Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

द्विनवत्येकहीनो वा शतत्रयमथापि वा । ये मंत्रा वर्णसंख्याका निःस्नेहास्ते प्रकीर्तिताः ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

dvinavatyekahīno vā śatatrayamathāpi vā | ye maṃtrā varṇasaṃkhyākā niḥsnehāste prakīrtitāḥ || 56 ||

Translation

Mantra yang diukur semata-mata dengan bilangan suku kata—sama ada sembilan puluh satu (kurang satu daripada sembilan puluh dua) atau bahkan tiga ratus—diisytiharkan sebagai ‘tanpa unction’, yakni kurang daya batin dan keberkesanan bhakti yang sejati.

Word by Word

• द्वि-नवति-एक-हीनः: one less than ninety-two (91)
• द्वि-नवति-एक-हीनः: परिमाण-विशेषण (numeric qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक) + नवति (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (numerical-determinative): ‘one less than ninety-two’; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; numeric qualifier), एकवचन (singular)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध-बोधक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• शत-त्रयम्: three hundred
• शत-त्रयम्: परिमाण (measure/number)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु समास: ‘three hundreds’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: सम्बन्ध-बोधक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), sequence

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध-बोधक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध-बोधक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प (disjunctive particle)

• ये: which/those
• ये: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वर्ण-संख्यकाः: having (only) letter-count
• वर्ण-संख्यकाः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास: ‘having a count of letters’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• निः-स्नेहाः: devoid of essence/affection
• निः-स्नेहाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (नञ्/निः-प्रयोग): ‘without affection/essence’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: कर्ता (Karta; resumptive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रकीर्तिताः: have been proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तिताः: विधेय (predicate; passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भाव: ‘have been proclaimed’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a technical Vedanga-style discussion on mantra characteristics)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

FAQs

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

It warns that mantra-power is not produced by numerical syllable-count alone; without living bhāva (sneha/rasa) and right method, the mantra becomes ‘dry’ and spiritually unfruitful.

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

By calling such mantras niḥsneha (“without affection/unction”), it implies that devotion and heartfelt orientation are essential for mantra to mature into a transformative practice, not just technical recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects a Śikṣā/Chandas-oriented concern with akṣara (syllable/letter) counts, while simultaneously teaching the limitation of purely mechanical metrics in mantra-vidhi.