Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 137

Mahāviṣṇu-Mantras: Aṣṭākṣarī, Sudarśana-Astra, Nyāsa Systems, Āvaraṇa-Pūjā, and Prayogas

Devanagari script

एकोनविंशत्यर्णाढ्यो मन्त्रो वह्निप्रियांतिमः । वराहोऽस्य मुनिश्छन्दो गायत्री निवृदादिका ॥ १३७ ॥

Transliteration

ekonaviṃśatyarṇāḍhyo mantro vahnipriyāṃtimaḥ | varāho'sya muniśchando gāyatrī nivṛdādikā || 137 ||

Translation

Mantra ini mengandungi sembilan belas suku kata; bahagian penutupnya dikasihi oleh Agni. Bagi mantra ini, Varāha ialah ṛṣi (resi); meternya (chandas) ialah Gāyatrī, bermula dengan susunan jenis nivṛt serta bentuk-bentuk yang berkaitan.

Word by Word

• ekona-viṃśati-arṇa-āḍhyaḥ: having nineteen syllables
• ekona-viṃśati-arṇa-āḍhyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekona (प्रातिपदिक) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + arṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (Masculine/पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (Nominative/प्रथमा) Ekavacana (Singular/एकवचन); samāsa: ekona-viṃśati (19) + arṇa (syllables) → ‘having 19 syllables’

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

• vahni-priyā-antimaḥ: the final (mantra) dear to Agni
• vahni-priyā-antimaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक) + priyā (प्रातिपदिक) + antima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; samāsa: vahni-priyā (dear to Agni) + antima (last/final)

• varāhaḥ: Varāha (boar incarnation)
• varāhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• asya: of this (mantra)
• asya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive/षष्ठी) Ekavacana; sarvanāma (pronoun)

• muniḥ: the sage (seer)
• muniḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana

• chandaḥ: the meter
• chandaḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chandas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (Neuter/नपुंसक), Prathamā Ekavacana

• gāyatrī: Gāyatrī (meter)
• gāyatrī: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (Feminine/स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā Ekavacana

• nivṛt-ādikā: beginning with ‘nivṛt’ (etc.)
• nivṛt-ādikā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nivṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + ādikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā Ekavacana; samāsa: nivṛt-ādi (beginning with ‘nivṛt’) + -kā (having/characterized by)

Speaker

Narada (teaching the technical mantra-lakshana within a Vedanga-oriented section; framed in dialogue with Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Varaha

FAQs

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

It teaches mantra-lakṣaṇa—how a mantra is properly identified by syllable-count, ṛṣi, and chandas—so that recitation and ritual use align with Vedic order (vidhi) rather than mere sound.

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

Indirectly: by insisting on correct mantra identity (ṛṣi/chandas), it supports disciplined worship—devotion expressed through accurate, reverent recitation rather than casual repetition.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Chandas and mantra-śāstra basics: counting syllables (arṇa), assigning the seer (Varāha as ṛṣi), and identifying the metre (Gāyatrī), which are essential for correct Vedic chanting and ritual application.