Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 185

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

Devanagari script

देव्या बीजं क्रमादासामादौ च विनियोजयेत् । दलाग्रेषु यजेच्छंखं शार्ङ्गं चक्रमसिं गदाम् ॥ १८५ ॥

Transliteration

devyā bījaṃ kramādāsāmādau ca viniyojayet | dalāgreṣu yajecchaṃkhaṃ śārṅgaṃ cakramasiṃ gadām || 185 ||

Translation

Mula-mula hendaklah ia menempatkan bīja Sang Dewi pada bahagian-bahagian itu menurut tertibnya. Kemudian, pada hujung kelopak-kelopak, hendaklah dipuja sangkha (siput suci), Śārṅga (busur), cakra (cakram), pedang, dan gadā (belantan).

Word by Word

• देव्याः: of the Goddess
• देव्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• बीजम्: seed-syllable
• बीजम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• क्रमात्: in sequence/gradually
• क्रमात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = क्रमात् (in order/gradually)

• आसाम्: of these (feminine)
• आसाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम्/एतद्-प्रत्ययान्त सर्वनाम (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (of these [goddesses/ones])

• आदौ: at first/in the beginning
• आदौ: देश/कालाधिकरण (Adverbial locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (at the beginning)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विनियोजयेत्: should apply/assign
• विनियोजयेत्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-नि-√युज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• दल-अग्रेषु: on the tips of the petals/leaves
• दल-अग्रेषु: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दल (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दलानाम् अग्रेषु)

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• शङ्खम्: conch
• शङ्खम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शार्ङ्गम्: Śārṅga (the bow)
• शार्ङ्गम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• चक्रम्: discus
• चक्रम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• असिम्: sword
• असिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (teaching ritual procedure, in dialogue context with Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-power (the Devī bīja) is to be ritually ‘assigned’ first, and then divine weapons/emblems are worshipped on the lotus-petals—showing that inner consecration (mantra-nyāsa) precedes outer worship (upacāra).

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

By directing worship to Viṣṇu’s emblems—conch, bow, discus, sword, and mace—it frames bhakti as focused remembrance and honoring of the Lord’s divine attributes, performed with ordered ritual attention.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual science—mantra-viniyoga (assignment/application of mantras) and structured worship on a lotus/yantra layout—skills aligned with technical liturgical practice discussed in the Purāṇa’s Vedāṅga-oriented sections.