Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

चतुर्भिः षड्भर्द्वाभ्यां च मूलमंत्रेण मंत्रवित् । केचिदाहुरिहाचार्याः प्राणायामोत्तरं पुनः ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

caturbhiḥ ṣaḍbhardvābhyāṃ ca mūlamaṃtreṇa maṃtravit | kecidāhurihācāryāḥ prāṇāyāmottaraṃ punaḥ || 23 ||

Translation

Знающий мантру должен совершать практику с коренной мантрой (мула-мантрой), произнося её четыре раза, или шесть раз, или два раза. Некоторые ачарьи здесь также говорят, что после пранаямы следует сделать это снова.

Word by Word

• चतुर्भिः: with four (units/times)
• चतुर्भिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (संख्याशब्द), तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण (by four [times/units])

• षड्भिः: with six (units/times)
• षड्भिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्/षड् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्द, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण

• द्वाभ्याम्: with two (units/times)
• द्वाभ्याम्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्द, तृतीया, द्विवचन; करण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मूल-मन्त्रेण: with the root mantra
• मूल-मन्त्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण—‘with the root-mantra’

• मन्त्र-वित्: a knower of mantras
• मन्त्र-वित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक, ‘knower’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता—‘one who knows mantras’

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (some)

• आहुः: say
• आहुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘they say’

• इह: here, in this context
• इह: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• आचार्याः: teachers
• आचार्याः: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अप्पोजिशन to केचित्

• प्राणायाम-उत्तरम्: after prāṇāyāma / subsequent to breath-control
• प्राणायाम-उत्तरम्: Karma (कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणायाम (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘subsequent to prāṇāyāma’ (as object/complement)

• पुनः: again, further
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति/अनुवाद-अव्यय (again/further)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (ācārya tradition cited within the dialogue to Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: none

Characters & Entities

• Narada
• Sanatkumara

FAQs

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

It standardizes disciplined mantra-practice by tying japa-counts to the mūla-mantra and linking them with prāṇāyāma, showing that inner purification and precise method support spiritual efficacy.

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

While technical, it supports Bhakti by prescribing a focused way to repeat the root-mantra with regulated breath—helping steady attention and deepen devotional absorption in the deity invoked by the mantra.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A practical ritual-technical rule: specific japa counts (2/4/6) with the mūla-mantra and the sequencing of japa in relation to prāṇāyāma—typical of procedural guidance aligned with śikṣā and kalpa-style instruction.