Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 155

Mokṣopāya: Bhakti-rooted Jñāna and the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga of Viṣṇu-Meditation

Devanagari script

अकारं ब्रह्मणो रुपमुकारं विष्णुरुपवत् । मकारं रुद्ररुपं स्यादर्ध्दमात्रं परात्मकम् ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

akāraṃ brahmaṇo rupamukāraṃ viṣṇurupavat | makāraṃ rudrarupaṃ syādardhdamātraṃ parātmakam || 55 ||

Translation

‘அ’ என்பது பிரம்மாவின் ரூபம்; ‘உ’ என்பது விஷ்ணுவின் ரூபம்; ‘ம’ என்பது ருத்ரரூபம்; அர்த்தமாத்திரை (நுண் நாதம்) பரமாத்மா.

Word by Word

• अकारम्: the letter ‘A’
• अकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman / of Brahmā (context-dependent)
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; predicate noun

• उकारम्: the letter ‘U’
• उकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विष्णु: Viṣṇu
• विष्णु: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; in compound, stem form

• रूपवत्: having the form (of)
• रूपवत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूपवत् (प्रातिपदिक; -वत् possessive suffix)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'having the form of'

• विष्णुरूपवत्: having the form of Viṣṇu
• विष्णुरूपवत्: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: विष्णोः रूपवत् (having Viṣṇu’s form)

• मकारम्: the letter ‘M’
• मकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रुद्र: Rudra
• रुद्र: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; in compound, stem form

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate noun

• रुद्ररूपम्: the form of Rudra
• रुद्ररूपम्: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: रुद्रस्य रूपम् (Rudra’s form)

• स्यात्: would be / should be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अर्धमात्रम्: the half-mora
• अर्धमात्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्धमात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: अर्धा मात्रा यस्य/यत् (half-mora)

• परात्मकम्: of supreme essence
• परात्मकम्: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: परः आत्मा यस्य/यत् (whose essence is the Supreme)

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Rudra
• Paramatman

FAQs

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

It teaches that Praṇava (Oṃ) contains the cosmic functions—creation (Brahmā), preservation (Viṣṇu), dissolution (Rudra)—and that beyond these audible parts is the subtle half-mora, identified with the Supreme Self (Paramātman), pointing the seeker to liberation.

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

By linking the ‘U’ of Oṃ to Viṣṇu, it supports Viṣṇu-upāsanā through mantra-japa and meditation: devotion begins with reverent recitation and culminates in contemplation of the transcendent reality indicated by the ardha-mātrā.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Śikṣā (Vedic phonetics) is implied: the verse distinguishes the audible phonemes (A-U-M) and the subtle ‘ardha-mātrā’ (nasal resonance/silence beyond sound), guiding correct mantra articulation and meditative focus.