Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

The Exposition of the Krishna Mantra (Kṛṣṇa-mantra-prakāśa): Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Worship, Yantra, and Prayoga

Devanagari script

प्राग्वद्विन्यस्य सर्वाङ्गे तत्त्वन्यासोऽयमीरितः । मकाराद्या आद्यवर्णाः सर्वे स्युश्चंद्रभूषिताः ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

prāgvadvinyasya sarvāṅge tattvanyāso'yamīritaḥ | makārādyā ādyavarṇāḥ sarve syuścaṃdrabhūṣitāḥ || 21 ||

Translation

Seperti sebelumnya, setelah diletakkan pada seluruh tubuh, inilah yang dinyatakan sebagai tattva-nyāsa (penetapan prinsip-prinsip). Huruf-huruf awal bermula dengan “ma” hendaklah semuanya dihiasi dengan candra (bulan).

Word by Word

• प्राक्-वत्: as before, in the earlier manner
• प्राक्-वत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय) + वत् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय, अव्ययार्थ)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), उपमान/रीति-अर्थे ‘वत्’ (like/as before)

• विन्यस्य: having placed/arranged
• विन्यस्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√न्यस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), परस्मैपदी; ‘having placed/arranged’

• सर्व-अङ्गे: on the whole body / in all limbs
• सर्व-अङ्गे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• तत्त्व-न्यासः: the placing (nyāsa) of the principles (tattvas)
• तत्त्व-न्यासः: Karta (कर्ता) / Viṣaya-nirdeśa (विषयनिर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + न्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय-निर्देश

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता) (as demonstrative for subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ईरितः: is declared/has been stated
• ईरितः: Kriyā (क्रिया) (predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ईर्/ईरय् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• मकार-आद्याः: beginning with ‘ma’
• मकार-आद्याः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मकार (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘beginning with ma’

• आद्य-वर्णाः: the initial letters
• आद्य-वर्णाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; मुख्यपद ‘वर्ण’

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• स्युः: should be / may be
• स्युः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘may be/should be’

• चन्द्र-भूषिताः: adorned with the moon
• चन्द्र-भूषिताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (कृदन्त-क्त, प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘adorned with the moon’

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It defines tattva-nyāsa as a disciplined inner consecration: the practitioner ritually “installs” cosmic principles onto the body, treating the body as a sacred support for mantra and contemplation.

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

By prescribing nyāsa, it turns the devotee’s body and speech into instruments of worship; such embodied mantra-practice supports focused remembrance and reverence, strengthening devotional absorption.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects technical mantra-phonetics and ritual application—how specific varṇas (letters) are placed and marked (here with “candra”), aligning recitation and visualization with a precise procedure.