Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Dīkṣā, Mantra-Types, Mantra-Doṣas, and Qualifications of Ācārya–Śiṣya

Devanagari script

पञ्चषष्ट्यक्षरा मन्त्रा ज्ञेया वै शांतमानसाः । पञ्चषष्ट्यर्णमारभ्य नवनन्दाक्षरावधि ॥ ५३ ॥

Transliteration

pañcaṣaṣṭyakṣarā mantrā jñeyā vai śāṃtamānasāḥ | pañcaṣaṣṭyarṇamārabhya navanandākṣarāvadhi || 53 ||

Translation

அமைதியான மனத்தவர் அறிய வேண்டியது: அறுபத்தைந்து எழுத்துகளைக் கொண்ட மந்திரங்கள்—அறுபத்தைந்து எழுத்து அளவிலிருந்து தொடங்கி ‘நவ‑நந்த’ எழுத்து அளவு வரை விரியும்.

Word by Word

• पञ्च-षष्टि-अक्षराः: sixty-five-syllabled
• पञ्च-षष्टि-अक्षराः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु समास (numerical): ‘having sixty-five syllables’; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• मन्त्राः: mantras
• मन्त्राः: कर्ता (Karta; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• ज्ञेयाः: to be known/recognized
• ज्ञेयाः: विधेय (predicate; to be regarded as)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्तव्य (gerundive; ‘to be known’), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध-बोधक (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/assurance

• शान्त-मानसाः: (those) having a calm mind
• शान्त-मानसाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (qualifier of मन्त्राः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि समास (possessive): ‘whose mind is calm’; पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (plural)

• पञ्च-षष्टि-अर्णम्: (from) sixty-five letters
• पञ्च-षष्टि-अर्णम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa; starting limit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु समास (numerical): ‘sixty-five letters’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case; adverbial/limit with आरभ्य), एकवचन (singular)

• आरभ्य: starting from
• आरभ्य: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध (Avyaya relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘starting from’

• नव-नन्द-अक्षर-अवधि: up to the limit of the nine-nanda syllables/letters
• नव-नन्द-अक्षर-अवधि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa; terminal limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + अवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास (adverbial): ‘up to the limit of …’; अव्यय-प्रयोग (indeclinable usage)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narada

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that mantra-knowledge is not merely numerical or technical; it is to be approached with a शांत-मनस् (peaceful, disciplined mind), aligning inner purity with precise mantra-structure.

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

By insisting on a calm, steady mind for learning mantras, it points to the bhakti principle that effective japa and worship depend on inner composure and reverence, not only external recitation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Vedanga-oriented mantra-vidya—especially Śikṣā (phonetics) and Chandas (metrical/syllabic measures)—classifying mantras by akṣara-count (here, the 65-syllable class and onward).