वर + समेत (सम्-इ + क्त, कृदन्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), द्विवचन; instrumental ‘with/by the two that are accompanied by long vowels’

• हंसहृभ्द्याम्: by/with ‘haṃsa’ and ‘hṛbh’ (uncertain)
• हंसहृभ्द्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस + हृभ् (प्रातिपदिक; reading uncertain)
• Form: द्विवचन, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया); dual instrumental; text-critical: ‘हृभ्’ unclear in lexica, possibly corrupt/variant

• षडंगकम्: the six-limbed (six-part) [mantra/nyāsa]
• षडंगकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + अङ्गक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; object

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada on Vedanga/Śikṣā markers)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It links mastery of Vedic phonetics and auxiliary disciplines with spiritual authority—gaining the capacity to discipline (nigraha) and bless (anugraha), i.e., to guide beings through correct sacred knowledge.

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

Bhakti is strengthened by correct mantra-recitation; the verse implies that disciplined pronunciation and Vedāṅga-based understanding protect devotion from error and make worship efficacious.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) is foregrounded—especially the role of dīrgha (long vowels) and precise sound-units used as markers—while pointing to the broader ṣaḍaṅga (six Vedāṅgas) framework supporting Vedic study and ritual.