Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

द्वादशाक्षरवर्णाद्या द्वादशादित्यसंयुताः । अष्टार्णोऽयं मनुश्चाष्टप्रकृत्यात्मा समीरितः ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

dvādaśākṣaravarṇādyā dvādaśādityasaṃyutāḥ | aṣṭārṇo'yaṃ manuścāṣṭaprakṛtyātmā samīritaḥ || 21 ||

Translation

ଦ୍ୱାଦଶାକ୍ଷର ମନ୍ତ୍ରର ବର୍ଣ୍ଣମାନରୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରି ଦ୍ୱାଦଶ ଆଦିତ୍ୟ ସହ ଯୁକ୍ତ—ଏହି ଅଷ୍ଟାକ୍ଷର ମନ୍ତ୍ର ମଧ୍ୟ ଘୋଷିତ; ଏହାର ସ୍ୱରୂପ ଅଷ୍ଟ-ପ୍ରକୃତି-ଆତ୍ମକ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• द्वादश-अक्षर-वर्ण-आद्याः: beginning with the twelve syllable-letters
• द्वादश-अक्षर-वर्ण-आद्याः: विशेषण (विशेष्य= (मूर्तयः) अव्यक्त)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश + अक्षर + वर्ण + आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—द्वादशाक्षरवर्णैः आद्याः (beginning with the twelve syllable-letters)

• द्वादश-आदित्य-संयुताः: joined with the twelve Ādityas
• द्वादश-आदित्य-संयुताः: विशेषण (विशेष्य= (मूर्तयः) अव्यक्त)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश + आदित्य + संयुत (कृदन्त; सम्-√युज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘(मूर्तयः)’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः—द्वादशभिः आदित्यैः संयुताः

• अष्ट-अर्णः: eight-syllabled
• अष्ट-अर्णः: विशेषण (विशेष्य=मनुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः—अष्ट अर्णानि यस्य/अष्टार्णः (eight-syllabled)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मनुः: mantra/formula (manu)
• मनुः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• अष्ट-प्रकृति-आत्मा: whose essence is the eight prakṛtis
• अष्ट-प्रकृति-आत्मा: विशेषण (विशेष्य=मनुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + प्रकृति + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—अष्टप्रकृतिः आत्मा यस्य (having the nature consisting of eight prakṛtis)

• समीरितः: is declared/has been stated
• समीरितः: विशेषण (विशेष्य=मनुः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-ईरित (कृदन्त; सम्-√ईर्/√ईरय् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘मनुः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Adityas
• Prakriti

FAQs

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

It links mantra-structure (twelve- and eight-syllabled forms) with cosmic principles—Ādityas and the eightfold Prakṛti—teaching that mantra is not mere sound but a mapped spiritual technology aligning the practitioner with universal forces.

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

By presenting mantras as deity-connected (Āditya-linked) and principle-embodying (Prakṛti-linked), it implies that devotional japa becomes effective when the devotee contemplates both the devatā and the tattva embodied by the mantra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights Chandas/phonetics-based mantra classification (by syllable-count) and a Jyotiṣa-style deity mapping (Ādityas), showing how technical mantra metrics and cosmological correspondences are used in ritual and recitation.