Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

षड्विंशत्यक्षरो वापि षट्त्रिंशद्वर्णंकोऽपि वा । एकोन त्रिंशदर्णो वा मंत्रो हीनांगकः स्मृतः ॥ ५० ॥

Transliteration

ṣaḍviṃśatyakṣaro vāpi ṣaṭtriṃśadvarṇaṃko'pi vā | ekona triṃśadarṇo vā maṃtro hīnāṃgakaḥ smṛtaḥ || 50 ||

Translation

Mantra yang mempunyai dua puluh enam suku kata, atau yang mempunyai tiga puluh enam huruf, atau yang mempunyai dua puluh sembilan huruf, dianggap sebagai mantra “hīnāṅgaka”, yakni mantra yang cacat anggotanya.

Word by Word

• ṣaḍviṃśatyakṣaraḥ: having twenty-six syllables
• ṣaḍviṃśatyakṣaraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaḍviṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvigu-samāsa (26)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya (or)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (also/even)

• ṣaṭtriṃśadvarṇāṅkaḥ: having a count of thirty-six letters
• ṣaṭtriṃśadvarṇāṅkaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭtriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: varṇānām aṅkaḥ/saṅkhyā = count/mark of letters; overall ‘having the count of 36 letters’

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Nipāta (also/even)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya (or)

• ekona: one less (than)
• ekona: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekona (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: Avyaya-sadṛśa-saṃkhyāviśeṣaṇa (numeral qualifier ‘one less’), used adjectivally

• triṃśadarṇaḥ: having thirty (arṇas/letters)
• triṃśadarṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: triṃśat (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvigu-samāsa; (text reads arṇa; often varṇa intended)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya (or)

• mantraḥ: mantra
• mantraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• hīnāṅgakaḥ: defective/with deficient limbs (parts)
• hīnāṅgakaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hīna (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + -ka (क प्रत्यय)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: hīnam aṅgam yasya/ hīna-aṅga = deficient in parts; -ka forms adjective/noun

• smṛtaḥ: is considered
• smṛtaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (स्मृ धातु)
• Form: Kta (past passive participle) used predicatively, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; ‘is considered/remembered’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It stresses that mantra-japa and ritual effectiveness depend on correct mantra-structure; a mantra with improper syllable/phoneme count is treated as lacking its proper “limbs,” and thus is not fit for intended ritual results.

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

It implies that devotion is strengthened when worship is performed with śāstric care—properly formed mantras support focused remembrance and disciplined Vishnu-bhakti rather than careless recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (phonetics) and allied mantra-vidyā: counting akṣaras and varṇas, and diagnosing mantra-doṣa (defects) that make a mantra hīnāṅgaka for ritual application.