Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3
The Description of the Four Durgā Mantras
प्रतिष्ठाप्य शिवा फट् च स्वाहांतोऽत्यष्टिवर्णवान् । भैरवोऽस्य मुनिः सम्राट् छन्दो मन्त्रस्य देवता ॥ ३ ॥
pratiṣṭhāpya śivā phaṭ ca svāhāṃto'tyaṣṭivarṇavān | bhairavo'sya muniḥ samrāṭ chando mantrasya devatā || 3 ||
Depois de estabelecer (o mantra), deve-se acrescentar “śivā” e, em seguida, “phaṭ”; ele termina com “svāhā” e possui mais de oitenta sílabas. Para este mantra, Bhairava é o ṛṣi (vidente), Samrāṭ é o chandas (métrica), e assim se declara a sua devatā (divindade).
Narada (teaching in a technical Vedanga/mantra-vidhi context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It codifies mantra-identification rules—ṛṣi, chandas, and devatā—showing that mantra practice is not random but must be aligned with its seer, metre, and presiding deity for correct ritual efficacy.
Indirectly: it teaches disciplined, scripture-aligned worship. In the Narada Purana’s framework, devotion becomes steady when supported by correct vidhi (procedure) and proper mantra-lakṣaṇa (mantric definition).
Chandas (metre) and mantra-lakṣaṇa: the verse explicitly names the chandas (Samrāṭ), specifies mantra endings like “svāhā,” and notes syllable/varṇa count—core technical markers used in ritual recitation.