Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

Mantra-Māhātmya and Sādhana of Kārtavīryārjuna

Nyāsa, Yantra, Homa, and Dīpa-Vrata

Devanagari script

तस्य संस्मरणादेव हृतं नष्टं च संवदेत् । लभ्यते मंत्रवर्योऽयं द्वात्रिंशद्वर्णसंयुतः ॥ ५७ ॥

Transliteration

tasya saṃsmaraṇādeva hṛtaṃ naṣṭaṃ ca saṃvadet | labhyate maṃtravaryo'yaṃ dvātriṃśadvarṇasaṃyutaḥ || 57 ||

Translation

அதனை நினைத்தாலே போதும்; திருடப்பட்டதோ இழந்ததோ அதன் செய்தி (வாக்கால்) வெளிப்படும். இந்தச் சிறந்த மந்திரம் முப்பத்திரண்டு எழுத்துகளால் அமைந்ததாகக் கிடைக்கிறது.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of it/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• संस्मरणात्: from (its) remembrance
• संस्मरणात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + स्मृ (धातु) → संस्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतुवाचक (cause: from remembrance)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle: indeed/only)

• हृतम्: stolen
• हृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘stolen/taken away’

• नष्टम्: lost
• नष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘lost/vanished’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• संवदेत्: one should declare/say
• संवदेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should speak/tell (as recovered)’

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is obtained)

• मन्त्र-वर्यः: the excellent mantra
• मन्त्र-वर्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र + वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः (श्रेष्ठः मन्त्रः)

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

• द्वात्रिंशत्-वर्ण-संयुतः: endowed with thirty-two syllables/letters
• द्वात्रिंशत्-वर्ण-संयुतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वात्रिंशत् + वर्ण + सम् + युज् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्त ‘संयुत’ (endowed/combined) + तत्पुरुषः (द्वात्रिंशद्वर्णैः/द्वात्रिंशद्वर्ण-सम्बन्धेन)

Speaker

Narada (teaching in a technical/Vedanga-oriented section; mantra-lakshana/prayoga tone)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

FAQs

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

It emphasizes mantra-śakti: the Purana presents remembrance (saṃsmaraṇa) itself as a potent practice, where the mantra’s power can bring hidden facts to light—showing the tradition’s view that sound-form (varṇa) and recollection can produce tangible results.

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

While framed as a technical mantra result, it still highlights a bhakti-like principle: steady remembrance (smaraṇa) is central. The verse implies that sincere recollection activates grace and clarity, which aligns with devotional disciplines where smaraṇa is a primary limb.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It points to mantra-lakṣaṇa and varṇa-count (a technical marker used in śikṣā/vyākaraṇa-informed mantra study): the mantra is specified as dvātriṃśad-varṇa (32 syllables), reflecting the Vedanga concern for precise phonetics, structure, and correct formulation in ritual practice.